Michelin star guide 2020: These are the new restaurants across the UK and Ireland named in the red book

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After weeks of tension, chefs across the country can finally breathe a sigh of relief – or disappointment. The Michelin guide for 2020 has been announced, and 29 restaurants across Great Britain and Ireland have been awarded shiny new stars.

In a year that saw Michelin award its biggest constellation ever, Ireland scooped some of the most impressive wins at the award ceremony, while London’s haul wasn’t quite as dazzling as its been in previous years.

Two Irish restaurants entered into the two-star category, with Aimsir in Kildare heading straight into the guide with the double. Four new one-star establishments joined the roster from across Ireland and Northern Ireland, with Restaurant Loam in Galway and Adare Manor in Limerick also picking up two of three new special awards given out on the night, for Sustainability and Sommelier respectively.

London also acquired four new one-star restaurants, while upgrades saw Anne-Sophie Pic’s La Dame de Pic go from one to two stars, and The Lecture Room & Library at sketch graduate to the coveted three-star accolade. There were, however, some spectacular losses and omissions for the capital, which you can read more about here.

In an overall upbeat evening for Great Britain and Ireland as a whole, Michelin's International Director Gwendal Poullennec hailed a “new generation of chefs” claiming stars this year, and predicted that “some of them will be knocking on the door of two stars shortly”.

London may have lagged a little, but it looks like our corner of the world is on the up. Check out the full list of the newly starred restaurants below.

New one star restaurants

Stark, Broadstairs. A new addition for Kent, the seaside restaurant is run by husband and wife team Ben and Sophie Crittenden, and, apparently, is named for Ed Stark from Game of Thrones.

Artichoke, Amersham. Laurie Gear collects one star for the Buckinghamshire restaurant, which has been open for more than 15 years.

The Dysart Petersham​, London. Irish chef and former Roux Scholar Kenneth Culhane comes up to collect his award for his neighbourhood restaurant in Richmond, the first award of the night for the capital.

Cottage in the Woods, Lake District. The scenic Cumbrian restaurant situated in the Whinlatter forest, is best known for its fresh fish and locally sourced food.

Allium at Askham Hall, Lake District. Another win for the region, with Cumbrian-bred chef Richard Swale collecting the award.

Old Stamp House, Lake District. It's three in a row: having been previously been famed as somewhere Wordsworth once worked (as a postmaster, admittedly), Ryan Blackburn's food is keeping the name alive.

Da Terra, London. This east London restaurant in Bethnal Green is found in the grand Town Hall Hotel and run by chefs Rafael Cagali and Paulo Airaudo (who already boasts one Michelin star in Spain). In her review, Fay Maschler praised a "parade of exhilarating dishes".

The Oak Room, Adare. The second win of the night for this Irish restaurant, which picked up the Sommelier Award earlier on. Head chef Mike Tweedie proves popular with the crowds at the ceremony.

Opheem, Birmingham. Aktar Islam, who won Gordon Ramsay's F-Word back in 2009, picks up the city's fifth star for his progressive take on Indian cooking.

Mana, Manchester. The first star in 40 years for Manchester, making this a huge achievement for this 26-cover site. Chef Simon Martin seems calm, but should be thrilled.

The Angel, Hetton. No huge surprise with this one, with Michael Wignall's restaurant having picked up 4 AA Rosettes just a couple of years ago. The chance of two stars next year feels real, especially as they've plans for a new space promising "more fine dining."

Pensons, Herefordshire. "Took a while to get used to", Lee Westcott says of country life, but clearly he's adapted rather well. A good move, then, for the one time London boy, who previously cooked at the Typing Room, in Bethnal Green's Town Hall Hotel (see above).

Beach House, Oxwich. The first star for Wales this year, this beautiful beachside restaurant had plenty of chatter about it before tonight. Thoroughly deserved, in other words.

Condita, Edinburgh. Scotland's first star of the night comes for a restaurant that – contrary to London's widespread "walk-ins only" plaque – serves supper by reservation only.

Bastion, Kinsale. This 50-seater picked up its Bib Gourmand after just nine months, and now's gone one better. Close to the sea, they say their favourite ingredient is nevertheless... lamb.

Endo at The Rotunda, London. A very emotional Endo Kazutoshi collects; he deserves this very much. In fact, just the one star feels a little light, given there are comparisons to be drawn with the Araki which held three stars until its dramatic drop out this evening.

The Tudor Room, Egham. After just five months, chef Tony Parkin has done a hell of a job to retain this star. He sweetly passes all praise to his team at this formal, classic restaurant, which gets about half of its produce from its garden the other half, Parkin says, from France.

Isle of Eriska, Hebrides. Chef Graeme Cheevers wins for his work in the kitchen at this island hotel. Despite being "dairy free", Cheevers says the cheese board is his real passion.

The Royal Oak, Whatcote. On the face of it, a country pub – but The Royal Oak is actually much more, helped by its excellent pig farm. Richard Craven might call himself a country bumpkin, but his cooking is decidedly refined.

Interlude, Lower Beeding. Jean Delport looks after this tiny, 10 table restaurant, which makes the most of the local ingredients in its Sussex surroundings.

The Muddlers Club, Belfast. The city gets its third Michelin star with this place, which offers a surprise menu – meaning no guest knows what they'll be eating before they arrive. Chef Gareth McCaughey admits it was a risky move but, after all, fortune favours the brave.

Alchemilla, Nottingham. Announced on Friday on Twitter – which came as a surprise – this fine dining spot deals in plant-based, British food. It's no surprise that chef Alex Bond seems utterly chuffed to bits as he gives Raymond Blanc a peck on the cheek. He mentions the environmental crisis that's driving his sustainable approach to food.

Mãos, London. East London leads the agenda again, as a star goes to this 16-seater Shoreditch site from Nuno Mendes, who's either not in attendance or just didn't fancy coming up on stage. It's a decidedly different style of place from those that made Mendes' name, including Chiltern Firehouse and Taberna do Mercado.

Variety Jones, Dublin. Did Michelin just forget Ireland before? Or has it just undergone a culinary revolution? Either way, they've another star with this Dublin restaurant, which cooks mostly over charcoal. The homemade pasta is also a hit.

New two star restaurants

Aimsir, Kildare. Straight in at two stars, just open four and a half months – it's unsurprising that chef Jordan Bailey is on the verge of tears. Another place to serve locally-sourced and foraged food – produce is all-Irish, apart from the sugar. This looks like somewhere worth travelling for.

The Greenhouse, Dublin. Raymond Blanc falls over in all the fun – this is hospitality at its finest, as Finnish-born chef Mickael Viljanen kisses the great Frenchman with vigour. "I'm not in the best shape after a night with Uncle Richard [Corrigan]" says Viljanen, who appears to be rather merry (earning him huge cheers from the crowd) as he picks up the second star the Greenhouse. It's had one star since 2015.

La Dame De Pic, London. Up to two stars for the dining room of the Four Seasons Hotel. Classically French, this place adds to Anne-Sophie Pic's collection of stars, which we count as now totalling seven. Despite a muted reception on opening, it seems to have turned things around to produce some beautiful high-end eating. Luca Piscazzi, who collects the award, is on very charming form.

The Dining Room at Whatley Manor, Malmesbury. Gosh, this one is touching – lots of tears and mentions of mum and dad as Niall Keating picks up his second star. He's come very far, very quickly – he was named Michelin’s European Young Chef of The Year in 2018.

New three star restaurants

The Lecture Room & Library, sketch, London. Almost bewildered applause for this one, and frankly, it feels a surprise. Not that this should take away from Pierre Gagnaire, who is one of the great French chefs of his time. If you've not been, upstairs at sketch is an opulent, extravagant room and a step up from the Gallery (the Pink Room), that old Instagram favourite.

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