Mon 7th Oct 2019 - Michelin awards record number of new stars for 2020 Michelin awards record number of new stars for 2020: There have been a record number of new stars awarded in the 2020 Michelin Guide. Inspectors awarded one new three-Michelin star, four new two-Michelin stars and 24 new one-Michelin stars. This year’s stars were revealed live at the Hurlingham Club in London and broadcast on Facebook. Michelin also revealed chefs will now receive plaques for their restaurants. Michelin will also award restaurants with a stand-out social media presence with gold plaques this year. Sketch – The Lecture Room & Library in Mayfair, which has held two Michelin stars since 2012, was awarded a third star. Chef Johannes Nuding choked back tears to thank the team for their hard work. Inspectors said the array of tastes and flavours on offer were “truly memorable”. Of the four restaurants that received two stars, Aimsir in Celbridge, County Kildare, made its debut in the guide despite being open for only four-and-a-half months. Judges described the restaurant from Jordan Bailey and his team as “constantly evolving”. The Greenhouse in Dublin, which was awarded one star in 2016, also got two stars. The inspectors said chef Mickael Viljanen’s cooking had “real flair” and the dishes “plenty of personality”. Meanwhile, The Dining Room in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, which received its first star two years ago, gained a second star. The judges said chef Niall Keating had “raised his game in many ways”. La Dame De Pic in the City of London under chef Luca Piscazzi also received two stars, with the judges describing the “purity and beauty of the cooking” being matched by the dedication of the team. There were four new one-star restaurants in London – Da Terra in Bethnal Green (Rafael Cagali); Dysart Petersham in Richmond (Kenneth Culhane); Endo At The Rotunda in White City (Endo Kazutoshi); and Maos in Shoreditch (Edoardo Pellicano). Meanwhile, there were 20 one-star restaurants outside the capital, including Opheem in Birmingham from Aktar Islam, which was the first Indian restaurant outside London to be awarded a Michelin star. Manchester also received its first Michelin star in 40 years, with Mana from Simon Martin. The other new one-star venues were Allium at Askham Hall in Askham, Cumbria (Richard Swale); Artichoke in Amersham, Buckinghamshire (Laurie Gear); Bastion in Kinsale, County Cork (Paul McDonald); Beach House in Oxwich, South Wales (Hywel Griffith); Condita in Edinburgh (Conor Toomey); Cottage In The Wood in Braithwaite, Cumbria (Ben Wilkinson); Interlude in Lower Beeding, West Sussex (Jean Delport); Isle of Eriska in Benderloch, Scotland (Graham Cheevers); Old Stamp House in Ambleside, Cumbria (Ryan Blackburn); Pensons in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire (Lee Westcott); Stark in Broadstairs, Kent (Ben Crittenden); The Angel in Hetton, North Yorkshire (Michael Wignall); The Muddlers Club in Belfast (Gareth McCaughey); The Oak Room in Adare, County Limerick (Michael Tweedie); The Royal Oak in Whatcote, Warwickshire (Richard Craven); The Tudor Room in Egham, Surrey (Tony Parkin); and Variety Jones in Dublin (Keelan Higgs). The first Michelin star for 2020 had been awarded on Friday (4 October) to Alchemilla, in Nottingham. In a break from tradition, Sat Bains protégé Alex Bond was presented with his star in the 50-cover restaurant, with the video shared on social media. Raymond Blanc was on hand to present the chefs with their stars. He said he was passionate about passing on his knowledge to help create a dynamic industry that continued to reinvent itself and give guests a “treasured” experience. He added it was also about creating an environment that would encourage the next generation to get involved in this “extraordinary industry”. He added: “Gastronomy is no longer London-centric, it is present right across Great Britain.” Three new special awards were also presented. The sustainability award went to Enda McEvoy, of Restaurant Loam in Galway. The sommelier accolade was won by Jurica Gojevic, of Adare Manor in Limerick, while the service award, aimed at recognising teamwork, went to the Bonwick family from The Crown in Burchetts Green, Berkshire.