Bet there’ll be a few chefs in Scotland expecting this to be their year…
Hmm, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Last year’s decision by Michelin to host its star revelation ceremony in Manchester led many to speculate whether the city was in line for a few new stars, only for none to be announced on the night. With that in mind, Scotland’s chefs may prefer not to get their hopes up too high. That said, there are some notable contenders north of the border that could be recognised at this year’s ceremony.
Like whom?
Most notably in Glasgow there’s Craig Grozier’s Fallachan Kitchen, which opened last year and is already listed in the Guide. There’s also scope for Cail Bruich, the relaxed fine dining restaurant in the city’s West End that’s led by executive chef Lorna McNee, to be promoted from one star to two. Over in the country’s capital, Edinburgh, we’re hopeful that Stuart Ralston’s Lyla, which launched on the site that previously housed Paul Kitching’s 21212 restaurant at the tail end of 2023, will score its first star, with Tomás Gormley’s Cardinal and Rodney Wages’s Avery also both potentials for Michelin glory.
What about south of the border?
Interestingly, given its complete dearth of stars last year, Manchester is likely in line for at least one this year following the opening of Skof, the debut restaurant from former L’Enclume chef Tom Barnes. In London, meanwhile, we’re expecting big things for Jason Atherton’s Row on 5 (pictured below). Indeed, many are predicting the restaurant, which is led by Atherton and former The Ritz head chef Spencer Metzger, to go straight into the Guide with two stars. It would certainly be worthy of such accolade, with Restaurant editor Stefan Chomka describing it as a restaurant that ‘could redefine fine dining in the capital’. Other notable new openings in the capital that could catch the eye of the Michelin inspectors include The Cocochine in Mayfair, Oma in Borough, Cornus in Belgravia, Chris Denney’s Fantomas on the King’s Road, and AngloThai in Marylebone. Another one in the conversation is Kirk Haworth’s Plates, which could become the UK’s first Michelin starred plant-based restaurant.
Is there any chance we might see a new three-star restaurant announced?
It’s hard to say. Every year certain names get trotted out (and deservedly so) as being in line for such a promotion including Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in Lancashire, Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons near Oxford, and Claude Bosi’s Bibendum Restaurant in London. All would certainly be worthy of three-star status. One to definitely keep an eye on too is Vincent Crepel’s Terre, which is part of the Castlemartyr Resort in Ireland. Having opened back in 2022, the restaurant earned two stars over successive years in 2023 and 2024. Could it be three stars in three years for the County Cork restaurant? And speaking of Ireland, another restaurant that could be in contention for three stars is Dublin’s Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, which the Guide already describes as ‘an experience to remember’.
Any other predictions?
Sushi could well be a big talking point this year. Endo Kazutoshi recently relaunched his eponymous one-star restaurant at the Rotunda in White City, and his overhaul of the space could well be enough to push it to two-star status. That might not be his only accolade of the night with, Kioku, his rooftop restaurant at The OWO in Whitehall, also in the running for a star. And what of The Araki? The restaurant famously lost all three of its stars in 2019 following the departure of head chef and founder Mitsuhiro Araki (pictured below), but standards have apparently not slipped so we’re waiting for the day when it returns to prominence in the Guide. While we’re talking about promotions, it’s probably high time The Ritz, one of London’s most impressively consistent fine dining experiences, earned itself a second star this year. Ditto Michael Wignall’s North Yorkshire restaurant The Angel at Hetton, and Restaurant Pine in Northumberland.
AOB?
The one thing people aren’t yet betting on is where Michelin will go next for its big reveal. The recent form is London, Northamptonshire, Manchester and now Glasgow, so our prediction for next year’s event is Dublin.