Daniel Clifford

Midsummer House has become my life's work, and, since joining in 1998, it has been a real rollercoaster ride, and one I wouldn't change for the world.

When I became Head Chef at Midsummer House, there was no kitchen team so I had to start from scratch to hire a proper brigade and improve the front of house staff. Everyone was determined to make a success - even through two floods (in 1999 and 2000) when the River Cam damaged the restaurant, we continued to develop. The second flood meant that we had to close the restaurant, but it provided an opportunity to assess the business, improve the décor, menus and wine lists, and really focus on where we wanted to be in the marketplace. It was a huge blessing in disguise and I think that time to reflect gave us the drive and focus to propel us to where we are today.

I have always travelled in Europe, visiting various restaurants to find inspiration, and after a trip to France where I sampled Michel Bras' cooking, I returned to England and felt truly inspired to push the boundaries with my cooking skills. I started experimenting with low temperature cooking, jellies, foams and unexpected contrasts of taste, texture and technique. Throughout this time we started to get busier and more critics were venturing up to Cambridge - then, to my absolute delight, in 2001 we received out first Michelin star and 3 AA rosettes.

I have to admit, though, that when we won our second Michelin star in 2005 and were awarded two Egon Ronay stars, I was completely shocked - and thrilled! I am so proud of what the team at Midsummer House has achieved, not just with these awards, but also with the exceptionally positive feedback that we get from our customers every day.

I am always looking for inspiration for new dishes and ideas - I think about food all the time, talk to my friend, family and colleagues constantly about food, and read loads of cookery books (I have hundreds in my personal collection). Everything is an inspiration for me, and I get a huge thrill trying out new restaurants. When we are considering new dishes, all of the team have input, including the sommelier, so it's a real team effort on the creative front.

Our menus change monthly - one course at a time. We stick to the seasonality of produce, and I am insistent on the finest quality of ingredients. Often we will trial new dishes on our lunch menu, and if they are well received, they will convert to the main à la carte menu. The wine list is also constantly evolving - and since the wine is such a wonderful compliment to the food, the sommelier and I work together very closely.

I want each customer to Midsummer House to have a special experience on each visit - whether they are first-timers or loyal regulars. We have one customer who has dined with us nearly 200 times, and on each visit I ask for his feedback - he's always honest and I know that we are doing something right to have gained his phenomenal support!

I know that my cooking has matured over the last few years and I am proud of what we have achieved at Midsummer House. As a team, we will continue to learn and grow and improve each month. My own palate is changing, and I notice that I am simplifying the flavours on the plate at the moment. The presentation, too, is changing. I am encouraging my kitchen staff to nurture their own styles of cooking, knowing that one day they will want to run their own restaurants.

I confess that I am a perfectionist, but I am also my own biggest critic. I take the food and running of the restaurant very personally. The best part of my day is seeing dishes leave the kitchen and feeling that they are done perfectly. Awards are fantastic and they have played a huge part in elevating Midsummer House to where it is today, but the greatest joy for me is seeing a full restaurant full with happy customers who have had a memorable experience.