The unveiling of the new Michelin Stars and Awards at the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony on Monday 27th March 2023 revealed 4 new Green Star, 20 new One Star and 3 new Two Star awards. We take a closer look at the three exceptionally talented kitchens of the newly awarded Two Star restaurants, as well as some of the dishes that helped them achieve this feat.
Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal
Keen foodies will be familiar with the name Alex Dilling, thanks to the time he spent with Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and then as Head Chef of the much-missed Greenhouse in Mayfair. Now his name sits above the door of the restaurant at the Hotel Café Royal and it is proving an excellent fit.
As soon as the selection of hot and cold canapés arrive at your table, it’s obvious that there is a seriously talented kitchen at work here. Not only are the dishes beautiful to look at but, more importantly, they deliver extraordinarily satisfying and wonderfully balanced flavours. For example, wild brill is accentuated with sea urchin and squid ink; soft and creamy veal sweetbreads come with celeriac and winter truffles; and even ingredients considered to be more modest like Cornish sardines are made regal with the accompaniment of buttermilk and cuttlefish.
The restaurant, which seats just over thirty diners, offers a comfortable and intimate environment for this acclaimed cuisine, and overlooks Regent Street in the very centre of London . The service team are well-organised and quite formal in their style, but the atmosphere remains convivial and relaxed.
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The Ledbury
Ask a room full of chefs for their favourite UK restaurant or chef and more than likely the names 'Ledbury' and 'Brett Graham' will feature. Accordingly, there was much rejoicing when the restaurant announced in 2022 that it was reopening, having been shut for a time with its future in doubt. A fresh new look has brightened the room but the essence of The Ledbury we all knew and loved remains – and that includes that wonderfully contented buzz that’s always filled the room.
There has always been a generosity to the cooking here. The chefs may have the techniques and the skill set, but dishes are never about showing how clever the kitchen is; rather they are purely about creating something that is a joy to eat. For example, Cornish lobster comes in the form of a succulent tail, with butternut squash there to enhance its natural flavour. Delicious Portland crab comes with apple marigold and buttermilk, while Jersey beef demonstrates the strong connection and understanding this kitchen has always had with its suppliers. Moving away from an à la carte menu to a tasting menu has also made the experience here more rounded and balanced.
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dede
At the launch of the MICHELIN Guide 2023 it was an emotional Ahmet Dede who came up on stage to receive the applause of his peers when it was announced that his restaurant dede, located in the fishing village of Baltimore in County Cork, Ireland, had received its second Michelin Star.
What strikes first-time diners at this warm and perpetually packed restaurant is how the chef’s personality really comes through in the dishes. He’s a confident, engaging figure and his presence in the restaurant can’t be ignored – and his dishes are similarly assured. They also demonstrate some very fine details and a purity that proves bewitching. Whether it’s the içli köfte or Adana kebab; the lamb with Ottoman-spiced firik or the turbot with Anne Tarhanasi; there is a harmony to the flavours on the plate and a beautiful balance of textures in every dish on this hugely appealing and highly original surprise menu.
The chefs and the young service team both deliver the dishes and go a long way to ensuring that the atmosphere is never less than contagiously convivial. This is a restaurant where everyone leaves feeling better about life.
Planning a trip to County Cork? Look no further than our Michelin-recommended hotels.
All New Stars & Awards
