The Michelin awards shone favourably on London tonight as nine restaurants picked up one star, while two others achieved two stars.
Matt Abé will be celebrating after achieving two stars for his debut restaurant, Bonheur, despite being open for only a handful of months (read the Standard’s review here). The opening marked Abé’s first move after leaving Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, and consequently came with a crushing weight of expectation. There were also questions asked over whether the restaurant he left would keep its longstanding three stars. It did, under the watchful eye of chef de cuisine Kim Ratcharoen, who said: “Retaining three Michelin stars this year is something I feel very proud of. To be entrusted with leading the restaurant through such an important milestone is a real honour and not something I take lightly.
“I am excited to bring my own stamp to the restaurant and to be part of shaping its future. It is such an iconic site and being able to contribute to its story is incredibly special to me. The restaurant would not be where it is today without the chefs who have come before and being able to celebrate this moment alongside them means a great deal.”
Ramsay’s sky-high venture Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High was also a winner, picking up a star under head chef James Goodyear, while Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay and Petrus by Gordon Ramsay both kept their stars.
The other two-star announced, and arguably the star of the night, was Row on 5. The restaurant, from Spencer Metzger and Jason Atherton, picked up a second star just a year after its first. Besides the two stars, its sommelier Roxanne Dupuy was named Michelin’s sommelier of the year.
Atherton told the Standard in Dublin: “Winning stars is very important for us, but it’s all about the guests. Row on 5 is going from strength to strength, and we have regulars already. But we’re not always full, so hopefully the two stars will help. We need the help in these tough times.”
The difficulty of trading in the present circumstances was a theme among chefs. Tom Brown, whose excellent Tom Brown at the Capital won its first star (read the Standard’s review here), told this paper: “I know it’s a cliché, but it’s such a nice validation to win a star, and at a time when everything is so s*** and we’re getting f***** so hard, I’m so happy for the team. We’re buzzed, it’s a little ray of sunshine.”
No three stars were newly announced, but London’s The Ledbury, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Core by Clare Smyth, Sketch Lecture Room & Library, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester retained their three-star status.
Smyth had a successful evening, in fact, as she picked up a star for her new opening Corenucopia. She told the Standard: “It’s amazing to get the recognition in such a short amount of time, and it’s nice to give a platform to my team, too. We’re growing, and we’re absolutely rammed, but this is a hard industry and we’re facing different pressures now. We’re always scared but all we can do is drive on.”
Elsewhere, Opening of the Year went to Shwen Shwen in Sevenoaks, led by chef-owner Maria Bradford, for its outstanding Sierra Leonean cooking and wider championing of West African food.
Tom Earnshaw of Bohemia in Jersey won Young Chef of the Year, having become its head chef only last year.
Green stars flourished across six areas of the UK, with wins for 1887 in Torridon in Scotland (which also won a star; read the Standard’s review here); Forest Side in Grasmere in the Lake District; Knepp Wilding Kitchen in Horsham, Sussex; Eight at Gaze Hill in Rimmington, Lancashire; Glebe House in Southleigh, Devon; and Edinburgh’s Timberyard and The Free Company.
London’s new one star restaurants
- Legacy, Shoreditch. Nieves Barragan’s sophomore venture follows the long-standing success of Sabor, bringing a refined taste of Spain to Shoreditch. The celebrated suckling pig is the signature draw, but every dish here is delivered with the confidence of a chef at the height of her powers. Read our review. Unit 1C Montacute, E1 6HU, legadorestaurants.com
- Tom Brown at the Capital, Knightsbridge. After closing Cornerstone, Tom Brown returns to Michelin recognition with a restaurant that channels all his hallmark flair. Initially launched with a tasting menu, the kitchen has settled into an expressive, polished rhythm that showcases Brown at his most assured. He has worked and worked at this one, refining it as he goes. A deserved accolade. Read our review. 22-24 Basil Street, SW3, tombrownatthecapital.com
- Ambassadors Clubhouse, Mayfair. Design has always been a strength at the JKS group, and so it is here. Cleverly conceived dishes match the chic surround and immaculate cocktails. A surprisingly accessible lunch menu, too. 25 Heddon Street, W1B, ambassadorsclubhouse.com
- Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, the City. Gordon Ramsay’s City outpost delivers sky-high dining in every sense. With a mere 12 guests seated each evening, chef James Goodyear creates a precision-crafted experience that pairs panoramic views with deeply considered cooking. A very considered offering. 22 Bishopsgate, EC2N, gordonramsayrestaurants.com
- Labombe by Trivet, Park Lane. A more relaxed sibling to Trivet, Labombe leans into its playful side without compromising culinary finesse. A good time is promised. 19 Old Park Lane, W1K, labombe.co.uk
- The Kerfield Arms, Camberwell. A new favourite in Camberwell, the Kerfield blends modern British cooking with bright Italian sensibilities and subtle French echoes. Though it did not receive critical acclaim on first opening, perhaps it deserved to. 16 Grove Lane, SE5, thekerfieldarms.co.uk
- Corenucopia by Clare Smyth, Pimlico. Clare Smyth’s “relaxed” project — though still unmistakably high-end — offers polished cooking in a more easygoing key. It reads like her interpretation of an elevated bistro, executed with signature precision. Still pricey, but then, it is Clare Smyth. 18-22 Holbein Place, SW1W, corenucopia.com
- Somssi by Jihun Kim, Knightsbridge. An intimate 14-seat marble counter where Korean cuisine is refined, refined, and refined again. Chef Jihun Kim has quickly established Somssi as one of the capital’s standouts for Korean. 22 Hanover Square, W1S, mandarinoriental.com
- Michael Caines at the Stafford, St James’s. Within the storied Stafford Hotel, Michael Caines delivers traditional fine dining shaped by impeccable technique and classic sensibilities. 16-18 St James’s Place, SW1A 1NJ, thestaffordlondon.com
London’s new two star restaurants
- NEW: Row on 5, Savile Row. Spencer Metzger and Jason Atherton’s dazzling Savile Row venture continues its meteoric rise. It’s rare for a restaurant to leap from one Michelin star to two in the span of a year, but this dining room feels like the exception that proves the rule. Read our write up here. 5 Savile Row, W1S, rowon5london.com
- NEW: Happiness by Matt Abé, Mayfair. Matt Abé’s first solo restaurant arrives with both legacy and expectation woven into its walls — not least because it occupies the former home of La Gavroche. Having left the three-star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay after two decades of service, Abé delivers cooking that’s beyond assured. Talk of three stars is already in the air. Read our review here. 43 Upper Brook Street, W1K, bonheurbymattabe.com