There was one new three Michelin star restaurant in London (Sketch – the Lecture Room and Library) when the guide announced the results for Great Britain and Ireland. But, the biggest surprise, at least for those who did not know the background to Jordan Bailey’s success in Ireland was the promotion of his restaurant Aimsir in Celbridge directly to two Michelin stars (it had been open for only a few months).
The restaurant which is focused on produce from Ireland is led by Jordan Bailey, originally from Cornwall is the former head chef of Maaemo in Oslo, Norway which has three Michelin stars, and his Danish front of house manager and wife Majken Bech Bailey. They moved to Ireland early last year to explore the food procurers and ingredients of their newly adopted home and got married during their first six months there.
“Despite the obvious challenges being faced by the industry here in the UK, we are thrilled that this has been such a stellar year, and we have seen many first ventures opening and rapidly rising to success,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin guides.
“With three Michelin Stars, Sketch joins four other restaurants at this prestigious level. This Pierre Gagnaire restaurant won its first star in 2005 and its second in 2013. Our inspectors judge the cooking here to be wonderfully complex and highly original, with each element of the meal excelling in terms of structure, composition and, above all, flavour,” adds Mr Poullennec.
One hundred and eighty-seven Michelin-Starred Restaurants are featured for 2020, including one new Three Star, four new Two Stars and 23 new One Stars.
“Despite the obvious challenges being faced by the industry here in the UK, we are thrilled that this has been such a stellar year, and we have seen many first ventures opening and rapidly rising to success,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin guides.
“With three Michelin Stars, Sketch (Johannes Nuding) joins four other restaurants at this prestigious level. This Pierre Gagnaire restaurant won its first star in 2005 and its second in 2013. Our inspectors judge the cooking here to be wonderfully complex and highly original, with each element of the meal excelling in terms of structure, composition and, above all, flavour,” adds Mr Poullennec.
Three restaurants have been promoted from One to Two Stars: La Dame de Pic in the City of London (Anne-Sophie Pic); The Dining Room at Whatley Manor in Malmesbury (Niall Keating); and The Greenhouse in Dublin (Mikael Viljanen).
The Lake District is a big winner, with three restaurants gaining One Star: the sweet, intimate Old Stamp House at Ambleside; Allium at Askham Hall in Askham, which makes great use of produce from its gardens and estate; and hidden gem The Cottage in the Wood in Braithwaite.
One Star is awarded to Interlude in the Leonardslee Gardens in Lower Beeding and to Pensons in Tenbury Wells, which both focus on local and garden produce; meanwhile, Nottingham’s new One Michelin Star alchemilla really brings plant-based ingredients to the fore.
For Intelude, Jean Delport is one of two South African chefs to clinch a star for their restaurant. This is the first restaurant in the UK to be attached to a vineyard to win a star. The restaurant was opened by Zimbabwe born entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE who owns a South African based wine and hospitality group called Benguela Collection just a year ago. The wine list focuses on wines from South African and from Streeter’s own Benguela Cove Hemanus winery.
An increasing number of restaurants (6) run by couples received new stars. These include the picture-perfect Royal Oak pub at Whatcote; modest little Stark in Broadstairs, which seats just 10 guests; The Angel in Hetton, which is now under the leadership of experienced owner Michael Wignall; and Laurie Gear’s Artichoke in Amersham.
London has a good geographical spread of new One Stars, with intimate Mãos in Shoreditch, at this restaurant by Nuno Mendes and James Brown, everyone sits down together at a communal table. Da Terra in the restored Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green; Dysart Petersham, set in a charming early 1900s house in Richmond; and Japanese Endo at The Rotunda in the old BBC Building in Shepherd’s Bush.
Other city establishments include sophisticated Indian restaurant Opheem in Birmingham and stylish Mana in Manchester, which receives the city’s first Michelin Star in over 40 years.
Scotland brings home two new Stars in the form of understated Condita in Edinburgh and Isle of Eriska, which is set within an impressive baronial mansion on the island of the same name. Wales sees the charming Beach House at Oxwich awarded a Michelin Star and the trendy Muddlers Club brings a third Star to Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland also has much to celebrate, with intimate wine-bar-cum-bistro Bastion in Kinsale being promoted from a Bib Gourmand, and funky modern Variety Jones in Dublin and grand hotel dining room The Oak Room in Adare both receiving One Michelin Star.
“This is an amazing year for the Republic of Ireland, with five new Michelin Stars being awarded – two of them at Two Star level. This brings the total number of Starred restaurants in Ireland up to 18 and is just reward for the determination of young chefs who are keen to make their mark on the Irish dining scene,” says Rebecca Burr, Director of the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland.
She adds: “Running a successful restaurant is tough, and we know that. It takes long hours, dedication, teamwork and the support of those people closest to you. I congratulate all the teams and chefs who have won and retained Michelin Stars in the 2020 guide.”
Alongside the new Stars, the winners of the three Michelin Awards for 2020 have been announced:
Welcome & Service Award 2020 – Team Bonwick at The Crown at Burchetts Green.
Sommelier Award 2020 – Jurica Gojevic at Adare Manor in County Limerick.
Sustainability Award 2020 – Loam in Galway.
The 2020 selection at a glance:
• 1,464 restaurants in total (131 New)
• 5 Three Michelin Star restaurants (1 New)
• 23 Two Michelin Star restaurants (4 New)
• 159 One Michelin Star restaurants (23 New)
• 131 Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants (22 New) [See also the Bib Gourmand Press Release]
• 1,146 Michelin Plate restaurants (131 New)
Additional reporting: Sarah Canet
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