The 2019 Michelin awards were bigger and better than ever, with more chefs acquiring Michelin stars and recognising the achievements of their kitchens. We have the lowdown on the winners…
The highly anticipated 2019 Michelin awards were announced last week, with over 180 of the UKs top chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Tom Kerridge and Michael O’Hare coming together to celebrate culinary excellence. The red carpet event was live streamed on social media from the BFI IMAX in Waterloo. A lot of the nominees seemed to belong there, knowing their dedication, passion and determination to be some of the best of in the business, however a few seemed genuinely shocked to have received the invite. It was incredibly humbling to see the incredible levels of hard-work and determination that some of the best chefs in the business put towards their restaurants.
There are a number of steps to be in place before a restaurant can even be considered as a nominee for a Michelin star. This includes aspects such as impeccable service, outstanding and creative dishes and a meticulously clean kitchen. Once word begins to spread, Inspectors are sent anonymously to assess not just the food but everything about the establishment such as; the wine they pair with their dishes, the service, cleanliness as well as the atmosphere. According to the guide a single star signifies a ‘really good restaurant’, two stars places have ‘excellent cooking that is definitely worth a detour’ and three stars have ‘exceptional cuisine that is worth a special trip’. The hard work doesn’t stop for the chefs and their teams when they earn the award the inspectors return every year to make sure they are still worthy of their star rating and will revoke the stars if standards have slipped.
The 2019 Michelin awards evening kicked off with a cocktail reception including Nespesso Espresso martinis and Nyetimber sparkling wine, the organiser had chosen a few companies to represent themselves including Exmoor Caviar a product of Nyetimber, Land chocolate and Avacado, the fruit of life who showcased an avocado beer. Guest and Chefs mingled in the excited energy ran throughout the room in anticipation of the start of the awards ceremony.
The nominated chefs for the 2019 Michelin awards donned their chef whites for the start of the ceremony. When the results were announced you could genuinely feel a sense of community and support amongst the chefs, which shows the passion and drive they all share for cooking. Gordon Ramsay came on stage to present the awards to the winners as well as providing some great advice on how to stay sane whilst striving for excellence. Ramsay has been awarded 16 stars over his career, with his restaurant “Gordon Ramsay” in Chelsea having held three star status for 17 years. He started by saying ” Do you have any idea of the S**T that would go down if I lost my 3rd star” followed up by some candid advice on how to earn and keep those stars, my personal favourite ” Never trust a fat chef, they’ve eaten all the good bits”.
A special moment in the 2019 Michelin awards was shared on stage between Gordon and his protégée Clare Smyth, who’s first solo project “Core” which only opened this September was awarded 2 stars from the get go which is an absolutely incredible accomplishment. Clare was the first female British chef to hold and retain 3 Michelin stars and she did this as the Chef Patron at “Gordon Ramsay” in Chelsea from 2012 to 2016. She is an incredible woman and a powerhouse in what is a predominately male-run industry.
A record high of 21 new single Michelin stars were awarded alongside 3 new 2 star Nominations, however, no new 3 stars were awarded.
The 2 Michelin star awards:
Core by Clare Smyth – London,
Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs by James Knappett- London
Moor Hall by Mark Birchall – Lancashire.
The 6 new Michelin Stars in London;
Ikoyi by Jeremy Chan – Nigerian inspired flavours drawing inspiration from his parents and from many hours spent researching at the British Library. A true delight that is never Gimmicky.
Sabor by Nieves Barragan – A Spanish tapas restaurant with an exceptional balance of flavours, the food is elevated to another dimension. The Suckling Pig and Scallop and mango Seviche comes highly recommended.
Hide by Ollie Dabbous – The upper restaurant is for those who want a bit more theatre and downstairs a more casual affair but both offering utterly sublime dishes.
Roganic by Simon Rogan – Sister restaurant to L’Enclume creates sensational modern British flavours from seasonal foraged ingredients, making the most of what Britain has to offer.
Leroy by Sam Kamienko – plates designed for sharing with a Parisian influence, superb atmosphere and wine list to match the outstanding culinary delights.
Brat – This restaurant is all about cooking over flame, strong Basque influence with a rustic Spanish vibe.
Northern England
Winteringham fields – North Lincolnshire
Rogan and Co – Cumbria,
White swan – Lancashire
Southern England
Gidleigh park – Devon
Olive tree – Bath
Salt – Warwickshire,
Oxford Kitchen – Oxford
Fordwich arms – Kent
Bulrush – Bristol
Flitch of Bacon – Essex
Blackbird – West Berkshire
Sorrel – Surrey
Ireland
Ichigo Ichie – Cork
Chestnut – Cork
Mews – Baltimore
To find more information on the 2019 Michelin awards and the full list of the Michelin Guide click here
