Today sees the official release of the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2015 and like the Oscars these are the awards that many chefs and restaurants have been waiting for…yes, it’s that time of year again for the people of Michelin to announce who they have awarded a coveted Michelin star to.
This year sees no new three star restaurants but a total of 14 restaurants gaining one star and joining the likes of
Nathan Outlaw’s Outlaw’s at The Capital (last year’s new entry), Josh Eggleton’s
Pony and Trap and Jason Atherton’s
Social Eating House (also a new entry last year).
One stars
Amongst those 14 that gained one star and therefore adding a Michelin status to their title are Nathan Outlaw with Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen (another star to add to his collection), Simon Rogan with Fera at Claridge's and also another one for Jason Atherton with City Social.
London has once again proved popular as 6 new restaurants have been awarded a star including two restaurants with counters: one, Barrafina, is Spanish; the other, Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs, serves an innovative, no-choice set menu. We have another great Indian restaurant in Gymkhana; Jason Atherton achieves another star with City Social; Simon Rogan has put Claridge’s back on the culinary map with Fera; and The Clove Club comes from a team who cut their teeth in pop-ups.
“The 14 new stars in our 2015 guide highlight the enormous richness and variety of the UK’s restaurant scene. They range from country pubs to hipster hangouts, from counter-restaurants to classic dining rooms”, said Rebecca Burr, Editor of the Michelin guide.
New stars also include two on beautiful Scottish Islands: Isle of Eriska in Eriska, and Three
Chimneys & The House Over-By on the Isle of Skye. Two in Wales: Ynyshir Hall in
Machynlleth and the Crown at Whitebrook in Monmouth; and as mentioned another in Cornwall courtesy of Nathan Outlaw.
Two stars
No new two stars have been awarded this year.
Three stars
Although there are no new three stars joining the likes of Blumenthal, Ramsay, Ducasse or Roux,
speaking to the editor of the Michelin Guide previously Rebecca Burr said:
“I think we ought to be congratulating the ones that have got it rather than feel that we are falling behind, as that’s very much not the case.
“Certainly some of the restaurants that we have in the two star selection at the moment are still establishing themselves; so it certainly isn’t that we are lagging behind but the expectations are so enormous in the industry that I don’t think people realise how much it takes to run that operation.”
Bib Gourmands
As well as the stars, this year’s selection sees 26 new Bib Gourmands, 9 of which are in London. This award recognises establishments offering good food at affordable prices (the limit being £28 for three courses, €40 in Ireland), and is hugely popular with our readers.
“The Bib Gourmand awards also reflect the continuing trend for competitively priced, less structured
and more flexible dining”, Burr said. “These include Ibérico World Tapas in Derby, 64? in Brighton
and Palomar in Soho; as well as The Gannet and Ox and Finch, both in Glasgow.”
Read about what gaining or losing a star means to the chefs and their team here as well as what you, our readers, make of the stars.
What are your reactions to this news, who do you think deserves to have a star or are there any that you think just don't deserve to have a star at all? Let us know over on our Facebook or Twitter page @canteentweets.
