Luke French
Jöro recently marked its 10th anniversary with a move to a new, rather more salubrious location on the outskirts of Sheffield. Now set within a vast former industrial building on the edge of one of the North’s key beauty spots, JÖRO 2.0 may be just a 15-minute drive from its original shipping container site in Sheffield city centre, but it offers a strikingly different backdrop for French and his wife Stacey Sherwood-French. Michelin clearly approves: French has finally been recognised with the Michelin star that many thought was long overdue for his edgy and accomplished Asian-influenced cuisine.
Nieves Barragán Mohacho
The Spanish chef with the golden touch has done it again. Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s long-awaited follow-up to her smash-hit Mayfair restaurant Sabor – launched in 2018 – was always going to impress. Few, however, could have predicted quite how emphatically well it would land. In Shoreditch, Legado has been packed to the rafters since opening and has already secured a Michelin star in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Switching things up has paid dividends, with Legado expressing a more modern, pan-regional take on Spanish cuisine while retaining the precision and flair that define Barragán Mohacho’s cooking.
Spencer Metzger
The former The Ritz head chef has had a stellar 12 months with Row on 5, the Savile Row restaurant he runs in partnership with Jason Atherton, being upgraded from one Michelin star to two. Metzger impressed during his time at The Ritz, helping the restaurant on its way to becoming recognised as the best in the UK, and his experience there has led him onto greater things. Humble and down to earth and technically gifted, there’s more to come from this hugely talented chef.
Matt Abé
Matt Abé has had a busy 12 months, first helping oversee the opening of Gordon Ramsay High on the 60th floor of 22 Bishopsgate and more recently striking out on his own with the launch of Bonheur by Matt Abé. Taking over the former Le Gavroche site, Abé had big shoes to fill but he’s done it with his trademark precision and determination, with his debut winning two stars within just a few months of its launch.
Maria Bradford
Flying the flag for Sierra Leonean cooking in this country, Maria Bradford has lit up the restaurant scene this year with her Sevenoaks restaurant Shwen Shwen. The restaurant was named Michelin’s Opening of the Year, with the self-taught chef introducing new flavours to diners with joyful vibrancy and a sense of purpose.
Clare Smyth
Clare Smyth surprised a few people when she announced almost out of nowhere that she was opening a bistro in Chelsea - with the attention firmly on her forthcoming restaurant at the hotel Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch. Corenucopia by Clare Smyth has been a hit though, winning a Michelin star and cementing Smyth’s position as one of the UK’s most successful female chefs.