Normandie landings

Sometimes, losing a Michelin star can be good for business. "You don't always make money on Michelin stars up north because customers like to see generous portions that don't cost a lot," says Paul Bellingham, head chef at the 24-bedroom Normandie hotel in Bury, Greater Manchester; a fact that often means the expensive ingredients expected in Michelin-starred eateries turn dishes into loss earners.

Bellingham took over the kitchen of the hotel's 50-seat restaurant three years ago after it lost its star when previous head chef Pascal Pomminger left. The star may be gone, but the restaurant has retained three AA rosettes and does an average of 25 covers during weeknights, rising to about 50 at the weekend, without spending a fortune on produce. Average spend is £26 without wine, with diners being looked after by owners Max and Susan Moussa and four front of house staff.

Customer favourites from Bellingham's seasonally changing à la carte menu (which has between six and eight dishes at each level) include a starter of guinea fowl dodine with Bury black pudding and kumquat chutney (£4.95), which is created with the help of Bellingham's three-strong kitchen brigade.

To make the guinea fowl in the dodine method, Bellingham debones the bird before marinating it in Madeira brandy, thyme, bay leaf, juniper berries and black peppercorns for two days. It is then flash-fried, along with the black pudding before being stuffed with the black pudding and roasted in the oven for 30 minutes. The kumquat chutney, believes Bellingham, adds a sweet and sour dimension to the dish although he says the inclusion of locally made black pudding is the dish's main attraction for customers.

A generous 10oz braised shoulder of lamb served with root vegetables and mustard-flavoured mashed potatoes (£13.95) is another popular main course; as is a fillet of lemon sole, queen scallops with potato crab cake and Gewrztraminer sauce (£13.75). "Anything with scallops is popular," says Bellingham, adding that he would rather do the dish with king prawns, "but as they cost nearly £9/lb that isn't practical."

Normandie Hotel and Restaurant, Elbut Lane, Birtle, Bury BL9 6UT. Tel: 0161-764 3869