The nation's greatest chefs were out in force today at the prestigious 2023 Michelin Guide ceremony announcing the industry's movers and shakers. The latest restaurants across Great Britain and Ireland to be awarded new stars were revealed at the biggest date in the food lovers' calendar.
Some have gained, some have stayed the same and a number have lost the revered accolade. When it comes to Nottingham, the city's food scene has never looked stronger.
Restaurant Sat Bains, in Lenton Lane, has retained its two stars making it Nottingham's most highly decorated restaurant. Run by acclaimed chef Sat Bains and his wife Amanda, the restaurant attracts diners from far and wide, eager to sample the innovative and adventurous ten-course tasting menu for £195 a head.
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Following this year's ceremony, at Silverstone Circuit in Towcester, Mr Bains said: " It’s fantastic news to retain the two stars. There will be Birds cream cakes all round. We all know how hard it has been for everybody over the last few years so the fact that people still choose to eat out in Nottingham is a massive testament to our food scene.
"The food scene in Notts has never been stronger with all these restaurants recognised by the Michelin Guide. There's such diversity like Alchemilla, Laurence Henry's Cleaver and Wake and Iberico are all pushing the standards of the restaurants and a massive congratulations to Kushi-ya for gaining a Bib Gourmand this year."
Two stars are awarded "when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes; their food is refined and inspired," says Michelin.
Mr Bains and his team continue to push the flavour boundaries, developing new dishes including an open tuna tart with seaweed pastry, Jersey Royals with potato cream, caviar and wild garlic, and chocolate tart with 50-year-old balsamic and bitter cocoa sorbet.
Nottingham's Alchemilla also retained its one star, which was first awarded in 2020. Chef patron Alex Bond, said: "We are absolutely blown away to have retained our star for another year.
"This last year has been incredibly difficult and continues to be for the the hospitality industry but to be amongst these incredible people is inspiring for the year ahead. A huge thank you goes to all staff both past and present for continuing to make this happen. It is as much their achievement as it’s is mine."
Alchemilla offers five, seven and ten-course tasting menus, priced £95 to £160. Diners are bowled over by dishes such as smoked eel, pink fir and seaweed relish, aged beef with N25 caviar and rhubarb, beetroot, sheep’s yoghurt and sansho.
One star is awarded to restaurants "using top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavours are prepared to a consistently high standard." It's been a busy time for the chef who opened high-end fried chicken restaurant Mollis in December, next door to the fine dining restaurant in Derby Road.
Last week Nottingham's Kushi-ya celebrated being named just one of 20 restaurants across the country to be awarded Michelin's Bib Gourmand for top quality food at a reasonable price.
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