Midsummer House is a restaurant located in Cambridge, England, on the bank of the River Cam. It is a Victorian house that was transformed into a restaurant in 1986. It won its first Michelin star in 2002, and a second in 2005. The chef patron is Daniel Clifford.
| Midsummer House | |
|---|---|
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1986 |
| Owner(s) | Daniel Clifford |
| Head chef | Mark Abbott |
| Food type | French/British |
| Dress code | Smart-casual |
| Rating |  (Michelin Guide) AA Rosettes  |
| Street address | Midsummer Common |
| City | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 52°12′37″N 0°07′47″E / 52.2102°N 0.1297°E |
| Seating capacity | 53 |
| Reservations | Yes (recommended) |
| Other information | Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday |
| Website | www |
Description
editThe restaurant is located in a townhouse built in 1886 on the bank of the River Cam, on Midsummer Common.[1] The location of the restaurant has been a problem in the past. Twice in 2001, the river overflowed its banks and the restaurant was flooded. In February, the water made it into the wine cellars. In November, with over 5 feet (1.5 m) of water covering the foundations and causing extensive damage to the floor of the dining room, the decision was made to close the restaurant for a month and redecorate at the cost of £100,000, including ripping up the damaged floor and replacing it.[2]
Daniel Clifford took over as head chef in 1998.[3] He became the chef patron of the restaurant in 1999.[2]
Awards
editMidsummer House won its first Michelin star in 2002.[2] It was awarded a second in 2004, becoming one of eleven restaurants in the UK and Ireland to hold two stars; it was the only restaurant to be elevated to that level that year.[4] It has been awarded five AA Rosettes, elevated to this status in the 2014 AA Awards.[5] In the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2016 Midsummer House was awarded a cooking score of 8/10, and ranked at number 7 in the guide's top 50 UK restaurants.[6]
In 2014 Midsummer House was voted first place in the TripAdvisor "Travellers Choice Awards" within the UK, and second place in the world.[7]
On 5 October 2015 Daniel Clifford was awarded the Chefs Chef of the Year award at the 2015/16 AA awards. Daniel Clifford was praised for turning Midsummer House into one of the country's finest restaurants, while being an "inspiration to so many chefs at all levels" [8]
References
edit- ^ Rajan, Amol (16 October 2011). "Midsummer House, Midsummer Common, Cambridge". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ a b c Harmer, Janet (15 May 2002). "After the flood". Caterer and Hotelkeeper. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "Daniel Clifford, Esq's Biography". Debretts. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "Chef celebrates restaurant honour". BBC News. 21 January 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "Midsummer House Restaurant". The AA.com. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
- ^ "Waitrose Good Food Guide 2016: Press Release | Fine Dining Guide". 25 August 2015.
- ^ "TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award". The Independent Newspaper. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- ^ "Daniel Clifford and Robin Hutson scoop top AA". 5 October 2015.