Alain Ducasse and Brett Graham are the big Michelin winners in London
Alain Ducasse and Brett Graham have cleaned up in London in this year's Michelin guide to Great Britain & Ireland.
French chef Ducasse has been awarded the top accolade of three Michelin stars for his restaurant Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester while Brett Graham outperformed many chefs in the capital with the news of two Michelin stars at the Ledbury in Kensington and one star at his first food-led pub venture, the Harwood Arms in Fulham.
There were no other three or two stars awarded in Great Britain & Ireland this year.
Alain Ducasse commented: "After our award last year of Two stars, rising three, we have strived to reach the coveted three star status. To receive such prestigious recognition from Michelin is a great honour. The team here has worked very hard to maintain the level of service and cuisine, and I am very proud of our achievements."
Five restaurants celebrated their first Michelin star in London, in addition to the Harwood Arms, which won the Catey Menu of the Year in 2009. They include Chris Galvin's Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton on Park Lane where André Garrett is head chef.
Garrett told Caterersearch he was "absolutely overwhelmed" with the news.
"It's crazy and just phenomenal," he said. "It's a fantastic recognition of all the hard work the team has put in over the past year.
"After we were named a rising star for two years and didn't convert it, we really disappointed. So last year I just concentrated on our cooking and doing a good job which has paid off. Winning a star is the icing on the cake."
Indian restaurant Tamarind, where Alfred Prasad is executive chef; Agnar Sverrisson and Xavier Rousset's Texture restaurant in Mayfair; at the Lanesborough hotel; and the Bingham Restaurant at the Bingham Hotel in Richmond-upon-Thames, where Shay Cooper is in charge of the kitchen; also celebrated their first stars.
However, seven restaurants lost their stars in London, the most high-profile being Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's.
Others to lose stars in London were the Capital, which lost its two stars following the departure of head chef Eric Chavot July in 2009, and one stars, Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Assaggi, Aubergine, which lost head chef William Drabble in June, Ambassade de L'Ile, which parted company with Jean Christophe Ansanay-Alex in August, and Richard Corrigan at Lindsay House which closed its doors in May.
New Michelin stars in London
Three starsAlain Ducasse at the Dorchester
Two starsThe Ledbury, North Kensington
One star
The Harwood Arms, Fulham
Bingham Restaurant at the Bingham Hotel, Richmond-upon-Thames
Apsleys - a Heinz Beck restaurant at the Lanesborough hotel, Belgravia
Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton on Park Lane
Tamarind, Mayfair
Texture, Mayfair
Deletions
Two stars
The Capital, Chelsea
One starAubergine, Chelsea
Ambassade de L'lle, South Kensington
Assaggi, Bayswater and Maida Vale
Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, Mayfair
Richard Corrigan at Lindsay House, Soho
Michelin stars released by the new Michelin Guide >>
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's heads the list of lost Michelin stars >>
England gains 13 new Michelin stars >>
Wales gains three new Michelin stars >>
Three more Michelin stars for Scotland >>
Ireland gains one new Michelin star >>
Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland names 28 new restaurants as Bib Gourmands >>
Top Michelin-rated restaurants >>
Michelin Rising Stars - how useful are they? >>
By Amanda Afiya
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