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The Michelin website has been updated overnight apparently revealing that new Michelin Stars have been awarded. There has been no press release, or official confirmation of the awards as yet.

It appears to be a technical error which resulted in the information leaking out early, however it could also be a PR stunt designed to divert attention away from this week’s AA rosette awards. The 2013 Michelin Guide is due for publication next week on 5th October with an announcement expected the day before.

Regardless of whether or not this information was intended for publication today or not, it is hard to imagine why Michelin would have put this information onto their site were it not correct. Various chefs have also reported on twitter that their awards have been confirmed, so it seems safe to view this information as accurate for now.

So far it appears that L’Enclume in Cartmel and Sketch in London – both of which have held a single star since 2005 have been awarded a second star, as has Michael Wignall at the Latymer in Bagshot.

Several London restaurants also appear to have received a single Michelin Star including Dabbous, Medlar in Chelsea, Hedone, Alyn Williams at the Westbury, Trishna and Tom Aikens Restaurant. Also receiving one Michelin Star are Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver’s St. John Hotel and Launceston Place.

Outside the capital, Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 in Padstow receives their first as does Heston Blumenthal’s pub, The Hinds Head, Tristan in Horsham and Mark Poynton’s Cambridge restaurant Alimentum. Thackeray’s Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells is also reported to have regained a star, having previously held one between 2003 and 2005.

Michelin are expected to make a statement later today.

Update 09:40: Michelin have confirmed that the information showing on the site is correct; however they state that it may be incomplete and further awards may follow.

Update 10:40: Michelin seem to have reverted the mistake on their website and removed the new information.

Update: 16:45: Michelin has issued the a press release confirming the above two star awards and stating that a total of eighteen restaurants in the UK and Ireland have been newly awarded one Michelin Star in this year’s guide. Further to our story above this reveals that the Red Lion Freehouse in East Chisenbury and Raby Hunt in Summerhouse, Darlington are also recipients this year. 39 new Bib Gourmands have also been awarded this year, including 11 in London.

In a first for the series, chef Johnnie Mountain walked out of the Great British Menu during the fish course round of the North West heats.

The chef, who has recently moved his restaurant The English Pig to Milbank, has scored four out of ten for his fish course in his previous two appearances in the show. This year, his dish “a recreation of the sea” made up of edible sand and a sea ‘jelly’ was given a score of two out of ten of by judge Marcus Wareing. He declared the competition “pointless” before walking out.

It will be revealed tomorrow if the chef quit for good, or if he is to return to cook his main course and dessert.

Updated 09/05 – Johnnie didn’t return to cook his main course so is no longer in the competition. He did return to support Aiden and Simon by arriving to taste their plates of food.

Read our full coverage of Great British Menu 2012 here; catch up on the rest of the news from the North West heat here; or see our blog for interviews with some of the chefs and judges taking part in the series.

Do you think Johnnie Mountain was right to walk out of the show? You can add your comments below.

Only three restaurants from the UK made it into The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list this year, with a further five making it into the ‘51-100′ list.

The number one spot remained with Rene Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant, Noma. Also unchanged were the number two and three spots, going to Spanish restaurants El  Celler de Can Roca and Mugaritz respectively.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal was the UK’s highest entry on the list at number 9. Head Chef Ashley Palmer-Watts collected the award on behalf of the restaurant at which he holds a Michelin star, awarded at the beginning of this year. Heston Blumenthal’s three Michelin starred Bray restaurant, The Fat Duck moved down from number 5 last year to number 13 this year.

The UK’s only other entry in the top 50 was Brett Graham’s restaurant The Ledbury at number 14 which was this year’s highest climber moving up from number 34 on last year’s list.

Of last years top 50 entries, Hibiscus dropped from the top 50 but remained in the list at number 94;  with Fergus Henderson’s St John disappearing from the list all together.

Other UK restaurants in the 51-100 list include Viajante (#80), La Gavroche (#88), Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham (#97) and Hakkasan in Mayfair (#100).

For the full worldwide list, please see The World’s 50 Best website.

Seven restaurants have been awarded three Rosettes by the AA today – marking them as “outstanding restaurants that achieve standards that demand national recognition well beyond their local area”.

In London, two restaurants received the award – contemporary Chinese restaurant, Hakkasan Mayfair has added to their recently awarded Michelin star and Simon Rogan’s two year pop-up Roganic has won it’s head chef, and rising star, Ben Spalding his first major award.

Outside the capital, another up and coming chef to receive the accolade is Paul Foster, winner of the 2011 Observer Food Monthly Awards “Young chef of the year”, at Suffolk hotel and restaurant Tuddenham Mill. The other hotel restaurants receiving the award this year are Gravetye Manor in East Grinstead, The Eighty Eight Room at Cotsworld 88 hotel and Derbyshire country hotel East Lodge who have moved up from two Rosettes to three.

One restaurant in Scotland was awarded three Rosettes – Mark Greenaway at No 12 Picardy Place - which only opened in early 2011.

AA Hotel Services manager Simon Numphud said “We are delighted to recognise seven new establishments with the achievement of three AA Rosettes. All have demonstrated a high level of consistency and accuracy in the overall cooking standards that our inspection team have experienced… I am delighted that these very deserving restaurants have been acknowledged for their efforts.”

The Wirral saw the opening of Brooklyn’s Restaurant at Marine Point on 2nd December. Owned by US-born restaurateur Keith Gurney, owner of the Tavern Co. Restaurants in nearby Liverpool, this New York themed restaurant provides diners with a real opportunity to take a small bite out of the Big Apple. As one would expect there is plenty of choice on the American inspired menu with pasta, pizza, a selection of grills and steaks as well as twelve different burgers. An alternative menu available between midday and 6pm also provides a choice of sandwiches and a range of “light bites”. Based at the Marine Point leisure development in New Brighton the restaurant overlooks the Marine Lake giving diners a feast for their eyes as well as their stomachs. Diners in other parts of the country may also get to experience Brooklyn’s as Keith is anticipating to turn it into a chain of restaurants.

Located on the first floor of the N20 building, N20 Restaurant & Bar describes itself as “a chic and exquisitely prepared dining experience”. Opened on 5th December by a trio of entrepreneurs, this venue is split into two main areas. Diners seeking modern European and British cuisine are able to select dishes such as goat’s cheese and beetroot ‘galette’ (£8), pressed chicken and duck terrine (£9) and assiette of duck (£21) from the a la carte menu, which also boasts a selection of 19 British cheeses for diners to create their own cheeseboards. The restaurant has a standard tasting menu (£75 per person) as well as seasonal Christmas and New Year menus (ranging between £40 and £95). Additionally private dining facilities for up to 300 people are offered. For a post-dinner drink head to the cocktail bar where you can choose to have it long, crushed, frozen, martini, or non alcoholic.

Spanish chef Jose Pizarro launched Pizarro, on London’s Bermondsey Street on 5th December. This follows the resounding success of José, a tapas and sherry bar opened earlier this year and located on the same street. The restaurant was opened with an aim to serve more substantial dishes in a more formal environment; however the dishes can still be shared between diners. Chef José finds inspiration from locally sourced ingredients, as well as traditional Spanish foodstuffs and his roots, and this is reflected throughout the menu. There are private dining facilities for 12 people, and the main restaurant seats up to 40 people with a no reservations policy in place. However, for those who just require a snack or less formal menu, small tapas dishes are also served at the front of the restaurant along a bar.

The Delaunay, launched on 5th December, is the long anticipated follow up to The Wolseley. On the corner of Aldwych and Drury Lane, this all day restaurant seats up to 150 people and is a short walk from Covent Garden. Arriving at The Delaunay first thing you can choose from a full English breakfast; freshly made pastries; a vast range of eggs as well as a more continental menu, served until 11.30am. Brunch is available on weekends and combines classic breakfast dishes with a full lunch menu. An all day a la carte menu is also available and serves modern European classics including a range of wieners, schnitzels, entrees such as Chucroute a l’Alsacienne (£16), Spatchcock Poussin (£14.25) and a “plat du jour” priced at £18.50 is served every day of the week. The Counter, a more casual way of dining with eat in and take out options available, will be opening soon.

Harrogate’s Empire Theatre has been given a new lease of life as Nick Rahman opened Cardamom Black on 1st December following extensive refurbishment. Nick is owner and manager of the restaurant and has brought his wealth of experience of Kashmiri restaurants into the business, resulting in an establishment serving high-end South Asian cuisine. As well as a main dining area offering dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, there is also an iced fish bar displaying fresh seafood available for consumption and a separate area dedicated to serving dishes from a grazing menu. Whilst diners feast on the restaurant’s edible offerings they can also feast their eyes and ears on the live entertainment, taking place on selected evenings on the grand stage area.

This week saw the much anticipated opening of Russell Norman’s latest eatery, Mishkin’s – described by the restaurateur as “a kind of Jewish deli with cocktails”. Group head chef Tom Oldroyd has created a menu reminiscent of the Jewish owned cafés of East London and delis found in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The menu is split in to four sections – sandwiches, meatballs, all day brunch and all day supper – along with a selection of sides, salads and puddings. Already receiving praise are the meatloaf which conceals a runny-yoked egg, the Reuben sandwich and cod cheek popcorn. Unlike other restaurants in the group, Mishkin’s accepts bookings.

Further south, Ed Wilson and Oli Barker (behind Terrirors and Brawn) have opened a third bar and restaurant, Soif in Battersea. Soif follows a similar format to the duo’s previous openings with a daily changing menu of small plates alongside a selection of carefully sourced charcuterie. There is a 150-bin wine list with a heavy bias towards natural wines. A fourth restaurant in the group is expected to open at St. Martin’s in early 2012.

Also in London, 34 restaurant – the latest offering from Caprice Holdings (Le Caprice, Scott’s and The Ivy amongst others) opened on Grosvenor Square. The menu here focuses on steaks – with rare-breed meat being brought in from across the UK and as far afield as Argentina and Australia. The kitchen will be lead by head chef Paul Brown who has worked with Caprice Holdings for many years. There is a sizeable wine list of around 130 bottles with a around a fifth of them being available by the glass.

Today also sees the opening of the country’s biggest restaurant, the 1000 seat “all you can eat” buffet restaurant, Za Za Bazaar in Bristol. The restaurant features six counters serving food from around the world, with every continent represented on the menus. Prices vary according to the time of the visit but are between £7 (weekday lunchtimes) and £16 (weekend evenings). The owners plan to open another seven of the “super restaurants” across the UK in the next 18 months.

This week has been a busy week for celebrity-owned restaurant openings; usually surrounded by hype and publicity – but some of this week’s were decidedly mute with no opening date announced in advance.

The Westbury Hotel’s restaurant, formerly Artisan, reopened on Saturday as Alyn Williams at the Westbury. The 45 cover restaurant serves a menu inspired by contemporary French cuisine, cooked using British ingredients. It is the chef’s first restaurant with his own name above the door, having previously been head chef at the two Michelin starred Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley.

Across town, the first of Jamie Oliver’s Union Jacks restaurants opened quietly in the new Central St Giles development on Wednesday. The new chain is a collaboration with American chef Chris Bianco, and serves the pairs’ own take on pizza – flatbreads topped with British sourced ingredients baked in a wood-fired oven. Puddings are inspired by British classics, with arctic roll and sticky treacle tart alongside some out of the ordinary ice cream flavours such as “bramble ripple eton mess” and “snickers bar”.

In Kent, Chef Omar Allibhoy had continued his mission to bring “proper Spanish food to the UK” with a second branch of Tapas Revolution opening in the Bluewater Shopping Centre just a year after their first at the Westfield shopping centre. The restaurant features an open plan kitchen surrounded by a 30 meter long pewter bar which allows diners to watch as the chefs preparing the food. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

On Monday, Australian chef Bill Granger, who moved to London in 2009 opened his first UK restaurant. Granger & Co. on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill is the sixth restaurant for the self taught chef (with three each in Australia and Japan) and comes following a long search for as suitable UK site. In keeping with his cafés abroad, Granger and Co. will provide an informal setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Despite the opening not being announced, locals were quick to discover the café and Granger was left seeking additional waiters by the end of the week to keep up with demand.

Further south, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall opened River Cottage Canteen and Deli in Plymouth on Tuesday. The restaurant is situated in a Grade I listed former brewhouse, itself converted from naval use. Head chef Joe Draper will stay true to the River Cottage way by creating a menu from seasonal, locally sourced produce, taking advantage restaurant’s coastal location to incorporate plenty of seafood in the menus. As well as the restaurant, a deli area will offer a selection of locally grown and produced food for customers to take home.

Opening soon

Caprice Holdings latest opening,  34 on Grosvenor Square will open on the 24th. The menu will centre around steaks, cooked on the kitchen’s custom-made parrilla grill and will also feature fish and game.

Details are also starting to emerge for The Delaunay, the latest London opening from Rex Restaurant’s team Chris Corbin and Jeremy King. The Delaunay will follow a similar format to the pair’s Picadilly restaurant The Wolseley with a menu “inspired by the great cafés of Europe”.

Outside London, Sheffield pub The Millhouses has also been developed after closing earlier this year. It will reopen serving a locally sourced menu alongside cask ales and fine wines on November 24th.

Mishkin’s in Covent Garden opens for previews from Friday 25th November.

Johnnie Mountain, competitor in the North West heat of Great British Menu 2011 and owner of The English Pig in Farringdon, presented his second solo venture to the public on 7th November 2011. The Atrium, once owned by Antony Worrall Thompson, has undergone major renovation this year though the establishment’s name has been retained. The restaurant is split into two separate dining areas with a central kitchen area where Johnnie and his team can see and be seen. The main atrium is occupied by a fine dining restaurant offering a set two course lunchtime menu priced at £25, and a four course dinner menu at £40. Meanwhile a bar and brasserie serving lighter dishes including soups, burgers, pastas and salads is also open to diners in a separate area.

Also in London, MEATLiquor opened its doors on 7th November, four days ahead of schedule. The West End site is the first permanent (and stationary) venue for The Meatwagon team and follows the resounding successes of #meateasy, a pop up restaurant in New Cross, and a mobile burger van visiting popular haunts in south east London. The American-themed menu is largely based on the burgers which made chef, Yianni Papoutsis, so popular in previous ventures. There is also a selection of other dishes including dirty fried chicken, kurrywurst and devilled eggs. Of course, cocktail experts and previous collaborators Soul Shakers also remain to provide customers with a post-dinner cocktail from their unique drinks menu.

Anthony’s Restaurant Ltd already has three Leeds based establishments under their belt. However endless planning recently came to fruition and there is now a fourth restaurant in town in the shape of Rib Shakk. Located in Leeds Corn Exchange, Rib Shakk opened at 11:11am on 11th November (a combination of numbers considered extremely lucky by some). American head chef Billy Bob and his team are responsible for creating food suitable to be served in the pit style barbecue surroundings. Diners can choose from four mopping sauces to go alongside their beef or pork ribs. Burgers are served containing meat taken straight from the rib, and the combo platters allow the opportunity for diners to sample various offerings on the menu. To spice up your dinner experience (in more ways than one) Rib Shakk also offers the “Wall of Flames” challenge.

Opening soon

Mishkin’s, self-described as “a kind of jewish deli with cocktails” is due to open in London’s west end at the end of November. This will be the fifth London based restaurant venture for Russell Norman and Richard Beatty. You can follow the restaurant’s progress on Twitter @MishkinsWC2. Meanwhile, Australian chef Bill Granger will be making his UK debut in West London’s Notting Hill later this month. The restaurant, rumoured to be called “Granger & Co”, is expected to have a similar format to that of his existing Mediterranean and Asian restaurants in Australia and Japan.

The Michelin Guide 2012 has been released today, listing all the star-holding restaurants in the UK which have increased from 143 in 2011 to 153 for 2012. The Michelin Guide reserves its three stars for those restaurants deemed “exceptional and worth making a special journey for.” As in 2011, no restaurants were given this accolade in the 2012 guide. However there have been a number of movers and shakers elsewhere.

Two restaurants were promoted from one to two stars, highlighting them as “worth a detour”. Restaurant Sat Bains gained their second star after celebrating the twelfth anniversary of the restaurant’s opening the day before. The Nottingham restaurant offers a choice of tasting menus. These include a unique opportunity for diners to have a personalised ten course tasting menu prepared for them by restaurant chefs based on ingredients selected from a list provided by the restaurant. Tom Kerridge’s Marlow pub The Hand & Flowers has become the first pub to receive two Michelin stars, seven years after opening and six after the pub received its first star. The chef, who now boasts the world’s only two Michelin starred fish & chips, enjoyed a surge in interest at the start of the year when his dish of roast hog with salt baked potatoes and apple sauce received praise from the judges on BBC2 show The Great British Menu. The dish now features on the menu at The Hand and Flowers.

In London, new openings Dinner By Heston and Pollen Street Social were awarded their first star along with North Road and Hakkasan, Mayfair. This joins the company of the group’s Hakkasan, Hanway Place restaurant which already holds a single star.

However, it was outside London where Michelin awarded most of their new stars. Seven establishments in the rest of England received a star, including The Curlew Restaurant in Bodiam, East Sussex, meaning that the county now boasts two Michelin starred restaurants. Three Scotland-based restaurants received their first star, including Edinburgh’s Castle Terrace and Martin Wishart at Loch Lomand. One restaurant in Wales also joined the Michelin elite, bringing the number of single star holding restaurants in the country to four.

The number of pubs holding a single star now totals thirteen following a further three awards this year. These include the York-based Black Swan at Oldstead which has been run by its current Yorkshire born and bred team for five years. Critically acclaimed The Sir Charles Napier in Chinnor, Oxon is another winner, and the small, two room public house and restaurant The Butchers Arms in Eldersfield, Gloucester is the third victor.

The 2012 Michelin Guide also lists restaurants which have dropped stars. These include London based Pied a Terre and Tom Aikens which both reverted back to one star from their former two. The guide also dropped their “rising star” category, which has previously recognised restaurants with the potential of going onto win stars in future years.

The 100th Guide Michelin Great Britain and Ireland 2012 can be bought here

This weekend, Leeds city centre hosts it’s sixth Leeds Loves Food festival celebrating food producers – and of course restaurants from Leeds and the surrounding areas.

This year’s is the biggest so far with demonstrations, stalls and other events in the Corn Exchange, Kirkgate Markets, The Merrion Centre, Victoria Quarter and many others. Millennium Square is hosting the main “Yorkshire Food and Drink” event, with a marketplace with over 100 stalls featuring local producers and restaurants from around Leeds. The event is free to attend and is open from 11 – 6 each day.

There are over 20 Leeds restaurants taking part.
 
Continue reading “Leeds Loves Food 2011″ …