AWARD CELEBRATIONS
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AWARD CELEBRATIONS
BY PAUL ASKEW , CHEF PATRON OF THE ART SCHOOL RESTAURANT
Welcome dear readers to March – I hope your year is going well so far .
We ’ ve had some rather splendid news to share and we ’ re absolutely thrilled to have won Restaurant Of The Year in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards for the second time at the end of February . The spectacular event took place in the Liverpool Cathedral with many of the city ’ s leading hospitality and tourism businesses present . Myself and my team want to say a profound thanks to the judges and everyone involved for this wonderful recognition . We also won the same award back in 2017 and then the national Taste of England award , so to win regionally twice is quite the achievement . It ’ s testament to everyone who has been part of The Art School ’ s journey for the last 9 years and what I have always striven to achieve with my team as we head toward our 10th anniversary . I ’ m so proud of every member who makes The Art School experience what it is and I also want to say huge thanks to our wonderful customers and their continued support . Also we won at the People ’ s Choice Spirits Award in Manchester the same week for The Art School Cellars as Best Independent Bar which is a great accolade too .
Next up , we ’ ve got our third return to the most fantastic of occasions – The Grand National at Aintree . We ’ re thrilled to be back at Topham House to continue our most wonderful relationship with The Jockey Club and proudly serve the world ’ s greatest horse racing event ’ s patrons . It ’ s going to be a fantastic weekend of fine-dining and racing with all eyes on Aintree . There are still a few tickets left if you ’ d like to join us and celebrate in the finest of styles .
As we approach our 10th anniversary in September , I remain deeply passionate about using seasonal and sustainable ingredients
from around the Liverpool City Region – from the Rhug Estate inward to the amazing produce on our doorstep , in a radius of around 35 miles . What ’ s growing within this space around us is mind-blowing but it ’ s everywhere across the UK , too , and something we must harness – every locality has the variations of such goodness close to hand . And of course , we have to be seasonal to be sustainable . It ’ s the only way to work ethically , to follow the field to fork and nose to tail philosophies which minimise waste and maximise everything we bring into the kitchen . These will be ever more important with each year and underpin our work at The Art School .
Part of my commitment remains the same - to champion what many farmers , artisans , cultivators and more are all doing and how we use what they grow . Spring is here and it will bring us an abundance asparagus , Wirral watercress , wild garlic , new season lamb from Edge and Sons and Jersey royals . And looking ahead later to autumn , where we find delicious burgundy slabs of venison or iridescent seabass plucked from the depths of the North Sea . Or to richly decadent Kings Caviar which is available most of the year and a magnificent treat . I think of James Peat and his tractor in Southport , extracting shrimp from the sand . The Edge family and their fabulous cuts of meat from the animals they rear . The kaleidoscope of colours at Growing Fields where produce of every colour grows . The seasons are special to me .
We ’ ve had a busy start to 2024 and as always , your support and custom is treasured by us here at The Art School .
With much love as always , Chef Patron Paul Askew x
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