- Work Hard
- 17th Jan 2025
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- 0 minute
Kayleigh Thorogood on what it’s really like to train with a Michelin-star chef
In the heart of the Lake District lies a beautiful, unsuspecting village named Cartmel – famous for its historic priory, sticky toffee pudding and picturesque streets.
It is also home to one of the best restaurants in the country, the three Michelin-starred L’Enclume by Simon Rogan.
The famed chef put Cartmel on the map when he opened the restaurant in 2002 and subsequently opened the one Michelin-starred Rogan & Co and Aulis Cartmel in the village.
The beauty of the Lake District and the culinary genius are alluring to the thousands who dine at L’Enclume every year. However, it is also a perfect place to learn your craft as a chef or front-of-house staff.
One beneficiary of Simon Rogan’s training and expertise is Kayleigh Thorogood, who is now assistant operations manager for all of Simon Rogan’s restaurants in the Lake District.
Kayleigh moved to the Lake District eight years ago to work at The Forest Side in Grasmere and stayed when an opportunity to work with Simon Rogan at L’Enclume came along. She was Junior Assistant Manager there until the lockdown in 2020.
During the pandemic, she transferred to their sister restaurant, ‘Rogan & Co.’ to work as restaurant manager.
The accolades and acclaim that L’Enclume and Simon Rogan’s restaurants have garnered over the years speak for themselves with the acclaimed food and inventive style. However, Kayleigh also believes that it is more than just the food which sets it apart from many high-end establishments across the country, but its connection with the surrounding farms.
“L’Enclume was a driving force in the farm-to-fork industry, and I think that’s where it got the huge acclaim it’s got today,” said Kayleigh. “We can grow the majority of our own ingredients just down the road. We have all the vegetables, herbs and flowers that come to us, and any food waste in the restaurant goes back to the farm and used for compost.”
You’d imagine that a three-Michelin-starred restaurant might have a stuffy or slightly pretentious atmosphere, but L’Enclume has managed to create a relaxed environment where the guests can feel at ease.
“We really pride ourselves on a relaxed style of service. It doesn’t mean that the standards drop in any way, it just means that when the guests come through the door, we want to give them this warm presence and warm welcome and have a bit of fun with them,” said Kayleigh.
Simon Rogan has had a big impact on the local economy in Cartmel and the surrounding areas that can’t be understated. People will travel from all over the world to dine at L’Enclume, and this ultimately is a positive for local businesses that reap the rewards, too.
“Simon has really set the food and drink scene in Cartmel, and you’ve seen other businesses come in the last 22 years since L’Enclume started,” said Kayleigh. “We all work together and recommend our guests to go there. We also use the [local] cheese shop and brewery in Cartmel. It’s got a really nice feel to it, and that’s part of the charm that it’s not just people visiting the restaurant, but experiencing the rest that the village has to offer.”
Kayleigh grew up in Lincolnshire and has been working in the restaurant industry since the age of 15, she always thought that working in Michelin-starred establishments wouldn’t be something she would enjoy.
However, when she moved to the Lake District, she dined at L’Enclume twice before working there and her whole perception of what a Michelin-starred restaurant could be changed.
“I realised that a Michelin-starred restaurant could have warmth and a fun and energetic team. It also showed me the importance of ingredients and sustainability,” said Kayleigh. “When I first looked at the menu, I hardly recognised any of the ingredients on there! It taught me how important it was to know where food had come from and how we could make it as sustainable as possible.”
One of the big lessons Kayleigh has learnt through working at L’Enclume and Rogan & Co is to never rest on your laurels and constantly strive to improve yourself.
“Working at these restaurants teaches you to do the same tasks and the same order of service every day but to always aim to improve it and have that level of progression and consistency,” said Kayleigh.
Kayleigh has been working under Simon Rogan for six years and has risen through the ranks to assistant operations manager. It is a job that has given her the opportunities and space to grow and learn new skills that are vital in the restaurant industry.
“Ultimately, what makes this an amazing place to work is the learning opportunities. All the different restaurants all have their different style, and also spending time on the farm and being able to get such a broad experience of the industry whilst working for one group and one company is the most amazing part,” said Kayleigh.
Ambitious individuals looking to experience these incredible learning opportunities can apply to Simon Rogan’s esteemed academy in Cumbria, which gives chefs and front-of-house staff the unique opportunity to learn and work at their award-winning restaurants in The Lakes.
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