Published on October 24, 2026

Mark Birchall Joins James Martin on Saturday Morning

Moor Hall's Chef Patron, Mark Birchall, recently joined James Martin on ITV's James Martin's Saturday Morning, preparing a seasonal dessert inspired by the flavours of autumn.

Mark returned to the kitchen alongside James to prepare his Parkin Tart with candied butternut squash and ginger ice cream — a refined take on a traditional Northern favourite.

Drawing inspiration from his Lancashire roots, the dessert combines the warming spices and rich flavours of parkin with seasonal butternut squash and the freshness of ginger ice cream.

At Moor Hall, seasonality and the quality of ingredients are central to Mark's cooking. This dish reflects that philosophy, bringing together familiar flavours with the precision and creativity that define his menus.

Try Mark's recipe at home

The full recipe, including the brown sugar pastry, parkin filling, candied butternut squash and ginger ice cream, is available on James Martin's website

Lancashire is a land of abundance. Our gardens teem with fruit and vegetables and flowers and herbs. In season here you might eat peas straight out of the pod, so fresh all they need is a touch of salt and nasturtium oil. What we don’t grow we seek out from the amazing produce tended and nurtured by local farmers and artisans.

On site we’re also busy with charcuterie, bread-making and our own micro-dairy. There’s always something interesting to explore or a discovery to be made. And we like to share what we find.

September 21, 2026

Moor Hall Retains Two MICHELIN Keys for 2026

We are delighted to share that Moor Hall has retained Two MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Hotel Selection, continuing its recognition as one of the Guide’s exceptional places to stay.

August 23, 2026

The Pursuit of Excellence: Mark Birchall on the Master of Culinary Arts

This September, some of the country’s most talented hospitality professionals will come together for the final of the Master of Culinary Arts (MCA) – one of the industry’s most respected accolades.

Organised by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and held only once every four years, the MCA recognises exceptional standards across Kitchen, Pastry and Restaurant Service. This year, Mark Birchall will be involved as Honorary Judge for Kitchen, joining an experienced panel tasked with assessing the finalists as they put their skills to the test.