A TALENTED chef who has relocated his Michelin-star restaurant to West Mersea is "happy" to finally be on the island after "keeping an eye" on the site for the last eight years.
Ben and Sophie Crittenden, 36 and 35, brought their award-winning restaurant, Stark, from Broadstairs in Kent to East Road in West Mersea, earlier this month.
Since launching in 2016, the restaurant has won numerous accolades and is known for offering seasonal six-course tasting menus.
It previously 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.
Chef - Ben Crittenden (Image: PR)
Sophie is originally from Mersea, and it’s always been a dream for the pair to run a restaurant in the area.
Ben said: “When me and Sophie met sixteen years ago, I came here the summer we met, and we were only young, but I loved it.
“I said if I want my own restaurant, I would open it in Mersea, we’ve always spoken about it.
“When we opened in Broadstairs, we were looking for Mersea but there was nothing about.
“It’s always been the plan, we weren’t expecting it to be now though.
Inside look - seating at Stark (Image: PR)
“The site we are in, I had a feeling for the building a few years ago, I wanted this site, I’ve been keeping an eye on it for the last eight years.
“I’m not the sort of person to regret things, I am the sort of person to take chances.
“We had nothing when we started Stark, now it is a bigger risk, as we have a family, kids, a house, but it could be the best decision we ever make.”
The move from Broadstairs to West Mersea means that Stark now has a "bigger space", but both Ben and Sophie are making adjustments to the new setting.
Ben said: "People were amazed at what we were doing in such a smaller place when we were in Broadstairs.
"This space although it is bigger, it is easier to work in a smaller kitchen.
"With this kitchen, I have to walk eight steps that doesn't sound like a lot but when you are working alone, logistically it is a little harder but we are getting used to it."
Area - the kitchen (Image: PR)
Ben is no stranger to the hospitality industry, he worked for 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.
Speaking about the future of Stark, Ben is happy to finally be in West Mersea and has teased what the future will hold for the restaurant.
“I’m really happy with it, it is exactly with what I wanted it to be, when we took it on it was very white, we’ve painted it," he said.
“I’m happy, the plan is to constantly evolve, we’re trying to build up again and once we find our feet, we will invest in new equipment and evolve what we do.
“We’re sticking to our principles, making everything as good as we can.”
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.
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