Menu of the Year Sponsored by P&O Cruises
THE SHORTLIST Adelina Yard Bristol
Lark
Bury Saint Edmunds Kolae
London Osma
Manchester
Sargasso Margate
THE JUDGES Sally Abé The Pem
Paul Foster Salt
Giovanna Grossi Giovanna Grossi Hospitality
April Jackson Wood & Water
David Moore Pied à Terre
Chetan Sharma Bibi London
WINNER Lark, Bury St Edmunds 2024
Fellow chefs have been thoroughly impressed by James Carn’s contemporary cool restaurant Lark in the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. Paul Foster of Salt in Stratford- upon-Avon praised Carn for his “mature and confident cooking”, while Chetan Sharma of Bibi in London’s Mayfair raved about his “unfussy but inventive” dishes. A year and a half since its launch, the res-
taurant from the Bury-born chef has devel- oped a cult following for its golden-pastried muntjac shank pie layered with wild mush- room and black pudding duxelles. Jay Rayner from The Observer waxed lyrical about Lark’s signature pie in July 2023, which Carn said “sent things mental”, at the restaurant. Dur- ing a busy week, the 20-seat diner was easily churning more than 280 covers across four days, with a family even travelling from Bah- rain just to try Carn’s food. The rest of the menu, which revolves around
a selection of small and less-small plates, offers just as much. During The Caterer’s visit last year, Carn served hot fougasse with a shower of Parmesan or anchovies, crumbed sardines with beetroot and horseradish, sopressini cacio e pepe with generous shavings of truffle, and summertime cuttlefish-ink farfalle with cuttlefish ragu and sea herbs. While it has been praised for its friendly
and approachable style, Lark is founded on technical flair and meticulous attention to detail. This comes as no surprise, consider- ing Carn’s background in the industry, cook- ing from the age of 16 at restaurants including Tuddenham Mill near Newmarket, the Angel hotel, just a stone’s throw from Lark, and at Bury’s Michelin-starred Pea Porridge under chef-owner and friend Justin Sharp, who con- tinues to inspire everything Carn does. Industry peers were also quick to notice the restaurant is truly representative of
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“Distinguished creativity and attention to detail shine
through on this menu” Sally Abé
local Suffolk produce, with venison from Lavenham Butchers and hogget and lamb from shepherdess Kits Russell, whose flock grazes land on the edge of Bury. Even the wine comes from Bury’s indie wine shop, Vino Gusto. Lark is a family affair, run by Carn and his
wife Sophia, who left her job teaching business studies to manage the restaurant alongside rais- ing the couple’s four boys. The pair have dem- onstrated the best that hospitality has to offer, with ingenuity, authenticity and warmth. No doubt Carn’s cooking will continue to raise Bury St Edmunds as a culinary destination for industry veterans and newbies alike.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID “Distinguished creativity and attention to detail shine through on this menu and I’m sure Bury St Edmunds is happy to have such a great, approachable restaurant on their doorstep.” Sally Abé
“Lark boasts a menu that makes me want to get into the car and drive all the way to Bury St Edmunds to eat there. Many of the dishes champion local produce and the menu is balanced and inviting. A great story of how hard work with passion and perseverance results in success.” Giovanna Grossi
“Another tough year of judging with some outstanding restaurants. Carn’s menu at Lark just tipped it with a close focus on Suffolk-based produce and unfussy but inventive cooking.” Chetan Sharma
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