Eater London - Everything You Need to Know About London’s 2022 Michelin Stars The London Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Blog2022-04-05T13:48:43+01:00http://london.eater.com/rss/stream/226760612022-04-05T13:48:43+01:002022-04-05T13:48:43+01:00London’s Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants, Mapped
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<img alt="A birdseye view of yakitori on white ceramics." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JejiAccXepHRsf2iBeIwwv-EtFs=/376x0:2627x1688/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65394036/b396259d_4074_4cd0_a058_6731c174a606.21.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Yakitori at Angelo Sato’s Humble Chicken, a new Bib for 2022. | Humble Chicken</figcaption>
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<p>Michelin’s thanks-for-playing award actually has ... A ton of brilliant restaurants</p> <p id="OBT3MV">London’s Michelin Bib Gourmands for 2022 are out, and with them comes an inevitable truth: the Red Guide views the award as second class to its shiny, shiny <a href="https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-star-restaurants-london">Michelin stars</a>.</p>
<p id="HCX7PF">That truth hides another: London’s 38 Michelin Bib Gourmands are stellar restaurants, regardless of what the index’s orthodoxy might deem top class. Here they are, in all their glory, with the newest additions first — and a reminder that Michelin’s criteria is, on the face of it, simple: a fine three courses for £28.</p>
https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-bib-gourmand-restaurants-londonJames Hansen2022-02-18T13:19:43+00:002022-02-18T13:19:43+00:00Introducing All of London’s New Michelin-Starred Restaurants
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<img alt="A chef plates an artful dish of mushroom suya." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TMOT2-b9xQCc1uikaq8cOFeqYhg=/125x0:2116x1493/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70516191/DSC_9963_3.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Plating a dish of mushroom suya at Ikoyi, the newly two-Michelin-starred London restaurant. | Tomas Jivanda</figcaption>
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<p>The Red Guide handed out nine new stars to London restaurants this year: here’s everything to know</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="tCFOXi">The Michelin Guide has revealed the all new 2022 Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland: not in a <a href="https://london.eater.com/22248883/michelin-stars-2021-uk-restaurants-announcement-davina-mccall">stilted, digital-only, sometimes surprising, but often predictable</a> live event, but on Twitter. In total across the capital, the tyre company’s famous restaurant index included seven new one-star restaurants, two new two-stars, and no new three-Michelin-starred restaurants. </p>
<p id="AZjdOk">Here’s everything you need to know about all nine new or promoted Michelin-starred restaurants in London: who’s behind them, where they are, what they serve, and what they had to say about their new status.</p>
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<h1 id="skqIwL">Two Michelin stars</h1>
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<img alt="Masked chefs buzz around a bright blue, light-filled pass at The Clove Club in Shoreditch." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5GPUnSfnALKVjgK3JtGpYA1sVD4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23249211/0P4A0447.jpeg">
<cite>The Clove Club</cite>
<figcaption>Mid-service at the Clove Club, in Shoreditch, which now has two Michelin stars.</figcaption>
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<h2 id="YmWMTf"><strong>The Clove Club</strong></h2>
<p id="cWelf4"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef Isaac McHale, and restaurateurs Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith.<br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Modern British. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: 2013 after a then-novel crowdfunding campaign, before winning its first Michelin star in 2014.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, Shoreditch EC1V 9LT <br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“The Clove Club is now at the height of its powers and we’ve enjoyed some spectacular dishes from Isaac McHale and his team over recent times. Whether it’s hazelwood grilled red mullet with stuffed green pepper, or dry-aged Middlewhite pork with spicy rhubarb, his plates are imaginative and detailed, but never overcrowded or overly complicated. His food is a joy to eat.”<br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “Thrilled, excited, a little nervous and immensely thankful to be awarded our second Michelin Star. More than anything, this one is an enormous reward for all of the team that pulled together throughout our most difficult year as a restaurant and lifted us to new heights.” <em>—Isaac McHale</em>.</p>
<h2 id="TB3UDQ"><strong>Ikoyi</strong></h2>
<p id="x8a0y7"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef Jeremy Chan and restaurateur Iré Hassan-Odukale. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Internationalist luxury, with a focus on ingredients indigenous to West Africa. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: 2017, before winning its first Michelin star in October 2018.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 1 St James’s Market, St. James’s SW1Y 4AH <br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“Jeremy Chan at Ikoyi is another chef who has been constantly striving to take his restaurant to the next level. His surprise menu allows him to really focus on – and perfect – every element of the meal. With his aged turbot with artichoke miso dish, he makes a stunning piece of fish all the more memorable with a wonderful chicken broth. His beef dishes, which have always been a highlight, have become even better.”<strong> </strong><br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “This is hugely significant recognition for Ikoyi and for everything the restaurant stands for. We set out to bring something new that had never been done before and sat outside usual gastronomic restaurant categories. To be recognised by Michelin in this way, is testament to the collective belief and effort of everyone in the restaurant and especially the farmers, fishermen, producers and loyal guests who have all been part of our journey.”<em> —Jeremy Chan</em></p>
<p id="AGItmg">“We simply couldn’t be prouder. It’s been a whirlwind few years and we’d like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and determination.” <em>—Iré Hassan-Odukale</em></p>
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<img alt="A pink-orange porcelain bowl filled with red mullet and red sauce at Ikoyi." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oVr2esko5pGW4WAEqxhkvYBk-tA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23249231/MG_4804_copy_1_1333x2000.jpeg">
<cite>Ikoyi</cite>
<figcaption>A dish of red mullet at Ikoyi in St. James’s.</figcaption>
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<h1 id="8PUzLh">One Michelin star</h1>
<h2 id="rJuNPM"><strong>Evelyn’s Table</strong></h2>
<p id="Uv8kl6"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chefs Luke Selby, Nat Selby, and Theo Selby, alongside sommelier Honey Spencer and backers Zoe and Layo Paskin of The Palomar and the Barbary. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Delicate, with a balance between British, French and Japanese influences. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: February 2018.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: The Blue Posts, 28 Rupert Street, Soho W1D 6DJ<br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“This 12-seater counter restaurant has two sittings each evening, and a subterranean speakeasy vibe. Watch Head Chef Luke Selby and his brothers Nat and Theo as they craft sophisticated dishes using a mix of French and Japanese techniques.”<strong> </strong><br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “Evelyn’s Table is the first restaurant where my brothers and I have been free to cook and create food in our own style. For this reason, it’s an honour to be recognised by Michelin yesterday and today.” <em>—Luke Selby</em></p>
<h2 id="m2uCKS"><strong>Sollip</strong></h2>
<p id="nnTjRk"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Classical European with Korean accents. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: August 2020.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: Unit 1, 8 Melior Street, Southwark SE1 3QP<br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“Located down a little side street near the Shard is this extremely likeable restaurant, run by a husband-and-wife team. They both hail from Korea, but met while training in London, and their cooking combines techniques and flavours from their homeland with a French style to create dishes that are polished, poised and unique.”<br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “I can’t express with just one word or short sentences. This means a lot to me as I believe that I’ve always had higher standard about the Michelin guide than any others [...] I always aim to live with full of happiness all the time with people who I love and that is sort of my goal in life.</p>
<p id="eOBfVp">“And the Michelin star is one of the most happiness that I can get as a chef. But, I have lots of precious things around me always especially my family, friends and myself as it is :) I believe our life is not just about achievement but happiness. And this award gave me lots of happiness and motivation to go further.” <em>—Woongchul Park</em></p>
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<img alt="A slice of tarte tatin with a small blob of cream." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZNEiShit8mE1rCVlg-TEUSbeq78=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21865910/Sollip_Main.png">
<cite>Sollip</cite>
<figcaption>Daikon tarte tatin with chive cream, at Sollip.</figcaption>
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<h2 id="qr3mxe"><strong>Kol</strong></h2>
<p id="Qxi8vo"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef Santiago Lastra and backers MJMK. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: British ingredients refracted through Mexican traditions and methods. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: October 2020.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 9 Seymour Street, Marylebone W1H 7BA<br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“At the UK’s first Mexican Star, the chefs take traditional recipes from various regions of Mexico and add their own modern, creative touches. The resulting set menu of colourful, imaginative and vibrant dishes will have you gripped from the first bite to the last.”<br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “Despite countless obstacles thrown at us this award is recognition of the hard work, resilience and great attitude that my team bring to KOL every day. I have the upmost respect, love and gratitude for each of them, led by our incredible head chef, Ben Morgan and general manager, Edie Jobson. They not only make my dreams possible, they push me to become a better person and professional.</p>
<p id="15KfBf">“I am so proud of my country. Mexico deserves to be more recognised, and I hope this can help to shine a light on the indigenous people, traditional cooks, and family that are my constant inspiration.</p>
<p id="ws0Ewc">“Mexico, this is for you. From the home cooks and family traditions that we grew up with, to the incredible Indigenous communities that inspire our work and ground our culture, thank you for being a constant source of wonder and creativity.” <em>—Santiago Lastra</em></p>
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<img alt="A chef pours sauce over kohlrabi." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NvXvUMTSKUnbjCxWEo9qNugr5Yw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21981693/kol068.jpg">
<cite>Michael Prötin</cite>
<figcaption>Pouring a pumpkin aguachile over a kohlrabi ceviche at Kol.</figcaption>
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<h2 id="C7tuBh"><strong>Trivet</strong></h2>
<p id="xOIVbb"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef Jonny Lake and master sommelier Isa Bal. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Modern European with some Japanese influences. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: October 2019.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 36 Snowsfields, Southwark SE1 3SU<br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“Trivet’s two owners are both alumni of The Fat Duck and have pooled their extensive experience to create a restaurant that gets everything right. Chef Jonny Lake produces fuss-free dishes of great clarity using prime ingredients, while the personable Isa Bal – Winner of the Michelin ‘Sommelier Award 2022’ – expertly handles the wine. The charming service team add to the experience.”<br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “We are extremely grateful to have the team’s talent, hard work and dedication acknowledged by Michelin inspectors this year, particularly following an incredibly difficult period for hospitality.” <em>—Jonny Lake.</em></p>
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<img alt="Pieces of roast pigeon, plated with vegetables and fruits." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kc8dH-Ob0zYglxXN3x1Y4484Zis=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19355144/Roastpigeon__persimmon_and_chevril_root.jpg">
<cite>Trivet</cite>
<figcaption>Roast pigeon, persimmon, and chevril root at Trivet.</figcaption>
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<h2 id="bazfW5"><strong>Jamavar</strong></h2>
<p id="qEkMaZ"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Executive chef Surender Mohan and the Nair family. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Modern Indian. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: Late 2016.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 8 Mount Street, Mayfair W1K 3NF<br><strong>What Michelin said: </strong>“London’s list of Michelin-starred Indian restaurants is the envy of many cities, and this smartly dressed restaurant is a firm favourite with all those who love Indian food. The menus include plenty of vegetarian options and look to all parts of India, with a slight bias towards the north.”<br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “We are so thrilled to regain this prestigious accolade. It’s a huge credit to Surender and the team and testament to our relentless fight to win this back during such a challenging time.” <em>—Samyukta Nair</em></p>
<p id="GvVunQ">“I am honoured to be recognised by such a respected association and would like to thank all of those who have kept supporting us throughout these past few years.”<em> —Surender Mohan</em></p>
<h2 id="09ilzZ"><strong>Wild Honey</strong></h2>
<p id="qeeUdE"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef-owner Anthony Demetre, a respected veteran. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Contemporary French. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: May 2019.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 8 Pall Mall, St. James’s SW1Y 5NG<br><strong>What Michelin said: “</strong>This brasserie de-luxe occupies a Grade II listed former banking hall and boasts a certain grandeur, without being overly formal. Anthony Demetre’s cooking has always been marked by a refreshing lack of pomposity and showmanship – his dishes might look quite simple, but they really deliver in flavour.” <br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “I am fortunate enough to have been in this position many times over my career and the feeling on getting the star is unparalleled in the culinary world. But what makes me so happy is the fact that this is a first for many of the young team at Wild Honey and I couldn’t be more proud. The dedication, passion, loyalty and sheer hard work put in over what has been a truly testing year has been immeasurable. These guys are the next generation and this is for them.” <em>—Anthony Demetre</em></p>
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<img alt="Chef-owner Anthony Demetre on the pass at Wild Honey St. James" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/A_xxhUbw0pO7pAP_o-rfZMwZlNY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23249340/Sofitel_WildHoney_1525_HighRes_1450x966.jpeg">
<cite>Wild Honey St James</cite>
<figcaption>Chef-owner Anthony Demetre on the pass at Wild Honey St. James.</figcaption>
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<h2 id="jsE7n2"><strong>The Frog by Adam Handling</strong></h2>
<p id="GJZQhO"><strong>Who’s behind it</strong>: Chef Adam Handling, a former <em>Masterchef</em> contestant. <br><strong>Cuisine</strong>: Fussy, technical European with a “fun” / nostalgic side. <br><strong>Opened</strong>: September 2017.<br><strong>Where is it</strong>: 34 — 35 Southampton Street, Covent Garden WC2E 7HG<br><strong>What Michelin said</strong>: “Adam Handling’s flagship restaurant keeps up with the times: it’s fun, well-run, and offers carefully crafted cooking served by a friendly team. Adam’s set menus are founded on classical techniques but he blends them with playfulness and originality to produce delicious dishes which are also beautiful to look at.” <br><strong>What the restaurant said</strong>: “I can’t believe we’ve bloody done it! <em>—Adam Handling</em></p>
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https://london.eater.com/22936945/new-michelin-star-restaurants-london-2022Adam CoghlanJames Hansen2022-02-18T11:10:19+00:002022-02-18T11:10:19+00:00Michelin Demoted Just One London Restaurant in Its 2022 Guide
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<img alt="The ornate old-school dining room of Céleste at the Lanesborough" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V7SI2nfB8gWr7Sx8lLSGucSAu0k=/37x234:904x884/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70515926/1e04c91448954bab85b2c9cf3b65fa4b.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>The old-school dining room of Céleste at the Lanesborough. | The Lanesborough</figcaption>
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<p>After six years, Céleste at the Lanesborough on Hyde Park Corner has lost its Michelin-starred status </p> <p id="pX6mX8">Céleste at the Lanesborough Hotel on west London’s Hyde Park Corner is the only restaurant in the capital to have been demoted or lost a <a href="https://london.eater.com/22936948/michelin-stars-london-restaurants-2022">Michelin star in the 2022 guide to Great Britain and Ireland</a>. </p>
<p id="DJoDG2">The French/Modern European restaurant, perhaps best known to Millennials and Gen Z London diners as the definition of a restaurant they’d never heard of and the subject of countless jokes in the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-kitchen-is-on-fire/id916786736">Kitchen Is on Fire</a> podcast, won its star in 2016, just a year after opening. Then-executive chef Florian Favario who had previously overseen the kitchen at Le Bristol, said <a href="https://www.justluxe.com/travel/london-news__1964481.php">when it won its first star</a> that the menu takes inspiration from London as “a global capital for cuisine.” In the 2021 guide, it was Portuguese chef <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhKqfznr0f">Dárcio Henriques</a> who commended the team for retaining its star. </p>
<p id="7zlrdO">However, in May of last year, Céleste <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPdFkqkAcbQ/">introduced a new head chef</a> Giuseppe Strippoli, a native of the southern Italian region of Puglia. Strippoli had originally joined the team at Céleste in 2019 as sous chef and had “played a key part in our journey and we’re delighted he now leads the culinary team as head chef,” the restaurant wrote on Instagram. However, it appears that Strippoli is no longer at Céleste, with his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chef_strippoligiuseppe/">Instagram account stating</a> he is executive chef at Clos Maggiore. Neither Céleste’s own account nor its website states who is in charge of the kitchen, however Strippoli contacted Eater to confirm that he had not held the role since July 2021, when, he says, “the company decided to hire a new executive Chef (Shay Cooper) and change the future prospectives of the restaurant.” </p>
<p id="ceZioD">Strippoli added that following Cooper’s appointment, he “had no more responsibility of it, being in disagreement with the decision of the company, and that brought me to resign as head chef at Céleste and terminate officially in September [...] I’m writing this just to make it clear that I want to dissociate my name from Celeste restaurant as chef who lost the star.”</p>
<p id="sjgAqi">Céleste, which means “heavenly,” opened under the stewardship of French chef Eric Frechon in 2015; he is also in charge of three-Michelin-starred Epicure and one-star 114 Faubourg, both at Le Bristol hotel in Paris. Like the Lanesborough, Le Bristol belongs to the Oetker collection (which is unrelated to the thin pizza brand.) Frechon’s pedigree and renown with Michelin makes Céleste’s demotion somewhat surprising; the Red Guide tends to remain loyal to those it has chosen to honour in previous years. All anyone needs to do is to look at galáctico chef Alain Ducasse’s star-studded history with the guide and especially the inexplicable retention of three stars at the Dorchester in London. </p>
<p id="WfLQUE">Such is the secrecy with which Michelin operates, it never states why it demotes restaurants or removes their star status; but it’s difficult — whether or not this decision was warranted — not to feel a little sympathy for Céleste when it is the only London restaurant to have been pushed out in 2022. </p>
<p id="0BgGyL">The only other London restaurant to have been removed from the guide was Davies and Brook, the <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/65237/davies-and-brook">high-profile restaurant from NYC chef Daniel Humm</a> at Claridges Hotel in Mayfair, which <a href="https://london.eater.com/22777880/daniel-humm-vegan-menu-davies-and-brook-claridges-closing-london-eleven-madison-park">closed following a dispute a change in menu direction last autumn</a>. </p>
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https://london.eater.com/2022/2/16/22937024/michelin-stars-2022-london-demotions-celeste-lanesboroughAdam Coghlan2022-02-17T12:51:34+00:002022-02-17T12:51:34+00:006 Key Takeaways From the Michelin Guide 2022
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<img alt="Michelin-starred Clove Club in Shoreditch has closed until 21 April because of the coronavirus outbreak" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tDxEaenqiWhKUThRDWALm0rStoE=/197x0:3353x2367/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70520136/Eater_day5_The_Clove_Club_0208.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ola Smit/Eater London</figcaption>
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<p>The rubber restaurant overlord ditched its ceremony of cringe in favour of just tweeting it out</p> <p id="c70bgE"><a href="https://london.eater.com/22936948/michelin-stars-london-restaurants-2022">London — and the U.K. and Ireland — have their Michelin stars for 2022</a>. As restaurants and chefs celebrate and commiserate, here’s how this year’s stars went down in six key takeaways. </p>
<h3 id="VbtDOS"><strong>1. (Michelin) dudes rock</strong></h3>
<p id="tOsLCs">The day before the stars came out, <a href="https://london.eater.com/22934564/michelin-stars-london-2022-special-awards">Michelin announced its “special awards” for 2022</a>, and its three London entries went to five lads. On the day the stars came out, with exception of Bomee Ki, business partner of Woongchul Park at Sollip, every recipient was a man. After last year’s promotion of two restaurants with female head chefs — Core by Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze at the Connaught — to three stars, this year’s brocession feels like a depressing return to type.</p>
<h3 id="FoMvrz"><strong>2. Michelin couldn’t even just tweet it out</strong></h3>
<p id="ehN1zb"><a href="https://london.eater.com/22248883/michelin-stars-2021-uk-restaurants-announcement-davina-mccall">Last year’s Michelin star revelation</a> was weird. Having initially <a href="https://london.eater.com/2020/2/26/21154101/michelin-stars-2020-london-restaurants-camden-roundhouse-event">planned a live event with an audience</a>, COVID-19 left Davina McCall and some poor person in a rubber suit talking to nobody — well, nobody except Gwendal Poullennec and a baying online comments section. This year, there wasn’t even a stream, just a string of tweets, but it couldn’t even get that right. Scheduled for 10 a.m., things kicked off unannounced half-an-hour early.</p>
<h3 id="u3bDKX"><strong>3. The pandemic gave restaurants at the high-end the time they needed to perfect aspects of their operation which they’d overlooked </strong></h3>
<p id="sPuSU9">Friend of Eater and Vittles editor Jonathan Nunn jokingly took credit for two of the promotions which coincided with him doing tea trainings. “One thing I noticed during the time restaurants were closed [in 2020-21], was that the most ambitious ones were working on nailing aspects of service which they’d never had time to stop and perfect before. Something like a tea or coffee service might seem minor, but attention to detail outside of the cooking is often the difference between one and two, and particularly two and three stars.</p>
<p id="XU7Jc6">Did the pandemic and months of forced closure give these chefs and owners the time they’d always sought to make changes and improve things they’d never had the time nor space to even contemplate improving? We’ll likely never know, but, as the tea-spiller-in-chief said himself, “it’s an interesting coincidence.” </p>
<h3 id="zMMLfP"><strong>4. “His beef dishes, which have always been a highlight, have become even better.”</strong></h3>
<p id="pIjPor">This is a verbatim quote from Michelin’s appraisal of Jeremy Chan’s cooking at Ikoyi, which it has just raised from one Michelin star to two. Assuming that this global restaurant awards body thinks that its restaurant awards are the most important in the world, said elevation is commensurate with lifting it from the third-best award, to the second. It’s quite a big deal. And the line is, “his beef dishes, which have always been a highlight, have become even better?” Perhaps it is not in the inspectors’s nature to show enthusiasm.</p>
<h3 id="jHJwPw"><strong>5. So it was weird, but not too weird...</strong></h3>
<p id="UsOify">Given its history of such shenanigans as <a href="https://london.eater.com/2017/10/2/16396530/michelol">failing to announce a star</a>, it was fair to expect some real left-field decisions. Deleting just one London restaurant from the guide — particularly given it deleted more last year, while claiming to “support” restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic — was rogue. But it resisted the temptation to go over the top and reinstate formerly two-Michelin-starred The Ledbury, which only reopened in the last fortnight. </p>
<h3 id="lC0wIO"><strong>6. And save for the Brocession, Michelin didn’t do anything especially egregious </strong></h3>
<p id="JVERZk">Few could have any complaints that the two new two-star restaurants — particularly since Kitchen Table was elevated to that plain — were anything but deserving of their promotion. </p>
<p id="pMwf0o">What’s more, since the publication of the <a href="https://london.eater.com/2018/10/1/17920764/michelin-stars-london-restaurants-michelin-guide-uk-ireland-2019">2019 guide</a>, which included forward-thinking honours for Brat, Leroy, and Sabor, it’s fair to say Michelin has had a couple of dodgy years — three stars for Sketch in 2020 being the most perplexing decision of the last half decade — but 2022 saw a tolerable mixture of ultra Micheliny awards (Wild Honey; the Frog; Jamavar] but also some more refreshing choices, like Kol and Sollip, alongside the promotion of the Clove Club and Ikoyi. </p>
<p id="EXq8nB">The truth is, in London, the two-star category is now definitely interesting, certainly more interesting than the more old-fashioned, insular, and insulated three-star clique. </p>
<p id="8UyvnI">Til next year, Bibendum. </p>
<aside id="wIslw6"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"eater-london"}'></div></aside>
https://london.eater.com/22937007/michelin-stars-uk-restaurants-2022-ceremony-twitterAdam CoghlanJames Hansen2022-02-16T12:39:29+00:002022-02-16T12:39:29+00:00Here Are London’s Michelin Stars for 2022
<figure>
<img alt="Pieces of roast pigeon, plated with vegetables and fruits." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oRzBsPDp4i-SdMsqDwTbInzwb1Q=/304x0:5168x3648/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70515650/Roastpigeon__persimmon_and_chevril_root.7.jpg" />
<figcaption>Roast pigeon, persimmon, and chevril root at Trivet, which gets a first Michelin star. | Trivet</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>No new three-starred restaurants, but two stars for Ikoyi and The Clove Club</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="tCGc9l">Michelin has announced its <a href="https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-star-restaurants-london">2022 stars</a> for Great Britain and Ireland, using Twitter instead of the usual slightly whack ceremony, which it previously streamed online. There were no new three-Michelin-starred restaurants named in the capital, after <a href="https://london.eater.com/22248178/michelin-stars-2021-restaurants-london">Core by Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze at the Connaught</a> earned the accolade last year.</p>
<p id="kGD5RK">Having apparently found a new gear in the months that restaurants reopened, Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale’s singular, <a href="https://london.eater.com/2018/7/5/17533902/ikoyi-michelin-star-restaurant-st-james-market-london-inside-look">West African leaning St James’s fine dining restaurant</a> Ikoyi picked up a second star. The Clove Club, Isaac McHale, Daniel Willis, and Johnny Smith’s Shoreditch restaurant, also picked up a long-awaited, long-desired second star.</p>
<p id="1bRNaa">In total, London picked up seven new one-star restaurants. As <a href="https://london.eater.com/22927103/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-predictions">predicted</a> and expected, the Selby brothers’ Evelyn’s Table in Soho picked up a first. It serves “an evolving menu built on their formative experiences — a melded love of British produce, Japanese techniques with classic French training,” with head chef Luke Selby and brothers Nat and Theo <a href="https://london.eater.com/22934564/michelin-stars-london-2022-special-awards">winning this year’s ‘Young Chef’ award</a>.</p>
<p id="2vnsBE">Joining the brothers in the “saw it coming” ranks is Kol, <a href="https://london.eater.com/21530129/kol-restaurant-london-mexican-santiago-lastra-noma-mexico">Santiago Lastra’s Marylebone restaurant</a> that refracts British ingredients through the culinary traditions of his native Mexico.</p>
<p id="q8NW40">Alongside Lastra is <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/72467/sollip">Sollip</a>, the quietly excellent Southwark restaurant from Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki, which combines classically European fine dining frameworks with Korean ingredients and ideas.</p>
<p id="z8pCwv">Fat Duck alumni Jonny Lake and Isa Bal’s <a href="https://london.eater.com/2019/6/17/18681705/trivet-restaurant-london-menu-opening-date-fat-duck-heston-blumenthal-michelin-stars">Trivet, in Bermondsey</a>, also picked up a first star after <a href="https://london.eater.com/22934564/michelin-stars-london-2022-special-awards">Bal was honoured with the sommelier award</a>, alongside Mayfair institution Jamavar which has regained a star after <a href="https://london.eater.com/2018/10/1/17924610/michelin-star-losses-restaurants-london-michelin-guide-2019#:~:text=The%20Peruvian%20restaurant%20on%20Rathbone,too%2C%20has%20lost%20its%20star.">losing one with chef Rohit Ghai’s departure in 2018</a>. The sixth of London’s new stars is Wild Honey, Anthony Demetre’s European restaurant.</p>
<p id="SBSW4w"> Meanwhile, Scottish chef Adam Handling’s Frog in Covent Garden was awarded one star. </p>
<p id="vKHqzr">International Director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, said the company — and <em>only </em>the company — was disappointed to have been unable to host the announcement event in person. “However, we wanted to celebrate the achievements [there’s a business to run; a brand to maintain; a club to keep exclusive] of the country’s top chefs, who have fought hard not only to survive, but to excel in these challenging times. </p>
<p id="ir9ei6">“To award so many new stars this year, including one new three-star [to L’Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria] is testament to the determination and resilience of those working in the hospitality industry — not just the chefs, but those involved at every level.” </p>
<p id="fkrwPe">Here’s the full list of Michelin stars for London. New stars are denoted with an asterisk and those that have closed or been demoted have been given the strikethrough.</p>
<aside id="xT0q6i"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About London’s 2022 Michelin Stars","url":"https://london.eater.com/22936948/michelin-stars-2022-restaurants-london"}]}'></div></aside><aside id="Yml5lu"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Every Michelin-Starred Restaurant in London","url":"https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-star-restaurants-london"}]}'></div></aside><hr class="p-entry-hr" id="eE75Ba">
<h2 id="O3Z3e0">London Restaurants With Three Michelin Stars<br><small><strong>“Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”</strong></small>
</h2>
<h3 id="kOgmWg">(5)</h3>
<p id="FIqWxG">Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester</p>
<p id="ubQaeT"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/core-by-clare-smyth">Core by Clare Smyth</a></p>
<p id="dR5Y9T">Hélène Darroze at The Connaught</p>
<p id="i2Hbg9"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/restaurant-gordon-ramsay">Restaurant Gordon Ramsay</a></p>
<p id="0dbbPF"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sketch">Sketch</a> (The Lecture Room and Library)</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="jOIzrk">
<h2 id="w44K1j">London Restaurants With Two Michelin Stars<br><small><strong>“Excellent cooking, worth a detour”</strong></small>
</h2>
<h3 id="Fm40Tz">(10)</h3>
<p id="4531NX"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/a-wong">A. Wong</a></p>
<p id="d4EWq0"><strong>The Clove Club*</strong></p>
<p id="f10wgb"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/da-terra">Da Terra</a></p>
<p id="hhOVsZ"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/ikoyi"><strong>Ikoyi</strong></a>*</p>
<p id="nbwE3H"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/kitchen-table">Kitchen Table</a></p>
<p id="plNrIa"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/claude-bosi-at-bibendum">Claude Bosi at Bibendum</a></p>
<p id="HNmAH8"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/dinner-by-heston-blumenthal">Dinner by Heston Blumenthal</a></p>
<p id="aHW25D"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/la-dame-de-pic">La Dame de Pic</a></p>
<p id="A0ZduF"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/le-gavroche">Le Gavroche</a></p>
<p id="zs4S40"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/story">Story</a></p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Strop3">
<h2 id="VgQQGB">London Restaurants With One Michelin Star<br><small><strong>“High quality cooking, worth a stop”</strong></small>
</h2>
<h3 id="5sETTk">(56)</h3>
<p id="YtEq5a">Amaya</p>
<p id="X9mxlx"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/angler">Angler</a></p>
<p id="W6RJ6M"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/barrafina-3">Barrafina</a> (Soho)</p>
<p id="cxRiEe"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/behind">Behind</a></p>
<p id="W2gYaJ">Benares</p>
<p id="vrle9J">Brat</p>
<p id="VTBdBW">Casa Fofo</p>
<p id="0YNQ3A"><s>Celeste at the Lanesborough</s></p>
<p id="BfEzex"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/chez-bruce">Chez Bruce</a></p>
<p id="mFR2cw"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/city-social">City Social</a></p>
<p id="SDKSRE"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/club-gascon">Club Gascon</a></p>
<p id="gV3rtf"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/cornerstone">Cornerstone</a></p>
<p id="WvQK8R">Dysart Petersham</p>
<p id="H6JjBR"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/elystan-street">Elystan Street</a></p>
<p id="kRYgwb"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/endo-at-the-rotunda">Endo at the Rotunda</a></p>
<p id="MykAGj"><strong>Evelyn’s Table*</strong></p>
<p id="EPMqwE">Five Fields</p>
<p id="6oC1yX"> <strong>The Frog Covent Garden*</strong></p>
<p id="1XzgS8"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/galvin-la-chapelle">Galvin La Chapelle</a></p>
<p id="BnBGS0"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/the-glasshouse">The Glasshouse</a></p>
<p id="Im9sop"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/the-goring">The Goring</a> (Dining Room)</p>
<p id="MA86gp"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/gymkhana">Gymkhana</a></p>
<p id="zXchbh"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/hakkasan-hanway-place">Hakkasan Hanway Place</a></p>
<p id="OEHhxC"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/hakkasan-mayfair">Hakkasan Mayfair</a></p>
<p id="99xgC0"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/harwood-arms">Harwood Arms</a></p>
<p id="3DfPeC">Hide</p>
<p id="DyjbkC"><strong>Jamavar*</strong></p>
<p id="c2IuO6">Kai</p>
<p id="Q4LyoV"><strong>Kol*</strong></p>
<p id="mOqLqY"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/kitchen-w8">Kitchen W8</a></p>
<p id="LmiFlv"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/leroy">Leroy</a></p>
<p id="hIN4QZ"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/locanda-locatelli">Locanda Locatelli</a></p>
<p id="ya9O9t">Lyle’s</p>
<p id="XFYsFL">Māos</p>
<p id="5mxLWJ"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/marcus">Marcus</a></p>
<p id="RDqaQI"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/murano">Murano</a></p>
<p id="TEXhp1"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/muse">Muse</a></p>
<p id="RQ26Kv"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/the-ninth">The Ninth</a></p>
<p id="Of5rmk"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/petrus">Petrus</a></p>
<p id="JWCpgb">Pied a Terre</p>
<p id="9Z4qq0"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/pollen-street-social">Pollen Street Social</a></p>
<p id="tw7Odc"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/portland">Portland</a></p>
<p id="Ohikro"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/quilon">Quilon</a></p>
<p id="lcfK8R"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/ritz-restaurant">Ritz Restaurant</a></p>
<p id="RUi7GN"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/river-cafe-2">River Cafe</a></p>
<p id="pC8QtY"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sabor">Sabor</a></p>
<p id="gpWIK3"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/st-john-bar-and-restaurant">St. John</a></p>
<p id="da8jvs"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/seven">Seven</a> Park Place</p>
<p id="sHEShr">SO|LA</p>
<p id="4egjHk"><strong>Sollip*</strong></p>
<p id="hGBrP8"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/trinity">Trinity</a></p>
<p id="D4eiDt"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/trishna">Trishna</a></p>
<p id="o98x93"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/trivet"><strong>Trivet</strong></a><strong>*</strong></p>
<p id="LynGjz"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/la-trompette">La Trompette</a></p>
<p id="R5EPhf"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/umu">Umu</a></p>
<p id="vNwIwB"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/veeraswamy">Veeraswamy</a></p>
<p id="SIridF"><strong>Wild Honey*</strong></p>
<aside id="A3668x"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"eater-london"}'></div></aside><p id="ECaTxx"></p>
https://london.eater.com/22936948/michelin-stars-london-restaurants-2022James HansenAdam Coghlan2022-02-15T11:00:01+00:002022-02-15T11:00:01+00:00Michelin Reminds London That Dudes Rock With This Year’s Special Awards
<figure>
<img alt="Three chefs, with the one in the centre wearing black and the one either side wearing white; the centre holds a black and red Michelin star award." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/asCqgYwZ0OhizKIFdMSN_mUVY2I=/170x0:2417x1685/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70510373/FLoOx8IWQAIA1sy.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>The Selby brothers receive their ‘Young Chef Award’ from Michelin for 2022 at Evelyn’s Table. | Michelin</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One city; three awards; five lads</p> <p id="FLUdDI">Following its “thanks for playing” <a href="https://london.eater.com/2022/2/11/22928860/michelin-bib-gourmands-london-2022">Michelin Bib Gourmands</a>, the rubber restaurant overlord has bestowed London with three “special awards” in anticipation of this year’s <a href="https://london.eater.com/22912020/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-michelin-guide-uk">Michelin stars</a>. The theme? A familiar one for Michelin: dudes rock.</p>
<p id="Rrz0hm">It has given three awards to London restaurant figures: one chef, three brothers who are also chefs, and one sommelier. The latter is <a href="https://london.eater.com/2019/6/17/18681705/trivet-restaurant-london-menu-opening-date-fat-duck-heston-blumenthal-michelin-stars">Isa Bal, co-founder of Bermondsey restaurant Trivet with Jonny Lake</a>, acclaimed for “his fascinating wine list and his passionate approach, particularly to lesser-known regions.” </p>
<p id="znGaKo">The former is Phil Howard, formerly of the Square in its Michelin-starred heyday and now at Elystan Street in Kensington. According to Michelin, “a real “chefs’ chef”, Philip has also helped forge the careers of many other successful chefs.” Chefs! Chefs! Chefs!</p>
<p id="O2ogwE">From chefs, chefs, chefs to chef, chef, chef with the Young Chef(s) award, which goes to Luke, Nathaniel, and Theo Selby. The three brothers are behind the food at Evelyn’s Table in Soho, which is also an <a href="https://london.eater.com/22927103/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-predictions">Eater London prediction</a> for a first star this year. Bibendum says their “infectious enthusiasm for their craft is a joy to witness.”</p>
<p id="5q84sj">In sum: chefs are dudes, and dudes rock. Thanks, Michelin.</p>
<aside id="qdro3a"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"eater-london"}'></div></aside><p id="YpOwoZ"></p>
https://london.eater.com/22934564/michelin-stars-london-2022-special-awardsJames Hansen2022-02-11T11:48:23+00:002022-02-11T11:48:23+00:00Per Form, Michelin Drops the Moderately Interesting List of Also-Rans it Calls ‘Bib Gourmands’
<figure>
<img alt="Diners at Brutto, in front of the mural." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2PaqixV85EfBIUXuEupASrkAr_Q=/89x0:1512x1067/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70496794/brutto049.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Diners at Brutto, a recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2022 | Michaël Protin</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are five new entries in London, which Michelin’s guide defines as “good quality, good value” restaurants</p> <p id="LDr8C9">There are five new London restaurants with Michelin Bib Gourmand status, with the Red Guide beginning its drip-drip of awards for the U.K. and Ireland in 2022 exclusively through its <a href="https://london.eater.com/2017/10/10/16449200/michelin-guide-uk-twitter-london-restaurant-news">infamous and cursed Twitter account</a>. </p>
<p id="DPls1i">Those new entries, which in Michelin parlance are worthy of award for “particularly good quality, good value cooking” suggest that the inspectors have only been able to use the <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/55/">55 bus</a> to get about the city, with two entries in Soho, one in Fitzrovia, one from Clerkenwell, and one in Shoreditch. </p>
<p id="vaEt44">Russell Norman’s return to the London restaurant industry with <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/brutto">Brutto</a> having left the <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/polpo">Polpo</a> group in 2020 is awarded as as a “relaxed trattoria” and one of two new “delightful Italian restaurants.” </p>
<p id="lECxKA">Elsewhere, chef Angelo Sato’s yakitori counter, <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/humble-chicken">Humble Chicken</a>, on Soho’s Frith Street followed up a number of rave reviews with Bib recognition from Michelin, which said it was “a fun spot which serves every part of the chicken,” while the much-publicised <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/imad-s-syrian-kitchen">Imad’s Syrian Kitchen</a>, which has taken chef Imad Alarnab on a journey through pop-ups and residencies to his first permanent restaurant off Carnaby Street in Soho was honoured “for its generous sharing dishes with Middle Eastern flavours.” </p>
<aside id="AnnZzi"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"London’s Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants, Mapped","url":"https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-bib-gourmand-restaurants-london"}]}'></div></aside><p id="PIzVFp">Next, Chris Leach and Dave Carter’s Brit-Italian fresh pasta and homemade charcuterie spot, Manteca in Shoreditch has been on its own tour of London with residencies first on Heddon Street in Mayfair and later on Great Marlborough Street in Soho; its settling in Shoreditch has seen the plaudits come thick and fast. Michelin said Manteca was “likeable.” </p>
<p id="6VHGXI">Lastly, Indian restaurant <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/pahli-hill">Pahli Hill</a> in Fitzrovia overseen by head chef Avinash Shashidhara was awarded “for its fresh, simple flavours.”</p>
<p id="VPTqIO">Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin guides said on their release:<em> </em>“Bib Gourmands are an important part of our selection and are particularly popular with our readers and users, who are always on the lookout for wonderful food at great prices. </p>
<p id="jsHSrA">“All these restaurants are to be congratulated for what they have achieved in these very challenging times.”</p>
<p id="zbyeLA">More from Michelin on Monday, when it announces its special awards before the full star-spangled-Twitter-reveal on Wednesday 16 February from 10 a.m. </p>
<p id="Oo6jS2">Check out <a href="https://london.eater.com/22927103/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-predictions">Eater London’s predictions here</a>. </p>
<aside id="dQd9JW"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"eater-london"}'></div></aside><p id="yEkZXE"></p>
https://london.eater.com/2022/2/11/22928860/michelin-bib-gourmands-london-2022Adam Coghlan2022-02-10T16:56:00+00:002022-02-10T16:56:00+00:00Get Inside the Michelin Man’s Head With These London Star Predictions
<figure>
<img alt="Clare Smyth stands in chef’s whites, holding a red plaque that reads “Michelin 2021” in white capital letters, with three stars above the lettering" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dXFkCaTwrWXde0uK683HeRRPSxs=/42x0:2709x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70493350/1232917014.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Core by Clare Smyth was awarded three stars in 2021. | Justin Tallis/AFP</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Which restaurants in the capital will ascend to one, two, or three stars? </p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="W1QGMq">Michelin will reveal <a href="https://london.eater.com/22912020/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-michelin-guide-uk">London’s new Michelin stars for 2022</a> next week, on 16 February. Being the first “<a href="https://london.eater.com/maps/michelin-star-restaurants-london">Michelin star</a> revelation” for two years in which the restaurant world feels even remotely “normal,” it won’t just be a bellwether for those awarded, but for how the guide is pitching itself for the coming years. Last year, it promised its stars would “support” restaurants, but it still took some away. Using the <a href="https://london.eater.com/2021/8/24/22639779/michelin-star-restaurants-london-new-uk-guide-update">Michelin Guide’s new monthly additions</a>; a wealth of previous experience, and because it’s Michelin, some really weird thinking, here’s what London diners might expect to see.</p>
<p id="ZT3Ljc">Note: This mysterious, mercurial, perplexingly influential index is notoriously difficult to predict, so while the below is based on rational analysis, it is by definition undermined by Michelin’s opaque criteria and its anonymous inspectors’s personal predilections, which do differ from year to year. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="0rJkOw">
<h2 id="eVdw7E">Notable “monthly additions” and potential one Michelin Stars</h2>
<p id="cuftBv"><strong>BiBi </strong>— Chef Chet Sharma’s link up with JKS Restaurant, the group behind Michelin-starred <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/gymkhana">Gymkhana</a>, <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/trishna">Trishna</a>, <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/kitchen-table">Kitchen Table</a>, and <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sabor">Sabor</a> has earned plaudits from all the right places, appearing to have astutely paired creativity and modern expressions of Indian culinary traditions and flavour profiles with some of the fine dining techniques associated with modern European gastronomy. It has been open for less than a year, but in recent guides such youth has not prevented the guide’s inspectors from handing out stars.</p>
<p id="PMEiQ8"><strong>Sumi</strong> — <a href="https://london.eater.com/maps/best-sushi-restaurants-london">Sushi</a> master Endo Kazutoshi has opened this elegant, wood-panelled companion to his Michelin-starred counter in White City, <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/endo-at-the-rotunda">Endo at the Rotunda</a>, at 157 Westbourne Grove in <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/notting-hill">Notting Hill</a>, in 2021. Since, it has been praised for its flawless presentation of comparatively affordable high-quality sushi. Kazutoshi is one of the city’s most gifted sushi chefs and has previous with Michelin. A star for Sumi would surprise no one.</p>
<p id="f7netu"><strong>Evelyn’s Table </strong>— A restaurant which ticks almost all of Michelin’s boxes: “Intimate 12 seater counter dining experience.” A charming back-story, a family business, led by head chef Luke Selby and his two brothers, Nat and Theo, which according to its website serves “an evolving menu built on their formative experiences — a melded love of British produce, Japanese techniques with classic French training.”</p>
<p id="misGbi">France, Japan, and Britain? <em>Ou</em>i, chefs. </p>
<p id="7wUDPA">Luke Selby’s CV is covered in Michelin stars, too: Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, three-star <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/restaurant-gordon-ramsay">Restaurant Gordon Ramsay</a>, one-starred (now-closed) <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/dabbous">Dabbous</a> and Hide Above (one star), and three-star Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo.</p>
<p id="GtqQgt"><strong>Others in contention</strong>: Native at Browns; the Sea, the Sea; the Pem; <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sollip">Sollip</a>; <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/allegra">Allegra</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="Vjy07J">Two Michelin stars</h2>
<p id="fvHJwe"><strong>Kol </strong>— New entries at two star aren’t common but are much less infrequent than in year’s past. Yes, notable recent examples — like <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/bibendum">Bibendum</a> and <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/core-by-clare-smyth">Core by Clare Smyth</a> — have had deep connections and previous with Michelin, but chef Santiago Lastra’s Mexican-British expression of fine dining — on top of his history with Noma — fits the profile of a modern Michelin inclusion: balancing atypical in its locale with creativity, luxury, and location. </p>
<p id="5bgIrc"><strong>Endo at the Rotunda </strong>— Excellence at this level in London is scarce; luxury at this level is catnip for the inspectors. A safe bet for the gambling observer. </p>
<p id="lOJEeA"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/ikoyi"><strong>Ikoyi</strong></a><strong> </strong>— Like Kol, the ingenuity of the chefs along with a narrative approach to reimagining a cuisine in a new context, is likely to charm the inspectors. Like Kol, there’s enough luxury and conventional hospitality here to satisfy the antediluvians in charge of distributing the stars. Presentation, too, is exquisite. <em>Unlike</em> Kol, Ikoyi already has a star, so its jump would be less daring for the guide. </p>
<p id="pnZwZ4"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/the-clove-club-2"><strong>The Clove Club</strong></a><strong> </strong>— Will the Clove Club, finally, finally reached its desired status and become Shoreditch’s first ever two-Michelin-starred restaurant? After more than a year of stepping back, reconsidering its approach to fine dining, 2022 could be chef Isaac McHale’s year.</p>
<p id="B8nY58"><strong>Others in contention</strong>: Hide Above; the Ritz; <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/m-os-2">Mãos</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="90rZeO">Three Michelin stars</h2>
<p id="wRXojk">The most capricious Michelin star category of them all. If understanding what restaurants need to do to earn one star is mildly confusing, understanding the gap between two-and-three stars can sometimes feel like grasping thin air. Last year, the promotion of <strong>Core by Clare Smyth </strong>and <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/h-l-ne-darroze-at-the-connaught-2"><strong>Hélène Darroze at the Connaught</strong></a><strong> </strong>confirmed to expectation; the previous year’s promotion of <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sketch"><strong>Sketch</strong></a>... Less so.</p>
<p id="SlWpVG">Of London’s existing two-starred restaurants, Claude Bosi’s <strong>Bibendum </strong>— literally named for the Michelin man — feels the most likely candidate for a bump.</p>
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<h2 id="PtV1sL">Big-deal demotions</h2>
<p id="9zBMz9">Has chef <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/marcus"><strong>Marcus</strong></a><strong> Wareing</strong> got anything left to <a href="https://london.eater.com/2018/10/1/17924610/michelin-star-losses-restaurants-london-michelin-guide-2019">lose</a>? Has <strong>Gordon Ramsay</strong>’s <a href="https://london.eater.com/2021/5/18/22441988/gordon-ramsay-new-restaurants-street-burger-street-pizza">turbo charge into the world of fast casual</a> upset the Guide Lords of Fine Dining? Will anyone ever dare to expose the Alain Ducasse Scam and take a long hard look at the <strong>Dorchester</strong>’s three stars? Is posterity alone still enough to merit <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/le-gavroche"><strong>Le Gavroche</strong></a>’s inclusion at level two? Who, other than Michelin inspectors and the hosts of (RIP) <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-kitchen-is-on-fire/id916786736">podcast “The Kitchen Is On Fire,”</a> goes to <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/c-leste"><strong>Céleste</strong></a><strong> at the Lanesborough</strong>?</p>
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<h2 id="FGEs9q">Wildcard new entries</h2>
<p id="cNWYc0"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/cafe-cecilia"><strong>Cafe Cecilia</strong></a><strong> </strong>and <a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/sessions-arts-club"><strong>Sessions Arts Club</strong></a> will be given either one star (or more likely, the less prestigious but always more interesting Bib Gourmand) in a bid for Michelin to stay relevant, get down with what’s hip, and to drown out the inevitable protestations from those disquieters who have, yet again, failed to ignore Michelin’s unignorable revelation.</p>
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<h2 id="70fBqW">Eater London’s “Most Michelin” prediction </h2>
<p id="7lv9iv"><a href="https://london.eater.com/venue/the-ledbury"><strong>The Ledbury</strong></a>, open for <a href="https://london.eater.com/22619672/the-ledbury-restaurant-reopening-notting-hill-brett-graham-michelin-stars">a month</a> when the guide publishes its 2022 stars, will be back in with two having been taken out of the guide last year because <a href="https://london.eater.com/2020/6/9/21285046/michelin-star-restaurant-london-the-ledbury-closed-coronavirus-lockdown">it had closed</a>. Michelin will not feel the need to justify its inclusion, instead accompanying the entry with five simple words familiar to users of the guide: “excellent cooking, worth a detour.” </p>
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<p class="c-end-para" id="WsHxep"><em>Check back on Friday 11 February for all the news of the latest recipients of Michelin Bib Gourmands and for the main event, Michelin’s star revelation for the U.K. and Ireland, on Wednesday 16 February from 10 a.m. Eater London will be on hand for all breaking news and subsequent analysis. </em></p>
<aside id="59Q5Wv"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"eater-london"}'></div></aside><p id="If5jm0"></p>
https://london.eater.com/22927103/michelin-stars-2022-london-restaurants-predictionsAdam CoghlanJames Hansen