Michelin Guide 2015: Tears of delight for pubs awarded new stars
Anton Piotrowski, who owns the Treby Arms in Sparkwell, Devon told Pub Food that the news had brought him to tears.
The former Masterchef winner added: “I have an amazing wife and team, who I love dearly. Thanks Michelin – dream come true.”
Adam Bennett, chef director at the Cross, in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, expressed his shock of picking up a star within a year of opening, and was also praising of his team.
He said: “Achieving such an accolade wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of the team and [owner] Andreas Antona’s foresight and experience.
“Due to my commitments to the Bocuse d’Or chef competition, the last 12 months haven’t been easy, so it’s fantastic to have our efforts rewarded.”
Feeling of relief
Jubilation mixed with a feeling of relief was the order of the day for Andrew Pern at the Star Inn, in Harome, North Yorkshire.
Widely recognised as one of the innovators of the gastropub movement, Pern’s Star lost its Michelin status in 2011 after a run of nine consecutive years.
He told Pub Food that, after three years in the wilderness, it was a privilege to be involved again.
Pern explained: “Maybe we got too complacent, but in the last year we’ve upped our game more than we’ve ever done before.
“We haven’t made any major changes, but we have fine-tuned a few things. We’ve made our presentation more contemporary and upped our service levels. Also, there’s now more interaction between the front-of-house and kitchen.”
“The menu is slightly more refined – we’ve cut down on a couple of dishes, to ensure that every single thing that leaves the kitchen is of the highest quality.”
Tireless workers
Pern was quick to heap praise on head chef Steve Smith and the rest of the staff for putting in “an endless amount of work”.
“A number of my team came during our transition period, and this award is theirs as much as mine.
“Losing a Michelin star isn’t a very nice feeling at all – you feel like a bit of an outcast. But it’s onwards and upwards now.”
