What it takes to lead a Michelin starred restaurant in Cumbria: A conversation with Head Chef Tom Reeves, Rogan & Co
- James Massoud
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
At Rogan & Co, Head Chef Tom Reeves is quietly refining what modern British neighbourhood dining can look like. Rooted in produce from Simon Rogan’s nearby farm and shaped by experience in some of Europe’s most exacting kitchens, his cooking balances restraint with depth; dishes that appear simple, but reveal layers of craft.
In this interview, Reeves reflects on seasonality, sustainability and the philosophy behind one of Cumbria’s most enduring Michelin starred tables.
How would you describe the evolution of the food at Rogan & Co under your leadership, and what feels most distinctly yours on the plate today?
The food has become more confident and more stripped back. There’s generally less on the plate, but often a lot more work behind it. Some dishes can look quite simple, but they’ve usually taken a long time to get right.
A good example is the duck leg fritter. We cure the legs, confit them slowly in duck fat, pick the meat down, mix it through a mousse, then portion, pané, and glaze it in a duck sauce. On the plate, it looks clean and straightforward, but there’s a lot of process required to execute it.
There’s always been a strong emphasis on Our Farm, but in recent years, we’ve focused much more on preservation and extending the seasons. Building up stores of syrups, jams, oils and salts when produce is at its best allows those flavours to run through the menu all year. That balance between restraint, flavour and care feels most distinctly ours.
Rogan & Co is often described as a more relaxed, approachable sibling to L’Enclume. How do you translate that idea into the cooking itself without compromising on precision or ambition?
We follow the same principles and ethos as three Michelin starred L’Enclume, and that’s always been important. The way that shows up on the plate is through our use of seasonal ingredients and our efforts to champion provenance.
A lot of the dishes are built around humble ingredients, but they’re treated with the same care as produce that’s considered more luxurious. A carrot gets the same level of respect as a scallop or a piece of aged duck.
We still cook with precision and ambition, but the end result should feel generous, warm and welcoming, not overly complicated.
Much of the menu is driven by produce from Our Farm, just a mile away. How does that proximity change the way you plan, cook and think about seasonality day to day?
Having the farm so close gives us real visibility of what’s coming next. We plan the menu knowing what’s coming up in the next crop, rather than reacting last-minute, which allows dishes to develop more naturally.
There’s always been a strong connection to the farm, but more recently, we’ve focused a lot more on preservation. A lot of that work happens at the Pickle Palace, where oils, syrups, jams, vinegars and salts are made when produce is at its best, so flavours can carry through the menu beyond a short window.
Day to day, it also changes how we think about using produce properly, whether it’s fresh on the plate or preserved to support a dish.
Having worked in highly technical kitchens like Maaemo, how do those experiences now show up in what appears on your menus today?
Working in kitchens like Maaemo and L’Enclume had a big influence on how I cook now. It shaped how I think about ingredients and the level of detail that goes into even the most basic of tasks.
At Maaemo, dishes could look very minimal; a grilled langoustine dressed with something like pine, and that would be it. It looks simple, but there’s a huge amount of work involved in making that one ingredient as good as it can be.
I’ve tried to bring that philosophy into the food here. The potato dish is a good example, it looks simple, but there’s a lot of work in the cooking, seasoning and refinement to get it exactly right.
When you’re developing new dishes, do you tend to start with an ingredient, a technique, or a feeling you want the guest to leave with?
Most of the time, it starts with the ingredient. It’s driven by the seasons, what’s coming from Our Farm, and what our fish suppliers and our livestock farmers have.
Once that’s clear, we build around it, taking into account what’s already on the menu so we’re not repeating flavours. We’ll cook the dish, try it, and tweak it. Usually, it takes two or three goes before it’s ready to go on the menu.
The main aim is always that it has to be delicious. We want guests to crave it and remember a particular flavour, that moment where you think, “That sauce was really good”.
Cartmel has become one of the UK’s most compelling food destinations. How does cooking in Cumbria shape your creativity compared to working in major cities?
I’ve only really worked in a couple of places outside Cumbria, and I wasn’t involved in menu planning at that stage, so my perspective mainly comes from cooking here.
What really shapes the food is the strength of the local suppliers. Being surrounded by good farmers and local artisans naturally pushes the food in a seasonal, ingredient-led direction.
The set lunch menu has become a real draw for Rogan & Co. What are the creative challenges and opportunities of delivering Michelin star cooking at that level of accessibility?
Working within a tighter cost structure pushes us to be more thoughtful about how we use ingredients across the whole menu. You have to plan properly and think about everything as a whole.
Chicken is a good example. We might use the breast on the full menu, the legs on the lunch menu, and the carcass for sauces or stocks. That way, everything has a purpose, without compromising on quality.
The set lunch has also become a good introduction to the restaurant, and quite often people book for lunch and come back for dinner another time to experience the full menu.
How do you strike the balance between sustainability, flavour and the expectations of a Michelin starred restaurant?
Flavour always comes first, but sustainability goes beyond the food itself. We try to be considered in how the kitchen operates day to day.
On the food side, we use ingredients properly and utilise as much as we can. Food waste is separated and goes back to the farm for compost, and trims and offcuts are used where possible.
It also comes down to how we work, being more aware of things like cling film and vac-pack usage, and reducing waste where we can without compromising standards.
Looking back at your early start in kitchens, what habits or lessons from those formative years still influence how you cook and lead today?
Early on, I liked writing recipes down in a notebook and then typing them up properly, which gave me a strong grounding in organisation and consistency. Both of these things you can pick up without realising it, but just by being surrounded by people who are striving for perfection. Taking pride in your work and leaving a section better than you found it has always stayed with me.
At Rogan & Co, we’re a small team, so people move between sections when needed, especially at the start of service when everyone jumps on snacks. Teamwork is so important.
As Head Chef, how do you encourage creativity within the kitchen while maintaining consistency?
The chefs working on a section every day know the dishes inside out, and they’ll often come up with ideas or suggestions to improve things. The more involved people feel in the menu, the more they care. If someone’s had input into a dish, they take real pride in cooking it.
Ideas are always tested and written up properly before they go on the menu, so once something’s live, it’s cooked the same way every service.
Are there particular ingredients, techniques or flavour combinations you’re drawn to at the moment?
I like a pickle gel or pickled tapioca, as they can add acidity and texture without taking over.
I’m also drawn to comforting flavours and dishes that feel familiar, but with depth behind them. That depth of flavour is the main thing, whether that comes from a sauce, a stock, a ferment or a pickle. Those are the flavours that tend to stick.
Finally, when a guest leaves Rogan & Co, what do you hope they remember most?
I’d hope they remember the whole experience, not just the food. The food brings people in, but the service and atmosphere are a big part of why they come back.
Good food, good drinks and good service – if people leave feeling happy, well fed and looked after, then we’ve done our job.
