ALNWICK'S TREEHOUSE RESTAURANT IS THE 'TOPS' (January 2006)

Even before Christmas Richard Sim had much to celebrate. The executive chef at The Alnwick Garden was not only invited to write a regular monthly column for the Northumberland Gazette newspaper, but the quality of food and service he presides over at The Treehouse restaurant within the garden's grounds received almost totally unqualified praise from one of the nation's severest restaurant critics.

Jan Moir, so often the scourge of chefs, wrote in the Daily Telegraph in December that she had been "incredibly impressed" by The Treehouse. She reported in her widely-read food column that: "Overall, this is a lovely Christmas lunch in what must be one of the most extraordinary, fairy-tale restaurants in the country; altogether an unexpectedly wonderful experience. I am so incredibly impressed by The Treehouse, which could probably get by quite nicely on burgers and baps or any old standard tourist fare, but instead has the ambition and wit to do something really good instead. The local produce they use is excellent, the cooking is spot-on, the staff are great and not even the meanest Christmas elf could grumble at their most agreeable prices."

Richard, who uses local produce whenever possible and has been a popular chef/presenter for Northumbria Larder up and down the country, described Jan Moir's write-up as "brilliant". He is also flattered to have been asked to write a column for the Gazette. In his first article he wrote: "In Northumberland, we are lucky to have one of the finest kitchen gardens on our doorstep. Over time I have built strong relationships with local growers and farmers to sustain our economy.

"You cannot beat the flavour of the fresh produce coming into our kitchens…We have some of the most fantastic producers here in the North East and the care and attention given by local producers is second to none."

Richard, who is married with a six-year-old son Rowan, is an Alnwick lad who went to the local Duchess's High School. He trained at the Berkeley Hotel and Meridian Piccadilly and has worked in other prestigious establishments besides running his own family restaurant. But he is delighted to be working again in Alnwick and it looks as though The Treehouse restaurant will become a 'must' for the many thousands of visitors attracted each year to The Alnwick Garden from the UK and overseas.