FOOD & DRINK

Meet the Chef – Merlin Labron-Johnson

Deep in the Somerset countryside, Merlin Labron-Johnson’s Michelin-starred Osip combines hyperlocal ingredients, meticulous cooking and serene interiors to create an exquisite experience shaped by land and season.

Housed within the humble walls of a 17th-century coaching inn, tucked away on a winding country lane in rural Somerset, lies what has recently been widely hailed as the best restaurant in the UK. Muddy tractors rumble past, cows graze lazily in a neighbouring field, and a faint whiff of apples and woodsmoke lingers in the air. It’s not exactly what one might expect from a dining destination of such acclaim, which is precisely what makes it so compelling. This is Osip: a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant with rooms, created by chef Merlin Labron-Johnson.

Like many chefs, Merlin’s fascination with food started early. “I have a distinct memory from when I was 15, in my school’s kitchen, washing up and peeling potatoes in exchange for free school lunches,” he recalls.

“I was so fortunate to work with a great cook from the very beginning, our school cook, and it’s something I’m grateful to have continued doing throughout my career.” At 16, Merlin left school for the professional kitchens of Europe. He later settled in London, earning his first Michelin star at just 24, but soon began to crave a deeper connection to the land and a more holistic approach to cooking. Somerset offered both.

“After working in London for so long, and so intensely, I wanted to return to the countryside, which is where I grew up,” says Merlin. “Somerset made great sense as it meant that I would have access to some of the world’s best produce right on my doorstep.”

In 2019, Merlin opened Osip on the high street in Bruton, a quaint Somerset town known for attracting a food-loving, design-conscious crowd. His ingredient-led menus, rooted firmly in seasonality and a strong sense of place, quickly garnered critical acclaim. Osip earned a Michelin star that same year, followed by a Michelin green star in 2023 – an accolade that highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry for their sustainable practices. 

“I’ve always had an innate love for the outdoors and respect for what nature provides. When I first started working in kitchens, there wasn’t much love for produce or provenance,” Merlin explains.

“I have to credit the late Skye Gyngell as one of the people who opened my eyes to the farm-to-table movement in the UK. This was a truly transformative and groundbreaking shift at the time. Once you view produce through that lens, it’s very hard to see it any other way.”

In 2024, Merlin relocated his restaurant to a carefully restored 17th-century coaching inn on the outskirts of the same town, complete with guest bedrooms and its own land. A striking monochrome sign outside offers the only hint that something special lies within, aside from a softly flaming brazier beside an unassuming wooden door. Step inside, and rustic, rural Somerset fades away, replaced by Merlin’s impeccably curated world.

The aesthetic is clean, modern, and pleasingly uncluttered, yet remains cosy, comfortable, and deeply serene. Osip takes its name from Osip Mandelstam, a Russian poet of the Soviet era. Mandelstam’s work is celebrated for its commitment to clarity of expression and precision of form, two principles that sit at the heart of the Osip experience and are reflected throughout the tasteful interiors. Concrete floors are softened by hessian rugs and sand-coloured sofas, while original architectural features such as uneven lime-plastered walls, low ceilings, and a charmingly wonky winding staircase lend character and a sense of history. Contemporary ceramics, dried flowers, and mid-century furniture sit comfortably alongside.

Upstairs, five equally considered bedrooms draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Exposed beams, smooth oak flooring, and locally crafted furniture, some made from trees felled within a ten-mile radius, create a luxurious minimalist aesthetic with a strong sense of place and a pleasing handcrafted tactility. 

“I was very lucky to work with Johnny Smith (of hospitality group Smith & Willis) when it came to designing the bedrooms at Osip. We were inspired by the original building, taking cues from what it gave to us, and we didn’t want to impose anything upon it,” Merlin explains.

“This sense of harmony with place is something we truly value – be it in the kitchen, the rooms, or the reception. This was all intentional, and we hope that the space encourages contemplation and a downshift in pace.”

Outside, a defining part of Osip’s identity lies in its intimate connection to the land. During the spring and summer months, guests are invited to join guided farm tours that offer a gentle yet enlightening immersion into the local landscape, often revealing ingredients that appear on the menu. Guided by biodynamic principles and the natural rhythms of the seasons, approximately 85 per cent of the produce used in the kitchen is grown by Osip itself, while the entire team, from kitchen to front of house, takes part in a gardening rota.

“I grew up in the countryside; in the same small Devonshire village that’s home to Riverford Organic Farm. Being surrounded by this environment from a young age meant that I developed a deep connection to organic farming. Lockdown then allowed me to slow down, take stock, and in many ways return to my literal and metaphorical roots,” Merlin explains.

“I’m drawn to the calmness and considered nature of farming, as well as the patience that the changing seasons teach. These lessons can only truly be learned through working with the land.”

Back at Osip, dinner begins in the sitting room, which is home to a beautiful walnut bar and a crackling wood-burning stove. A fig leaf negroni is essential. Made with Campari infused with fig leaves from the garden, it is a deliciously bold, herbaceous concoction garnished with a single, laser-cut disc of fig leaf. A rugged ingredient transformed into something immaculate. A small detail, but one that perfectly sets the tone.

The dining room is breathtaking. A handful of white linen-covered tables face the open kitchen, backed by floor-to-ceiling glass that frames panoramic views of the gardens and countryside beyond. Here, every sense is immersed in the surrounding landscape.

Osip’s tasting menu evolves constantly, dictated entirely by what the land provides. Predominantly home-grown produce forms its backbone, supported by exceptional seafood and locally reared meat. The menu follows a loose seasonal progression, gradually building in richness and depth. 

A plate of raw vegetables often opens the meal. It may sound simple, but at Osip it is exceptional in both flavour and presentation. Bright slices of purple carrot, pink radish, and vivid green cucamelon circle a smooth dollop of house-smoked ricotta, topped with local Caerphilly pesto and a scattering of freshly picked herbs and petals.

“The ability to harvest produce and serve it in a restaurant on the same day is unique to certain parts of the country, and Somerset is one of those places,” says Merlin.

“The produce from our farms is one of my main sources of inspiration. Our own vegetables, coupled with produce from local suppliers such as Westcombe Dairy, mean that we never fail to find ingredients that both excite and facilitate our vision.”

The ten or so courses that follow demonstrate the same almost obsessive attention to detail, with each dish carefully presented by Merlin, head chef Ciaran Brennan, or a member of the attentive front-of-house team.

During Dream Escape’s recent stay, just some of the many highlights included a perfectly tempura’d parsnip balanced on a chunky ceramic plinth, resting on black garlic aioli and dusted with togarashi. Alongside it, a deeply comforting broth made from roasted celeriac and smoked tea delivered an umami-rich depth of flavour. A meaty cep mushroom, foraged earlier that day, arrived floating in a yeasty parsnip foam, with sweet onion and cep marmalade concealed beneath. An exceptional brioche made with fermented potatoes accompanied a quenelle of butter dusted with salty cep powder, while butter-soft cubes of monkfish were brined, then braised with koji, drizzled in a smooth whey sauce and paired with silky slices of Roscoff onion. 

The lobster course was a visual spectacle matched by its flavours; several cloud-like dishes arrived, each bearing different parts of the lobster, cooked in different ways: tartare with elderflower vinaigrette, chunky tail with Thai basil and fermented carrot, and the succulent claw paired with a pumpkin satay sauce. It was sweet, spicy and utterly delicious.

Dessert began with a silky pumpkin sorbet, followed by creamy rice pudding with marigold sabayon and a burnt butter cracker dusted with fig leaf powder. The cheese course proved equally memorable: a generous slice of toasted malt loaf soaked in local cider brandy, topped with oozing Bath Soft Cheese. Throughout the evening, the theatre of the kitchen remains captivating, with even the clean-down a spectacle to behold. 

The meal’s final flourish is best enjoyed back beside the fire: precise petits fours, including jewel-like blackberry and sea buckthorn pâte de fruits and sesame madeleines with white chocolate and tahini, paired with a 20-year-old Somerset cider brandy that delivers smooth, apple-laced warmth.

Breakfast is just as impressive. Artfully arranged in the dining room overlooking the gardens and rolling fields beyond, Osip’s morning offering is inspired by old French auberges and includes farm honey, buckwheat granola, hot-smoked trout, fresh local cheeses, and more. It’s a carefully considered spread that eases you gently into the day.

“I’ve always wanted to create a space that felt holistic – not just a busy restaurant churning out covers at the cost of calmness,” Merlin explains. 

“We wanted to create a guesthouse that feels like a home, and a place that’s not just for dinner, but somewhere you can have a restorative stay.” Stepping back out onto the winding country lane less than a day later, it feels as though one has been immersed in Merlin’s world for far longer. Osip feels deeply personal, and that’s because it is. Every bite and every detail are part of a carefully curated, meticulously crafted experience that invites you to slow down and truly taste where you are. This quiet corner of the countryside may be the last place you would expect to find something quite so exceptional, yet here it is. 

IMAGE CREDITS: Osip Images ©Dave Watts

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