Cateys 2025: Chef Award: Mark Birchall

It’s been quite a year for Mark Birchall. The mild-mannered chef has achieved the ultimate accolade of a third Michelin star for Moor Hall, the 16th-century manor house in Aughton, near Ormskirk, that he opened in 2017 with business partners Andy and Tracey Bell.

 

Birchall was always open about his ambitions for the food at Moor Hall, befitting the quiet confidence of a Roux scholar whose CV includes L’Enclume in Cumbria and El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Catalonia.

 

The chef has become the first Roux scholar to earn three stars for his own establishment, making it one of only 10 restaurants in the UK to earn the ultimate accolade. In addition, the restaurant holds a green Michelin star for sustainability, an acknowledgement of its environmental efforts as it strives to lead the way in sustainable luxury.

 

Birchall has developed a well-deserved reputation for creative, ingredient-driven cuisine with a menu of modern British cooking that focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, often from Moor Hall’s own gardens.

 

The priority of flavour through sustainability touches every part of the business. Moor Hall has its own kitchen gardens, orchards and greenhouses that supply a significant portion of its ingredients, while anything that isn’t produced on-site is sourced from carefully selected regional farmers, fishmongers and butchers. Other sustainable efforts include a strict recycling programme where all unnecessary packaging has been removed from the supply chain, and rainwater being harvested for use in the gardens.

 

Meanwhile, Birchall embraces nose-to-tail butchery, using all parts of an animal to minimise waste across both restaurants. The same can be said of his root-to-stem cooking, which ensures all vegetables and herbs are fully utilised. Any scraps and byproducts are repurposed into stocks, sauces and garnishes, and all food waste is composted and reintroduced into the gardens to support soil health.

 

When he opened the restaurant, which is now joined by accessible sister site the Barn, Birchall told The Caterer: “We want people to enjoy high-quality, seasonal food in comfortable surroundings. It’s nothing more than that.”

 

It’s safe to say the chef has made it considerably more than that, having created a menu populated with dishes of refined technique and presentation and which inspire his teams to deliver outstanding hospitality.

 

Meanwhile, the business has seen growth through expansion, with seven bedrooms launched on the estate in the past year, doubling the accommodation offering at Moor Hall.

 

Birchall has been active in the wider industry, too. In October 2024 he headlined the Hospitality Exchange event in Belfast, delivering a keynote presentation on sustainable success and the significance of personalisation in hospitality. He also prepared a gourmet dinner as a showcase of his culinary expertise.

 

Over the past 12 months, he has also continued his support for Sandy Park Café, a not-for-profit initiative associated with Sandfield Park School in Liverpool. This collaboration has provided students with special educational needs and disabilities valuable work experience in the hospitality industry. Through this partnership, Moor Hall has hosted educational visits, contributed financially and supplied seasonal soups and breads for the café.

 

This is a chef that with a firm hand on every detail of his business, ensuring each guest has the most memorable experience, and he rightly takes his place among the select group that have been honoured with the Chef Award.

 

What the judges said

“Mark is not only an incredible chef but a true ambassador for our craft. His hard work and dedication to building a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in challenging times is to be commended.” Jason Atherton

 

“Recognition rightly given to a chef who has successfully forged his way to the pinnacle of his profession.” Phil Howard

 

“Mark is a phenomenal talent with incredible drive and passion. He is an inspiration to the next generation of chefs.” Tom Kerridge

 

The shortlist

• Adam Byatt, Trinity, London
• Mark Birchall, Moor Hall, Lancashire
• Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Sabor, London
• Spencer Metzger, Row on 5, London
• Tom Sellers, Restaurant Story, London

The judges

• Amanda Afiya, Amanda Afiya (Hospitality)
• Jason Atherton, the Social Company 
• Michael Caines, Lympstone Manor hotel
• Angela Hartnett, Murano
• Phil Howard, Elystan Street
• Tom Kerridge, Hand & Flowers

If you would like to enter the 2026 Cateys, or you know someone who you would like to nominate, register your interest for updates