Former MasterChef competitor brings Michelin-star restaurant to Mersea Island

A MICHELIN-star restaurant is making a 113-mile relocation cross-country to bring its "unique dining experience" to north Essex.

Ben and Sophie Crittenden will be bringing their award-winning restaurant, Stark, from Broadstairs in Kent to East Mersea.

The husband-and-wife duo have moved to the area, which is where Sophie grew up.

The new iteration of Stark will have more seating available than its previous 12-seat restaurant.

The former site started life as a tiny sandwich shop in an inconspicuous street, which Ben and Sophie transformed into a destination dining spot.

Ben won The Good Food Guide’s Chef to Watch award in Stark's second year, and it became the only Michelin-star restaurant in the Thanet district by its third year, which they retained since 2019.

Prior to opening Stark, Ben worked at the Michelin-star restaurant The West House in Kent, where he cut his teeth working with rockstar-turned-Michelin-chef Graham Garrett, before competing in MasterChef: The Professionals in 2014.

Tasty - A meal at Stark (Image: PR)

The restaurant, which is now based in East Road, offers seasonal six-course tasting menus.

A spokesman for Stark said: “Their motto is 'good food, laid bare' and the new restaurant offers the same pared-back décor and skilled flavour combinations using seasonal ingredients.

“As Ben says, 'if it’s not in season, it has no flavour and no right to be on the plate'."

Diners can expect £90 set menus which will include two meat dishes like duck liver parfait, confit leg, ginger bread, hazelnut and apricot, two fish courses, such as mackerel, cucumber, dashi, lardo, and borage, and two deserts, such as clean and fresh goat’s curd, pistachio sorbet, lemon puree and grape.

Guests can accompany this with an optional wine flight for £55 from natural wine aficionados, Les Caves de Pyrène.

Stark does not cater to allergies or dietary requirements due to the set menu, with Ben personally preparing all dishes.

Stark is open for dinner, Wednesday to Saturday, from 6pm to 8.30pm by reservation only.

To find out more, head to starkfood.co.uk.