Wirral chef Paul Askew is celebrating an accolade given to his Liverpool restaurant, The Art School - its 18th place ranking in the just released Harden's 100 Best UK Restaurants 2022.

The respected annual guide contains over 3000 entries and is the most comprehensive and detailed look into the UK's dining scene.

Wirral Chef Patron Paul, who cut his culinary teeth at Thornton Hall Hotel in Thornton Hough, has made The Art School, set in the city's Georgian Quarter, one of the country's fine dining experiences.

Last year Paul talked to Heswall Nub News about his career, life and times, and his passion for Wirral and local produce - and making fish and chips for Sir Elton John.

Of this most recent recognition by Harden's, he said: "This is testament to everyone who has built up The Art School over the last 7 years to the present day.

"We have a vision and standards which we work incredibly hard to maintain and exceed, using the incredible array of produce here on the doorstep which informs our seasonal menus.

"I am so proud of what we have all achieved and what we have planned, because making the top 20 in Harden's is a wonderful moment. It really is a team effort here. We strive to not only put The Art School on the map but Liverpool itself, its gastronomic scene and the wider arts, culture and music for which it is loved.

Harden's entry on The Art School says: "Paul Askew's cooking continues to excel in a lovely airy room next to the Liverpool Philharmonic that really does the business. The restaurant is a cut above the rest and the menu is always interesting and beautifully presented.

"It's formal but not stuffy, and a go-to for business lunch meetings as well as special-occasion dining."

Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden's, commented: "It's wonderful to see the Art School riding high. Paul Askew deserves his success because he has done so much over so many years to put Liverpool's gastronomy on the map. Merseyside and its environs is now unquestionably one of the best areas in Britain to dine out in."

Located on Sugnall Street, The Art School is set inside the stunning lantern room of the Victorian 1888 'Home for Destitute Children' building.

The restaurant's sumptuous main dining room hosts a range of seasonal menus which celebrate the best of the region's artisanal producers.

Paul and the team recently refurbished a new private hire space, 'The Moriarty Room', named after Paul's late mother, in recognition of their shared love of Sherlock Holmes and her love for hospitality she passed on to her son.

To find out more about The Art School, 1 Sugnall St, Liverpool, L7 7EB, click or tap here.