WHEN the restaurant at Ulverston's Lonsdale House Hotel was transformed into one of the town's smartest eateries, one essential ingredient was missing. he newly-refurbished Fell's restaurant needed a top chef to create the perfect meals, fit to grace the special surroundings.

Step forward award-winning head chef Mark Renshaw, who is already starting to put Fell's restaurant on the food lover's map. Mark, a 30-year-old Merseysider, has 14 years of experience as a chef and has worked under some of the North West's finest chefs, including John Branaghan at the 4-star Chalon Court Hotel in St Helen's.
Now he's putting his own stamp on the new-look 32-seater Fell's restaurant, a former gentlemen's club, which has just undergone a massive refurbishment.

But his arrival at the Lonsdale House Hotel in Daltongate was bad news for his wife Natalie, who is having to get used to sleepless nights. "When I'm thinking about creating a dish, I often wake up in the middle of the night and get a flash of inspiration," said Mark, who gained his NVQ Level 1 and 2 at Knowsley Community College.

"Presentation is so important to me because you want the dish to look good as well as taste good. There's nothing more off-putting than food just slapped on a plate. Eating out isn't just about going out for something to eat; it's all about enjoying a dining experience. Producing the special dish is important to me and I like to think about what I'm creating - even if it is the middle of the night!"

Mark's menus involve using the finest ingredients, and he likes to buy local produce, particularly meat and fish.

"I like variety and I like to be adventurous and show some flair when I'm creating dishes," he said.

"Gammon steaks don't interest me! I love fresh fish like salmon, and particularly enjoy cooking different things with fillet steaks."

"Beef Wellington is a particular speciality and also fillet steak stuffed with stilton and wrapped in bacon. Lamb Henries are also another speciality."