How are Michelin Green star restaurants shaping UK hospitality?

The Michelin Green Star, introduced in 2020, has quickly become one of the most meaningful accolades in hospitality.

It celebrates restaurants that combine exceptional dining with outstanding commitments to sustainable practices.

For chefs and restaurateurs, the award recognises not only what is served on the plate but also the ethos behind every ingredient, partnership, and process. Two UK restaurants - Wild Shropshire in Whitchurch and Homestead Kitchen in Goathland - share what the award has meant to them, the challenges of pursuing sustainability in hospitality, and how they are shaping the future of dining.

Recognition That Resonates

For Wild Shropshire, the Green Star was a moment of validation after years of work. The restaurant had already committed itself to reducing its impact long before Michelin came calling, but the award provided recognition from the wider industry.

Chef owner James Sherwin said: “For me it was industry recognition for something we'd been working on for a while. We made the decision that we wanted to try and reduce our impact a couple of years beforehand, to stand in that room with all those chefs and have it recognised was a definite highlight of my career.”

At Homestead Kitchen, the award felt even more personal, reflecting the deep connection between the restaurant and the lives of those who run it.

Since opening in 2021, Peter Neville and his partner Cecily Fearnley have transformed the 18th-century farmhouse into a destination restaurant rooted in the rugged landscape of the North York Moors.

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Cecily said: “It feels deeply personal. Homestead Kitchen is our home as much as it is our restaurant, so the award is recognition of the way we live as well as the way we cook. For us, the Green Star celebrates values - community, care for the land, and respect for producers - that underpin everything we do. For our small team, it’s been a huge boost of pride. Everyone knows they’re part of something meaningful, whether they’re composting food scraps, welcoming muddy-booted walkers, or serving a carefully thought-out dish.”

Changing Conversations with Guests

At Wild Shropshire, the award hasn’t triggered a surge in bookings, but it has transformed how guests engage with the restaurant.

James added: “We haven't noticed a massive change in bookings, it is a particularly difficult time for restaurants though, however we've seen a change in the conversations with guests. Now when we talk they want to know about what initiatives we have, carbon offsetting, the farm - things that have real life importance.”

Homestead Kitchen, by contrast, has seen guests travel from further afield, while locals have embraced the recognition with pride.

Cecily explained: “The Green Star has definitely sparked new curiosity. We’ve had more guests travelling from further afield, and our regulars tell us they feel proud that a restaurant in their village has been recognised at this level. Feedback often touches not just on the food, but on the feeling of being here - guests enjoy knowing their meal has been sourced and served in a way that reflects care for people and planet.”

Suppliers and Media Spotlight

Wild Shropshire’s ethos has always been rooted in close supplier relationships, which made the award a natural extension of their philosophy.

James added: “I think for us the relationship with our suppliers was already there, I've always believed in working with people that have the same ethos as us as their story is one we want to tell also.”

For Homestead Kitchen, the recognition has shone a light on producers as well as the restaurant itself.

Cecily explained: “The media spotlight has been wonderful, especially because it also shines on our producers. Many of them are small family businesses like ours, and they’ve shared in the pride of this award. The Green Star has strengthened those partnerships - we’re all motivated to push a little further, knowing the story of how and where food comes from matters to guests.”

Sustainability in Action

Both restaurants are proud of the steps they have taken to integrate sustainability into their daily operations. Wild Shropshire has placed carbon offsetting at the centre of its efforts.

James added: “I’m proud of everything we're doing, I think the one I'm most proud of is our carbon offsetting. We take guest location and travel type (and staff journeys) and use a formula to plant the appropriate amount of trees to offset that, it's not an exact science but it's a start. We're currently in the process of rolling that out to any deliveries we get as well.”

Homestead Kitchen has built its approach around small, daily choices that add up to a bigger impact.

Cecily explained: “We’re proudest of how the little things add up. All our food waste is processed on-site using our Bokashi system, creating compost that feeds our garden. From what was just essentially a back garden when we bought the property, we are really proud of how we have utilised the space to maximise growing potential, and also admiring what this means for the local wildlife. We’ve found creative ways to repurpose everything from corks to candles to old menus - many of which end up as art projects for our children. These daily, thoughtful choices form the backbone of our sustainability mission.”

Balancing Principles with Practicality

For Wild Shropshire, sustainability is managed by dividing responsibility among the team.

James added: “Essentially we've assigned different aspects of it to a different member of staff. Our bookings manager deals with locations, my sous chef deals with the waste side of things - like weighing our rubbish - and I pick up the rest.”

At Homestead Kitchen, the approach is to make sustainability part of the rhythm of service rather than an extra task.

Cecily added: “By making it part of the rhythm, not an extra task. Menus are flexible and seasonal, which keeps us nimble. Our kitchen garden provides what it can, and when something isn’t available, we let that guide our creativity. It takes discipline to avoid shortcuts like imported produce or single-use plastics, but when the whole team shares the ‘why,’ it feels natural. Over time, sustainability has become second nature.”

Benefits, Challenges and Lessons Learned

Both restaurants agree that sustainability has brought benefits, whether creative, operational, or financial, but neither shy away from the challenges. At Wild Shropshire, the difficulty has been in finding a path without guidance.

James said: “I think the hardest part is that there's no roadmap or guide to becoming sustainable - or trying to. It felt to me that we were very much on our own initially, it almost needs some of the chefs that are leading the way to put together a guide. I wonder how many people have been put off by the scale of what is needed sometimes.”

At Homestead Kitchen, the challenges are more practical, from managing multiple small suppliers to keeping up with recycling and laundry.

Cecily said: “Having certain principles at the heart of everything does mean that some things take more time. We aren't just placing big orders with a few suppliers, each week we have to curate what we need from lots of producers and keep in touch with what they have available and when, and how that impacts menus. Sorting and organising all the recycling to get it where it needs to be is quite a big weekly job, thankfully our children are at the age (4 and 6) where they love to be involved and help!"

The lessons along the way have been profound. Wild Shropshire admits that perfect sustainability is impossible, but that progress matters.

James added: “As much as we try to be sustainable ultimately we can't be, there's always a process somewhere that we can’t control or offset. I suppose as long as you do what you can then it's a start.”

Homestead Kitchen echoes that sentiment, stressing the importance of small, consistent actions.

Cecily added: “That sustainability is a journey, not a destination. It’s about small, consistent decisions - washing linens in-house and line-drying them, returning soft plastics to the Co-op, or hosting a social walk that ends with a shared meal. We’ve learned that transparency builds trust, and that creativity often comes from constraints. Perhaps most importantly, we’ve learned that caring for people - our team, our community, our guests - is just as essential as caring for the planet.”

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, both restaurants see the Green Star as motivation rather than a finish line. At Wild Shropshire, sustainability remains central but the team recognises the need for a space that can fully support their ambitions.

James explained: “I feel like we've gone as far as we can in our current location, I think the next step is a fit-for-purpose building, something that really fits what we're trying to achieve.”

At Homestead Kitchen, the award has inspired them to expand their projects even further.

Cecily explained: “It has inspired us to keep going and dream bigger. It reinforces our belief that a restaurant can be more than a place to eat - it can be a hub for creativity, wellbeing, and resilience. The Green Star challenges us to keep evolving, whether that’s deepening our self-sufficiency, expanding community projects, or setting higher standards in sourcing and waste. Next year we will be taking on the lease for a field in our village, which is going to massively increase our capacity for growing which we are really excited about."

written by abi kinsella