A vegan restaurant has become the first be to awarded a Michelin star as 26 of the accolades were given in the annual Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland.
Several other restaurants, including one serving the famous The Ritz hotel in London, were also awarded three and two stars at a ceremony in Glasgow on Monday.
Plates London, located on Old Street, serves a fully plant-based menu and chef Kirk Haworth wowed judges by “taking his classical training and inventively adapting it to a vegan diet”, Michelin said.
Asked what he loved about cooking elevated vegan dishes at the ceremony, Mr Haworth said: “Trying to get rid of that word is everything that I love about it.
“It’s just about flavour, that’s all it’s about. Flavour, excitement, innovation, and trying to take it to a new space of deliciousness.”
Moor Hall, located in the village of Aughton around 10 miles from Liverpool, opened in 2017 and received its first two Michelin stars in the two following years.
The modern European restaurant becomes only the 10th restaurant across the UK and Ireland to currently hold the three stars.
Michelin said: “At Moor Hall, Chef Mark Birchall and his team have continued to hone their craft and have now achieved new levels of excellence.
“The ingredients, many from the kitchen garden, are outstanding; the chefs’ culinary technique is hugely impressive; and the judgment of flavours, of when to prioritise simplicity and when to add complexity, is exemplary.”
Reacting to the third star, Mr Birchall said: “I think you kind of dream about these things.
“You kind of almost act it out in your mind of how you would be, but the the emotion is incredible.”
The chef said the secret to Moor Hall’s success was having a good team and making all its guests “feel so special”.
Judges said The Ritz Restaurant was “currently at the peak of its powers” and had earned two stars after “taking classically based dishes… and adding increasing amounts of originality and modernity”.
Soho’s Humble Chicken and neighbourhood restaurant hide and fox, in Kent, also each picked up second stars for their “thrilling cuisine” and “dishes that succeed on every level” respectively.
A first Michelin star was awarded to 22 new restaurants, including nine in London, three in Ireland and two in Scotland, while Gorse in Cardiff became the first restaurant in the Welsh capital to achieve the feat.
Greek restaurant Oma, in Borough Market on London’s South Bank, received its first star after it had earlier won the Opening of the Year award.
Chef Jorge Paredes said: “(I am) super excited. It’s a dream come true for me.
“(It has) taken me a long time to show where I am, but now I’m very happy.”
This year’s ceremony, which also saw five new Green stars awarded for commitment to sustainability, was held as the Michelin Guide celebrates its 125th anniversary.
Speaking at the ceremony, international director Gwendal Poullennec said the company was “incredibly proud” of the milestone.
He said: “It’s an opportunity to celebrate the core value that has shaped our identity since 1900 – unearthing exceptional gastronomic talent, showcasing local food culture and announcing life’s most meaningful moments, whether shared around the table with loved ones, enjoyed in a hotel for a well-deserved break, or marking life’s biggest celebration.”
The full list of award-winning restaurants was:
Three stars – Moor Hall, in Aughton, Lancashire
Two stars – hide and fox – Saltwood, Kent – The Ritz Restaurant – London – Humble Chicken – London
One star – Oma – London – Mark Poynton at Caistor Hall – Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk – Avery – Edinburgh, Scotland – The Morrison Room – Maynooth, Ireland – Wilsons – Bristol – Anglothai – London – Cornus – London – 33 The Homend – Ledbury, Herefordshire – Gorse – Cardiff, Wales – Starling – Esher, Surrey – Lita – London – Lyla – Edinburgh – 64 Goodge Street – London – Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at the Owo – London – Skof – Manchester – Lignum – Bullaun, County Galway, Ireland – Forge – Middleton Tyas, North Yorkshire – Caractere – London – Row on 5 – London – Ballyfin – Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland – Dosa – London – Plates London – London
