The Araki takes three stars in new UK Michelin Guide - Foodservice Consultants Society International

Michelin has announced 17 new one-star restaurants for its 2018 guide to Great Britain and Ireland.

There was also a new two-star and one more three-star announcement. The Araki, Mitsuhiro Araki’s nine-seat counter restaurant, joins just another four restaurant to have been bestowed three stars and is the first Japanese restaurant in the UK to do so. The chef moved from Tokyo to London in 2014 and has become a favourite among food fans in the capital. Receiving the award, a clearly emotional Araki said, “I am so happy and grateful.”

The day saw some big names win recognition for their second restaurants – Claude Bosi went straight to two stars with his restaurant at Bibendum – Michelin’s original home in the UK. “This was a massive weight off our shoulders. One star is a huge achievement but I wanted to come back to where we were when we closed Hibiscus,” said Bosi.

A huge honour

Michael Caines, who previously held two stars at Gidleigh Park in Devon returned to the guide with one star for his latest restaurant at Lympstone Manor and Phil Howard, formerly of the Square, received one for Elystan Street.

Caines admitted to a feeling of disappointment inititally, having held two stars at his former restaurant at Gidleigh Park for 18 years. “It just goes to show that you can never take Michelin for granted, you have to work really hard and to get the star after six months is a huge honour and a massive achievement,” he said.

Andrew Wong of A Wong in London received a star for the restaurant he took over from his parents five years ago and with his wife reopened as what he calls “a restaurant that we would want to dine in. He was delighted to receive the first star for A Wong. “Being a Chinese restaurant you never really imagine it would happen – we were just happy to have people in the restaurant, but then you start setting higher goals for yourself and the Michelin Guide is always going to be one of those dreams somewhere along the line,” he said.

There was also stars for some of the more recent foreign imports in the UK, among them Anne Sophie Pic who marked her arrival with one star for La Dame du Pic at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Outside England, The Wild Honey Inn was the first pub to be awarded a Michelin star in Ireland. Another far-flung location to be recognised is Stein on the Isle of Skye where Loch Bay is found in an old fishing village.

Michelin international director Michael Ellis praised the vibrancy of the British dining scene. “It’s been exciting to see chefs embracing British produce and modern British cuisine is now well-known across the world,” he said.

The full list of new stars in Great Britain and Ireland: