Nestled in the Ribble Valley hills on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, Northcote has built a reputation as one of the UK's leading food-led boutique hotels. Home to a Michelin-starred restaurant that has retained its accolade for three decades, the prestigious hotel combines exceptional hospitality with an unwavering commitment to culinary excellence and innovation. In addition to the acclaimed restaurant, Northcote features a cook school, chef’s table, and private dining room, all of which are overseen by Chef Patron, Lisa Goodwin-Allen.
For Lisa and her team, culinary creativity is essential. Northcote’s menus celebrate seasonal ingredients, flavour, presentation, community, and creativity. This dynamic approach begins long before the plate reaches the dining room, as she explains:
“Creativity in the dishes is really important at Northcote. We spend all this time sourcing amazing ingredients and we want to produce a dish that not only tastes delicious but looks stunning as well. It is for exactly this reason that the canvas we put the dish on is equally important. It helps brings the dish to life and gives it an extra layer.”
This mindset is integral to Northcote’s partnership with Lockhart Catering Equipment. As menus evolve throughout the year, Lisa and her team are keenly aware of how crockery can impact presentation. The selection of tableware is never an afterthought, as Lisa continues:
“When you start to visualise how the dish is coming together, that’s when we really dig deep into what the dish is going to be served on. The right crockery can elevate a dish to new heights and deliver something out of the ordinary. That’s a really important part of the journey for our customers.”
To effectively showcase food, Northcote requires access to a broad range of high-quality, aesthetic tableware solutions. This is where Lockhart Catering Equipment comes in. Through this partnership, the Northcote team can find ranges that perfectly complement the look of each menu item. Whether that’s a modern, white dish to make the food pop, like Ariane Point, or a meadow-green plate that brings nature to the table, like Artisan Heligan, Lockhart’s broad portfolio offers something to suit every style.
This commitment to detail is one of the reasons that Northcote has retained its Michelin star for more than three decades, which Lisa describes as an ‘honour for the team’. As Michelin star recipients, the team at Northcote benefit from proudly wearing Lafont chef jackets – the official uniform partner of Michelin. For Lisa, the jackets are an essential part of the kitchen:
“Obviously, you need a good uniform when you’re working all day in a hot environment. For me, Lafont is an amazing unisex jacket. I find them durable, light, easy to wash, and extremely comfortable – it’s a brilliant brand.”
Strong relationships with key, trusted industry partners are essential for Lisa and the team, particularly when it comes to supporting Northcote’s incredibly high standards.
“I think it’s really important to have partnerships with different brands like Lockhart, Lafont, and CCS. Partnerships such as these help us to bring our menu to life and ensures that our time in the kitchen is comfortable throughout every service.”
These partnerships are about much more than products; they are opportunities to share knowledge, discover new ideas, and support the next generation of hospitality professionals.
That philosophy is evident throughout everything Northcote does but is especially prominent through Northcote’s world-renowned Obsession food festival. Entering its 27th year in 2027, the annual event welcomes some of the world’s most celebrated chefs to Northcote’s kitchens across 17 consecutive nights, creating an environment which puts innovation and collaboration at the fore.
For Lisa, these opportunities for development are what make hospitality such a rewarding industry.
“I love the industry because I love food. I love how it’s diverse. I love how it brings people together. The creativity is incredible, and it just keeps developing with all the fantastic restaurants and chefs we have working in the UK.
The industry keeps evolving, and it’s really important to have those great partnerships. Partnering with different people and brands is what helps us grow as well.”
As Northcote looks to the future, its partnership with Lockhart remains an integral part of continuous development that allows them to deliver the standards of excellence that have defined the hotel for over 30 years.
