Midsummer House awards

Summary: Square Meal Award for Best Out-of-Town Restaurant 2005..

Another award comes to Midsummer House this year in the guise of the BMW Square Meal Award for Best Out-of-Town Restaurant 2005. Midsummer House is in good company, the previous winners of this award being Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons (2001), The Waterside Inn (2002), The Vineyard at Stockcross (2003) and The Fat Duck (2004). This award is particularly special as it's decided not only by the Square Meal team of reviewers, but also by their readers, who provide Square Meal with their own verdicts on restaurants around the country. Having also been awarded it's second Michelin Star this year, Midsummer House has firmly established itself on the culinary map. Midsummer House is the only additional two-star restaurant in this year's guide and remains the only Michelin star restaurant in East Anglia. Midsummer received its first Michelin Star in 2002 and the team has been working towards receiving this second star ever since. Having recently undergone a major refurbishment and having new menus created, Midsummer House certainly deserves this prestigious accolade. Clifford's cooking is based upon a sound grounding in French technique and he constantly seeks to improve and innovate: low temperature cooking, jellies, foams and unexpected contrasts of taste, texture and temperature. A research kitchen has recently been added to the building in which Clifford experiments with new ingredients, processes and dishes. A plasma screen has also been installed in the private dining room so guests can watch their choice of dishes being prepared, a rare opportunity to watch the 'man of genius' at work. Chef/Patron Clifford, who started his career as a kitchen assistant at Canterbury College comments, "I have worked towards this award for many years and am delighted that along with my team all our efforts have been recognised."