Guests toast the arrival of Mark Ellis’s lovely new restaurant and rooms in Tattenhall.

The sun shone as guests gathered to celebrate the opening of the beautiful new Allium restaurant in the idyllic Cheshire village of Tattenhall.

Great British Menu chef Mark Ellis’s exciting new venture was toasted with bubbly, cocktails and delicious canapés, including mini burgers, treacle trout, asparagus and peas in creamy cheese and beetroot lollipops!

Mark, who was head chef at the three AA rosette restaurant at Peckforton Castle opened his own restaurant and bar with rooms at Lynedale House, a stylish destination for anything from afternoon tea to a chic wedding.

Before joining Peckforton Castle, Mark, from the Wirral, trained in some of the country’s most respected hotels and Michelin-starred properties including with Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor and at Gordon Ramsay’s Pétrus.

He says the name Allium is derived from the idea that there are different layers to the restaurant.

‘This is a place people can come to that’s a little bit special but not impersonal. I wanted to achieve a high, high level of food but without being pretentious. We want to be as relaxed as a pub but not as formal as a five star hotel. That’s the ethos,’ explained Mark.

‘So many places these days distance themselves from their customers. They’ll never get to speak to anybody or get that personal interaction so it’s a kind of personalised luxury - that’s what I think.’