Chefs counting stars as Michelin launches 2016 guides

The Michelin season kicked off in September as the tyre giant began to launch the 2016 hotel and restaurant guides. Tina Nielsen rounds up Europe’s winners and losers so far

The Great Britain and Ireland guide, published in September, saw 17 new entries with 15 of them being awarded their first star and including many younger chefs. “The next generation of chefs is really coming through to give the established chefs a run for their money. They all have their own individual style and their ability – coupled with their confidence – looks set to lead them on to great things,” said editor Rebecca Burr.

There were no new entries going straight into the two or three star categories, but two London restaurants were promoted to two stars: Umu and The Araki, highlighting the increased popularity of Japanese fine dining. The 2016 edition features 13 deletions, most notably Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant.

The Switzerland guide was next to launch and saw the two-starred Cheval Blanc in Basel, with executive chef Peter Knogl in the kitchen, being elevated to the highest status. It takes the count of three-starred establishments in Switzerland to three, the other two being Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau and Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville in Crissier.

There was no change in the number of those awarded two-star status, which remains at 18, but the one-star category saw 13 new additions. There were 14 deletions in this category, reducing the number of one-star restaurants from 96 in 2015 to 95.

The Michelin Germany guide celebrated 50 years of awarding stars when it was announced in November. The 1966 edition awarded stars to 66 restaurants but it was 1980 before the first three-star status was awarded to Aubergine in Munich. The 2016 edition sees the debut by chef Kevin Fehling’s The Table in Hamburg head straight to three stars. Fehling previously gained three stars at La Belle Epoque restaurant in Travemünde.

Overall, the number of three-starred restaurants dropped from 11 to ten, four have been elevated to two stars, which means there are 39 establishments on this middle tier across the country now. The 2016 guide features 241 one-star restaurants, 26 of them new entrants. Fifteen have lost their star but the latest edition sees restaurant Adler in the Black Forest retain the star it was awarded in the first edition in 1966.

In the Iberian guide, covering Spain and Portugal, the big news was two new two-star restaurants: Coque in Madrid and Zaranda in Mallorca, taking the tally to 23. The 2016 guide had no changes in the three-star category, which remains at eight. Across the two countries 157 restaurants make up the one-starred establishments, including 15 newcomers.

The remaining 2016 guides will be published over the next couple of months. As an aside, Michelin also announced the launch of a Singapore guide in 2016. This would be the first Michelin guide in South East Asia and the fourth in Asia.

Tina Nielsen

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