A Lancashire restaurant is celebrating after becoming the first in the area to be awarded three AA rosettes.
263, on Camden Place in Preston, is already featured in the Michelin Guide and recently picked up the Taste Lancashire award at the Lancashire Tourism Awards.
The restaurant was opened in 2019 by Mark O’Rourke with Lancashire-born Oli Martin now onboard as chef director and Rikki Hughes serving as head chef. The business has continued to thrive, improve and adapt despite the intense challenges from the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis in the hospitality industry.
Rikki Hughes, head chef at 263, said: “I’m immensely proud of the whole team here at 263 for working so hard! To be the first ever restaurant in Preston to get three rosettes is a phenomenal achievement.”
Alex Blamire, managing director at 263, said: “To be the first restaurant in Preston awarded with three AA Rosettes is such an honour. Everybody has put so much effort into making 263 a destination restaurant and are continuing to do so, to achieve this accolade in just over 12 months is a credit to all of the hard work and dedication everybody has put in.
“I know what this award means to each and every one of us and of course a big thank you to Rikki Hughes, our head chef, and Emese Pogany, our restaurant manager, for pushing the boundaries day in day out to deliver incredible food served to the highest standard, but equally as important I would like to say thank you to the team members you don't see or hear about every day - Josh, Boz, Leah, Rach, Nick and Neive.
“263 is a family and the only reason we can achieve what we do is because each member of the team is as important as the next.”
Oli Martin, chef director, said: “I’m blown away by what everyone at 263 has achieved in such a short space of time. It was only a couple weeks ago we won the Lancashire Tourism Awards’ Best Restaurant in Lancashire.
“The team truly are dedicated, passionate and committed to creating something unique in Preston. It's great to be the first restaurant to gain three AA Rosettes in Preston city centre.”
Mark O’Rourke, founder of 263, said: “It's great to see a restaurant in Preston achieve such accolades. The whole team works tirelessly to produce the best food and service in the area and work tirelessly to do so. They really are an asset to Preston. It's everything I imagined it would be when I opened it and more.”
After the pandemic forced closure following just six months of trading, 263 has seen Oli and Rikki work to create intricate menus that showcase the best of Lancashire's seasonal produce, heritage and foraged ingredients.
Head chef Rikki Hughes has been working in a kitchen since he was 15, most recently as sous chef at Tom Kerridge's Hand and Flowers in Buckinghamshire.
Chef director Oli Martin has 17 years of experience in fine dining, having worked in Michelin Star and Rosette restaurants, from here in the UK to the South of France, to Australia. In 2018, he made it to the final three on Masterchef: The Professionals.
Managing director Alex Blamire has more than 13 years’ experience in the food and drinks industry and has previously worked at Linthwaite House, Gilpin Lodge and Hipping Hall in Cumbria.
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