Michelin Green star chefs - James Sherwin, Wild Shropshire
Wild Shropshire, a Michelin Green Star restaurant in the market town of Whitchurch, Shropshire, is the creation of chef-owner James Sherwin.
Entirely self-taught, James has built his approach not through classical kitchens but through curiosity, experimentation and a deep respect for the land.
After a series of pop-ups that hinted at his philosophy, he opened Wild Shropshire permanently in 2020. The restaurant, with its calm Scandinavian aesthetic, offers a space that mirrors the purity and restraint of the food.
Philosophy of Terroir
At Wild Shropshire, the guiding principle is terroir. Every dish begins with what is grown, foraged or preserved in the moment. Vegetables, herbs and edible flowers are cultivated on their own farm using no-dig methods and organic practices. What cannot be used immediately is preserved in the Wild Shropshire Lab, where fermentation, pickling and curing extend the seasons. Foraging plays a central role, ensuring that each plate reflects the surrounding landscape.
Read more: Michelin Green star Guide: lessons from Wild Shropshire and Homestead
A Surprise Tasting Menu
James' philosophy is guided by a closed-loop ecosystem. He and his team manage their own farm using no-dig and regenerative practices, growing and foraging much of what appears on the menu. Ingredients not used immediately are preserved through fermentation, pickling or curing in the restaurant’s lab, while any remaining
waste is composted back into the soil. His cuisine is rooted in modern British cooking, often layered with delicate Japanese influences, and is presented as a surprise tasting menu revealed only after the meal has concluded.
Under James' leadership, Wild Shropshire has earned recognition for both its cuisine and its principles. His work has established him as a chef-patron who redefines sustainability not as a trend, but as the foundation of hospitality. Guests leave with more than a meal: they carry the story of a landscape, told through flavour, season and soil.
Intimacy and Hospitality
The dining room is deliberately small, seating only a handful of guests each evening. This intimacy fosters genuine connection between chef, team and diner. James often introduces dishes himself, bringing storytelling and context to the table.
Service is natural and personal, free from formality, while drink pairings are carefully chosen, moving fluidly between biodynamic wines, sake and house-made non-alcoholic infusions.
A Living Ecosystem
Wild Shropshire is more than a restaurant; it is an ecosystem. Every ingredient is part of a closed loop, from seed to soil, from preservation to compost. This rhythm of cultivation, transformation and renewal defines the restaurant’s identity. James has created a place that feels both radical and natural, rooted in Shropshire’s landscape yet resonant far beyond it.
Other Michelin Star Chefs
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Michelin Green star chefs - James Sherwin, Wild Shropshire
