The 2025 Michelin star reveal kicked off in fine fashion with a bit of bagpipes playing in the grand hall at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. It was a musical prelude to an evening that had plenty of high notes for a year in which the guide itself is celebrating its 125th birthday.
After the usual way too long introduction, London got off to a good start when the Best Chef Mentor award went to Adam Byatt from Trinity in Clapham. Adam picked up his award with at least two of his alumni in the room - Tom Sellers and Angelo Sato. "I'm dumbstruck," he said, admitting to "slight imposter syndrome....there are some brilliant people who've come through my kitchen."
Next we went through a slew of special awards which were as follows:
- Young Chef Award - Ash Valenzuela-Heeger from Riverine Rabbit in Birmingham
- Michelin Service Award - Jasmine Sherry from Fish Shop in Ballater
- Michelin Sommelier Award - Zholt Lukacs from Darog in Galway
- Opening of the Year - Oma in Borough.
Oma was the first star to be announced at this year's ceremony being given at the same time as chef Jorge accepted his award for Opening of the Year. "It's a dream come true for me," the chef said.
Talking of firsts another one was the awarding of a Michelin star to Plates in Shoreditch which is the UK's first vegan restaurant to be given one (although chef Kirk Haworth would rather we didn't use the term "vegan" at all when describing his food). In total, London got a whopping 10 new one-star restaurants with stars also awarded to Oma, Cornus, AngloThai, Lita, 64 Goodge Street, Mauro Cologreco at Raffles London, Caractere, Row on 5 and Dosa. Asked what the secret of his success was AngloThai's Jon Chantarasak explained, "It's like a pint of Guinness. Good things come to those who wait."
The next step up came with the announcement of the two stars. The first London restaurant to celebrate joining that elite club this year was The Ritz Restaurant. Its executive chef John Williams MBE got a standing ovation and a cheer from the room. "I've waited 50 years for it," he told the gathered chefs. "I'm not joking. It's special and the Ritz is a special place...I thought we were forgotten and we carried on cooking to the best of our ability, looking after our guests..."
He particularly bigged up his front of house staff. Following the Ritz win was one of the biggest surprises of the night, Angelo Sato's Humble Chicken winning its second star only one year after winning its first.
The happiest man of the night was chef Mark Birchall (pictured above) who celebrated his restaurant Moor Hall being the sole new recipient this year of three Michelin stars with a quick "Fucking hell!" Gathering himself, he went on to say that "The emotion is incredible...it's one of the best feelings ever."
Rather oddly this year's Bib Gourmands weren't announced at all at the ceremony. Normally they're revealed in advance so they get a bit of the limelight but they didn't do that either, diminishing in our opinion the impact of those awards. In the end, London got 11 new bibs as follows: Agora, Artusi, Donia, Josephine Bouchon, July, Kolae, Mambow, Miga, Mignonette, Morchella and The Hero.
Of course, while Michelin gives, it also takes away and there were two deletions this year - both Kai and City Social lost their stars.
And that brings this year's Michelin star ceremony to a close. Londoners should be delighted at how well-represented our city was this year - huge congratulations to all the restaurants celebrating their wins.
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