BALCOMBE-BORN head chef Stephen Crane is celebrating after the Restaurant at Ockenden Manor Hotel And Spa retained its Michelin star for the 13th year.

But he is keen to attribute the result to the hard work of all his team.

“We never take the star for granted,” he says.

“When we heard the news I took the brigade to the Talbot Inn [in Cuckfield], put the credit card behind the bar and said I hope we will be doing the same next year.”

Crane has run the kitchen at the Cuckfield country house hotel in Ockenden Lane with sous chef Vincent Fayat for the last 15 years.

“I always hoped as a young chef that I would get a Michelin star,” he says.

“Coming from Balcombe and going to school in Cuckfield the chance to come home and do it in Ockenden Manor was a nice thing to do.”

The country house hotel works with local food producers including Brighton and Newhaven Fish Sales at Shoreham Harbour, Trenchmore Farm, High Weald Dairy, Selsey Shellfish, Goodwood Home Farm and Rother Valley Organics plus drink producers, Ridgeview, Bluebell Vineyard and Chilgrove Gin.

He sees the relationship with his suppliers as key to the restaurant’s success.

“We buy the best ingredients and develop relationships with our suppliers,” he says.

“We’re a country house hotel, so we need to cook country house food – it’s important to cook to your surroundings.”

Ockenden Manor is part of the Historic Sussex Hotels group, which also includes Baliffscourt in Climping and The Spread Eagle in Midhurst.

For more information visit www.hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor-hotel-and-spa/ or call 01444 416111.