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There were no new three-star awards in the 2008 Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland, the fourth consecutive year without the top accolade. Also, there were no new two stars awarded. But with 15 restaurants celebrating their first star, is there still cause for optimism? Kerstin Kühn reports
At midday last Wednesday, the waiting ended for restaurateurs wondering whether they had been recognised with a new star in this year's Michelin guide.
While the guide didn't promote any establishments to the coveted two- or threestarred status, it did give 15 restaurants their first Michelin star. But with another 15 losing a star, it meant there are still 122 starred establishments in Great Britain and Ireland.
While this state of affairs is being described by some as underwhelming, food writer Joe Warwick believes there is reason to celebrate.
"The only reason people say the results are disappointing is because Michelin is such a great source of gossip and everyone hypes the results up so much," he said. "It's a little disappointing that we're not making the progress on the two- and threestar level, but 15 new stars do constitute a good crop of awards."
Derek Bulmer, editor of Michelin's Great Britain & Ireland and London guides, insisted that there was no need to read anything into the absence of movement at the two- and three-star levels.
"We've had a few consecutive years of two stars being awarded, so there's an expectation," he said. "But the Michelin guide isn't there to push places and grab headlines - we have to be absolutely sure a restaurant deserves the two- or three-star status."
Gary Rhodes, who added another star to his store - at new restaurant Rhodes W1 at the Cumberland hotel in London said that a year with no new two- or three- starred establishments might not be such a bad thing. "It just goes to show that it's not so easy to...