Set in the luxurious surroundings of the immaculately refurbished Lympstone Manor, this one Michelin Star restaurant, of the same name, that we are now thrilled to supply our award-winning cutlery designs to is the perfect example of where 17 years cooking at a two star standard gets you upon opening your first owned restaurant.
Michael Caines MBE announced his ‘emotional parting’ from revered Gidleigh Park when, after 21 years at the helm (17 of those holding two Michelin Stars), an opportunity arose for him to pursue his dreams of revamping the Grade II listed mansion in East Devon and transform it into a luxury 21-bedroom hotel and restaurant, all of his very own.
With Caines’ celebrated cooking style continuing to combine his love of classical and French technique using the finest ingredients available, it’s no wonder that after just six short months of opening Lympstone Manor, he and his team were awarded a Michelin Star. This new restaurant is already considered to be one of the South West’s culinary highlights and if Caines’ history of visionary chefing is anything to go by, we can only imagine things will be going up from here!
The Restaurant
Caines has refurbished Lympstone Manor with no expense spared. Boasting three stunning dining rooms, each with their own unique style and seating sixty covers, you can take your pick from a sumptuous setting in the Powderham room, elegant formality in the Mamhead room or a light and airy feel in the Berry Head room. On a warmer night, you have the welcoming option of dining in the open air on the beautiful terrace overlooking the rolling grounds. Although the dining rooms encapsulate the very essence of luxurious, guests are often relieved to discover that there’s no uptight attitudes to go along with it. Jeans are welcome and the service is refreshing unpretentious. This is somewhere you can visit with friends to share a fun, sociable meal of exceptional food.
An exquisitely stylish copper bar is where you can enjoy a signature cocktail or sample wines from an extensive cellar, with the help of an expert sommelier, including some created using grapes from their own vineyard.
The Chef
Born in Exeter in 1969, Michael Caines recounts his early fond memories of his mother’s cooking and his father’s fruit and vegetable garden, where his love for great food first bloomed. He left home to attend catering college (where, unsurprisingly, he was named student of the year!) and started his career at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, but it wasn’t until he travelled to France for his final training under chefs Bernard Loiseau and Joël Robuchon that he discovered and started to hone what is now his signature style.
At just 25 years old, Caines landed the role of head chef at Gidleigh Manor and their first Michelin Star soon followed. 21 successful years on and he is now the proud owner of his own Michelin Star restaurant and hotel – Lympstone Manor.
As one of the UK’s most acclaimed and celebrated chefs, Caines inspiring creativity and ‘global taste’ makes for an incredible meal every time, transforming seasonal and regional ingredients into an array of scintillating dishes to please all palettes.
The Menu
There are three options available for dinner: Michael’s A La Carte menu, the Signature Eight-Course Tasting Menu or his creative Taste of the Estuary menu.
Unlike many fine dining restaurants where the focus is laid on gastronomical experimentation, Caines excels in cooking simple ingredients to perfection, so if you’re after gimmicks this isn’t the place for you. It’s all about seasonal, local produce at Lympstone Manor with mussels coming straight from the overlooked River Exe and all other fish bought from a nearby farm shop who sources from the Devon coastline. The bread is made in-house and described as being akin to ‘a crunchy crusted cloud’ creating and everyone is well catered for, vegetarians included.