- Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in Lancashire has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2025, with The Ritz in London promoted to two stars. Moor Hall, which opened in 2017 and has held two Michelin stars since 2018, becomes the 10th three Michelin star restaurant in the Great Britain & Ireland Guide. The Ritz Restaurant in London, which was awarded its first Michelin star the 2017 Guide, was one of three new two star restaurants announced at this year’s star revelation ceremony, held this week at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. Also promoted were Angelo Sato’s Humble Chicken in London’s Soho and Allister Barsby and Alice Bussi’s Hide and Fox Restaurant in Saltwood, Kent. Alongside them, 22 restaurants have been newly awarded one Michelin star. Additionally, five restaurants received a Michelin Green Star, while 36 new restaurants were awarded a Bib Gourmand. A selection of special awards were also announced.
- Sticking with Michelin, Jason Atherton’s City Social in London has had its star deleted in the 2025 Guide. It is one of two operating restaurants to have their stars deleted this year, the other being Kai in London’s Mayfair. A total of eight restaurants have lost their star in the latest Guide, the majority as a result of having closed in the last year. They include Atherton’s Pollen Street Social, which closed its doors later year after 13 years operating; Tom Brown’s Cornerstone in London’s Hackney; Purnell’s in Birmingham; and Norwich restaurant Store at Stoke Mill.
- Restaurant can reveal that Gordon Ramsay Restaurants is in the process of acquiring the site of iconic Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche. According to the Westminster Council website, Union Street Café Limited – a company associated with the Gordon Ramsay empire – has successfully applied for a premises licence transfer for the 43 Upper Brook Street restaurant. The designated premises supervisor named on the application is industry front of house legend Silvano Giraldin, who oversaw front of house at Le Gavroche for over 30 years. There is industry speculation that former Restaurant Gordon Ramsay chef patron Matt Abé will lead the kitchen.
- Insiders have insisted a deal to sell The Ivy group to Si Advisers is ‘very much alive’ despite there being no update since the sale was mooted last September. According to a report in The Times, the deal is thought to have been delayed by Si Advisers bringing in a co-investor to help bankroll its bid. However, the identity of the additional party remains unknown.
- Tributes have been paid to famed Filipino chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés, who has died at the age of 65. Forés, who was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, has been credited for leaving an ‘indelible mark’ on the culinary landscape of the Philippines. She spent a lot of her career promoting Filipino cuisine and products both at home and abroad but was also known for her success as a restaurateur. She was found unresponsive in her Hong Kong hotel room after missing a lunch meeting, according to the Manila Standard. The cause of her death is yet to be determined.