I could never be a Michelin inspector. I have far too good a time eating out. There I was thinking that the past year had been full of great additions to our dining scene, with established chefs extending themselves and pushing the industry forward, and new chefs doing more than just aping their predecessors by opening highly individual, risk-taking restaurants. But reading the new Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2008, released today, it seems that it was a dreary, non-event of a year, and I'm Pollyanna Durack.
No new three stars. No new two stars. Only five London restaurants ( La Trompette, Rhodes W1, Quilon, Hibiscus and Wild Honey) deemed worthy of a new star. As for three stars, we are meant to believe that the Michelin standards are so high that there are still only three restaurants in the entire country that are "worth a special journey" (Gordon Ramsay, The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn), compared to eight in Tokyo and ten in Paris.
Outside London, things appear a little less grouchy, with 10 new one-star restaurants, including the promising Nathan Outlaw in Fowey, Cornwall. And congratulations to Dublin's Winding Stair, which I reviewed last Sunday, for its "Bib Gourmand" (for good food at moderate prices).
So what's the news when there is no news? That Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea kept its three stars, with the only new gain in the Ramsay empire being a "Bib Gourmand" for The Narrow. Overseeing chef Mark Sargeant does appear to have solved the teething problems of the Narrow in the past few months, so I'd pay that. But it's all a bit of let-down for Britain in general and London in particular, when restaurants that have lifted their game as rigorously as Tom Aikens and The Greenhouse are left with just one star status.
So, is it the British dining scene that is stuck in a rut - or is it Michelin?
Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2008 rrp £15.99. Michelin Guide London 2008 rrp £9.99.
Too right, Terry. We don't seem to inhabit the same world as Michelin inspectors. I've eaten out a fair bit in France over the past year which has far more Michelin starred restaurants than we have and can honestly say the food there is disappointing more often than not. There seems to be one standard for France and one for the UK. To decide that nowhere in the UK and Ireland deserves to be upgraded to a second star is incomprehensible.
Posted by: Fiona Beckett | Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 12:31 AM
As a general impression I'd agree with Fiona. French food below the one star level is often very ordinary.
On TD's point about Michelin not reflecting what is happening here I think there are two issues. The first is that Michelin values consistency. Restaurant critics rarely revisit a restaurant (and if they do they never write about it). They are too busy chasing the next new opening. Take Purnell's in Birmingham which was tipped for a star and where the food has been highly praised. Within Birmingham there has been severe criticism of the service. Problems in this area might not be detected on a solitary visit. The second point is that critics are known. They get looked after. Thus their view of the restaurant may be distorted. So I am sure that restaurants do 'raise their game' whenever TD is spotted at table - and who could blame them - but that doesn't mean they do it for everyone, all the time.
Posted by: Clifford | Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 06:25 AM
My understanding of Michelin is that they are a conservative organisation with an accent on consistency. The Greenhouse changed chef shortly after being awarded "espoirs" and Tom Aikens was awarded this accolade yesterday. (Keep going at the same consistent level and the promotion will come)
I was sad to see Chris Staines lose espoirs status to Two Stars yesterday....what's your view on what happened there?
PS Great writing Terry....do you subcribe to the eGullet forum?
Posted by: Simon Carter | Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 08:05 AM
Chris Staines is a good chef, but as I haven't been to Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge for at least two years, I can't add anything to the issue of Foliage losing its espoire status.
[For those who don't know what we're talking about, an espoire in the Michelin sense is the 'Rising Star' status given to restaurants in line for a first, second or third star. Basically, it's a best in category award, a way of highlighting the stars of tomorrow. Other rising stars were Galvin at Windows (rising one), and Nathan Outlaw, Tom Aikens and Hibiscus (rising two).]
As for the Greenhouse, Antonin Bonnet has been cooking there for well over a year and has done more than enough to justify a second star for this highly polished, very smoothly-run Mayfair establishment (which re-opens next week after refurbishment). Tom Aikens has been doing all the right things and his cooking is more assured than it ever was. I still think he should have got his two stars last year.
Posted by: Terry | Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 10:22 AM
Agree wholeheartedly with your comments on the spectacularly unlucky Tom Aikens. I've eaten there a few times over the last few months and think he's in a different ball park to most of the other one stars in the UK and quite a few of the higher rated restaurants in France.
Posted by: Chris Lester | Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 11:34 AM
See Michelin Guide for this year with complete list of starred restaurants awarded with Michelin Stars.
Posted by: Michelin Guide | Tuesday, 17 March 2009 at 04:26 PM