New two stars for Ireland, three more one stars – Irish Times

It was a triumphant victory for Vincent Crepel as he was awarded two Michelin stars for his restaurant Terre at Cork’s Castlemartyr Resort at the 2024 awards ceremony held in Manchester on Monday. Dollier Street in Dublin, The Bishop’s Buttery at Cashel Palace Hotel in Cashel and Homestead Cottage in Doolin also share in the star-studded honors across the country, all with Michelin stars. Earned a star.

Presenter Amanda Stretton, who spoke at the awards ceremony, described Vincent Krepel’s cooking as “powerful and sophisticated.”

Many expected Tere to earn two Michelin stars in 2023, matching Mikael Viljanen’s achievements at Chapter One and Eimsil (after its closure), but inspectors thought otherwise. I had and made him wait another year.

For those who have dined at Terre, it’s no surprise that it won this award this year, as the food is to die for. The Michelin Guide says of the dining experience: “The kitchen team provides a warm welcome before treating guests to a procession of original and elaborate snacks that more than hint at the top quality of the tasting menu to come.” Impressive and sophisticated cuisine combines the best flavors of local produce with international flavors that highlight the chef’s Asian sojourn. The sauce is the best. ”

Fine produce is at the heart of the €218 tasting menu here, and my dish included caviar, Ballycotton lobster, hand-hugged Norwegian scallops and Miyazaki beef. Cod with white asparagus barrigole and caviar was served with a phenomenal vermouth beurre his blanc, and grilled quail was topped with an Albufera sauce made with foie gras, cognac and Madeira. The precision of the cooking here is exceptional, never sacrificing taste.

“Achieving two Michelin stars is the realization of a lifelong dream and a great honor bestowed upon us by our inspectors,” says Krepel. “I am so proud of our team and what we have achieved. We have had a great year and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2024. We aim to make it possible for our customers to visit Tail and we are fortunate to work with great local and international suppliers who help inspire and shape our menus. The two-star award is a tribute to the creativity and standards we aim to reach and maintain.”

Homestead Cottage in Doolin, Co. Clare, has been widely speculated to be awarded a star after showing so much love that it was listed in the Michelin Guide just three months after opening, and included in the Favorite Restaurants list in December. It was rumored.

Robbie McCauley, from Edinburgh, and his French wife Sophie opened the restaurant in June 2023 in a 200-year-old holiday home in Doolin, County Clare. He received the award invitation more than a week ago, but he had no idea what the award would be. Green Star, Michelin Star, etc. “I was really relieved when my name was called. I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “We’re already seeing a rebound in bookings. When that was announced, they exploded. We’re in a fairly remote area and we’re not in a city, so that makes a big difference.”

After leading the kitchen at Gregans Castle for more than five years, McCauley moved to a more rustic space as the ideal place to serve a menu based on homegrown ingredients. When I visited last summer, a dish of peas and fava beans harvested early from an acre of fields tossed with lemon verbena, sorrel and dill was a standout. His seven-course tasting menu, described by the Michelin Guide as a “beautifully flowing” menu, is very reasonably priced at 80 euros. Sundays are more casual, with a €45 lunch menu that includes roast beef, free-range porchetta and wild haddock. There’s an emphasis on local produce, including Burren beef, and McCauley raises his own ducks, chickens and pigs for the restaurant, and also offers seasonal game.

At The Bishop’s Buttery, housed in the exquisitely restored Cashel Palace Hotel, which the Magnier family re-opened in March 2022, the menu is overseen by Culinary Director Stephen Hayes and the kitchen is helmed by Stephen McEntier. In an elegant vaulted room, guests can choose between a 3-course table d’hote menu for 110 euros and a 6-course tasting menu for 130 euros. The cuisine here is based on the classics (Hayes has many years of experience working at Michelin star level at the Restaurant des Libriers in the Netherlands, and is head chef at the Cliff House Hotel’s one Michelin star house restaurant. (McEntier worked at L’Ecrivain) and the kitchen makes the most of Tipperary and premium seasonal produce. Current menu items include Irish scallops covered in lardo for a clever touch of flavor, wild sea bass with vin jaune sauce, and a very clever peanut cannoli. dessert.

The menu has a well-balanced, mature flavor that is delicious without being too overpowering. The Michelin Guide says, “Desserts are the highlight of a cuisine that focuses on each central ingredient, artfully enhanced with complementary flavours.” It also praised the service of “an impeccable team who work with the utmost pride.”

“Receiving a Michelin star so soon after opening is a great achievement,” says Hayes. “It was always my hope to get a star and now, with Stefan and the team, we have achieved it. I honestly couldn’t be happier. This is a great recognition for our efforts. It is an important recognition, reflects our ambitions both internally and externally and is great for team morale.”

As the only restaurant in Dublin to win a Michelin award this year, Australian chef James Moore, his American wife Jane Fry and Anthony Smith (owner of Parnell Square restaurant Mr Fox) have named Dourier Celebrating winning a Michelin star. Street opened in November 2022. With serious experience (Mr. Moore was head chef at New York’s two-star Michelin-starred Atera), his ambition to earn a Michelin star was clear from day one.

The €96 12-course tasting menu starts with mouth-watering bites such as the Cais na Tire sub and quail scotch eggs, with the sauces being a particular forte on the larger dishes. The Michelin Guide says, “While the techniques and influences may be global, the focus of the cuisine is firmly on the main ingredients: top-quality cod, girolle, chicken, and more, expertly seasoned with basil.” “Like,” he wrote. The service is very smart, led by Scott White who previously worked at his two Michelin star restaurant Aimsir, which is now closed.

Ireland has yet to receive three Michelin stars. In this year’s guide, it was speculated that Mikael Viljanen’s ‘Chapter 1’ of Dublin would be promoted from his two Michelin stars to his three stars. Last year, Gwendel Poulenc, international director of the Michelin Guide, said: “When we are ready for our first chapter, we will undoubtedly join the ranks of three-star restaurants.” Obviously they are still not happy.

Mikael Virjanen, Ross Lewis and the team are an integral part of London’s The Ledbury, which was awarded three Michelin stars this year but has not been able to achieve promotion from two stars for many years. That may give you some comfort. After a 2022 renovation, chef and co-owner Brett Graham has finally taken home top honors. Chapter One was renovated in 2021, with Viljanen appointed head chef and co-owner with Ross Lewis. So it remains to be seen what exactly inspectors will need to see before welcoming this restaurant into the esteemed three-star family. .

A Michelin star remains the ultimate honor for the world’s culinary excellence. While this year’s winners celebrate their success, others will be even more focused on reaching the podium for the first time next year. Among them is chef Danny Africano, who opened Lignum restaurant in September 2019. Now, with Matthew Smith (formerly Michelin-starred Caddo in Copenhagen) joining as head chef and an even stronger team, expectations are higher than ever for this Galway restaurant. In Maynooth, Adam Nevin has taken over the luxurious Morrison Room at Carton House, already offering a solid Michelin-level experience. Gregan’s Castle is set to be one to watch with Jonathan Farrell (ex-Bustible and Lunkroom) taking over. kitchen.