WIRRAL has its first Michelin star.

Fraiche, in Oxton Village, owned by Marc Wilkinson, is the first in the region to gain the prestigious star.

The honour will show that Wirral really has something to offer in food in 2009.

Marc said: “It is fantastic news and it is still sinking in. It has been hard work but it is great to get the recognition and it will help us take the restaurant forward to the next level.”

Restaurant Fraiche was given a Rising Star for two years running, by Michelin, which meant it was tipped to achieve its star.

Fraiche, which opened in 2004, serves a Modern French menu, carefully constructed to make the most of the senses.

The drive behind the doors of Fraiche is to create food that not only excites people’s palates, but also stimulates conversation around the dinner table.

The setting is in a modern dining room based on natural elements, which creates a relaxed environment in a twenty cover restaurant.

The wine list is ever evolving and features a page on sherries to encourage matching with food.

Marc has worked his way up through a number of restaurants including the Michelin-starred Winteringham Fields.

He has also worked at Midsummer House in Cambridge and in Canada, before setting up a successful restaurant in Essex. Originally from Merseyside he decided to move home to set up his first fine dining restaurant.

Actor and food writer Andrew Lancel said: “I am very proud of Marc’s achievement. There has been a lot of us behind him, we know how good he is and it is no surprise he has achieved this. Congratulations!”

This year’s guide includes four new two star restaurants and 26 new one star restaurants.

The 2009 Guide has 4,207 entries, and of those, 2,516 are hotels and guesthouses and 1,691 are restaurants and pubs; all regularly and anonymously inspected by Michelin’s own team of professional inspectors.

Pam Wilsher, Acting Director of Tourism for The Mersey Partnership, said: “Congratulations to Marc and his team for gaining this fantastic accolade.

“It is a great boost for the Liverpool City Region and shows how our food offering is really coming of age 'the range and quality of our restaurants have improved beyond recognition in recent years and we are delighted that Fraiche has achieved the first of what we hope will be several Michelin stars for the City Region over the next few years.”

Marc’s story and some of his recipes feature in a new book Home Grown, highlighting food champions from the North West.

Bob Moon, Wirral Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Leisure, said “This is well deserved for all his hard work and it is great news that Wirral has its first Michelin Star.”