Lisa has worked at Northcote alongside Nigel Haworth for nearly 15 years. She has worked her way up through the ranks, starting as demi chef de partie, she was head chef at Northcote at just 23 years old, and now Lisa runs the kitchen as executive head chef, as of December 2017.
Lisa’s first kitchen job was working part-time at the Holbeck Ghyll in Cumbria, along side studying for an NVQ in catering. She also worked at Le Champignon Sauvage, where she went full time after completing her course. After a year, she returned to the North in 2001 and started at Northcote Manor as a demi chef de partie.
Lisa Goodwin Allen
In the three years following this, Lisa was promoted three times, before being appointed as head chef in 2004.
In that year, she retained the Michelin star that Nigel Haworth was originally awarded in 1996. In December 2017, she announced that she would be taking on a new role as executive head chef, as Nigel Haworth stepped back from the day to day management of the restaurant.
He is now known as the ‘Chef Ambassador’ of Northcote, and still gets involved with the annual Obsession event, cookery schools and special evenings.
Northcote
Northcote is a manor house from the 19th century in Langho, Blackburn, first established in 1883. Situated in the heart of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, Northcote became a hotel and restaurant in 1983 under the joint management of Craig Bancroft and Nigel Haworth.
The hotel is a member of both the Relais & Chateaux and Pride of Britain Hotels groups and has 26 bedrooms. The restaurant has retained a Michelin star for over 20 years, and currently hold 4 Rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2018.
Food Style
Lisa’s modern British food style showcases the very best of the region’s produce, but with a playful twist. The Northcote menu is exemplary of this, with dishes such as Free Range Duck, Barley & Beer and Lemon and Thyme Rice Pudding Soufflé.
Lisa was a finalist in the Roux Scholarship in 2006, but was beaten to the title by Pravin Sharma.
From the tasting menu at Northcote
Great British Menu
In 2010, Lisa competed in the fifth season of Great British Menu, representing the north-west. She was the only female chef competing that year and she won the round, advancing to the final. Her winning dish, which earnt her a spot at the Banquet, was a rabbit and leek turnover with piccalilli.
Awards and other projects
In 2008, the Northern Hospitality Awards named Lisa as Chef of the Year. In 2011, she was named Restaurant Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs. She also appeared in the semi finals of series eight of MasterChef: The Professionals as a chef mentor. Lisa teaches some of the master classes at Northcote Cookery School and also hosts a night at their annual Obsession event.
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