Speculation and gossip started from the very minute that Michelin announced it would hold its 2026 UK & Ireland awards ceremony in Dublin.
The optimists decided this meant that three stars were finally on their way to Ireland, despite there being no precedent for Michelin making such an announcement.
The realists quickly saw the truth. We have a booming Irish restaurant scene where the cooking has never been better, yet there was no state push to promote Ireland to the Michelin crowd. Corinna Hardgrave’s article for the Irish Times was a depressing read.
Disappointingly, I was not on the first wave of invites, a kick to my restaurant-writing ego. Michelin, we need to have a very serious conversation! But in due course, an invite to the ceremony landed in my inbox and I was good to go.
In the run up to the ceremony, I wrote a piece for the Irish Times about the secrecy surrounding Michelin inspectors, and I also spoke on Newtalk’s Sean Moncrieff Show. It was impossible to open an Irish newspaper without being hit by a slew of articles and predictions. While I remained externally optimistic, internally I was a little more cautious, estimating at most 2-3 new one stars.
Doors at the Convention Centre opened at 4.15pm and it was surprisingly busy from the start. A whole heap of hard working chefs were in town and they were here to celebrate. The mood was good, anticipatory even, with everyone hoping for a good Irish result.
As I chatted with Irish chefs, restaurateurs and other food writers, I was mentally ticking off famous names, including Clare Smyth, Gordon Ramsey, Hélène Darroze, Jason Atherton, Lisa Goodwin-Allen and Jun Tanaka. Rarefied air indeed.
After a short countdown, the ceremony started with the usual, awkward stilted welcome from regular presenter Amanda Stretton, joined by token Irishwoman Lisa Hogan. Apparently she’s a big deal on Clarkson’s Farm, with tones as plummy as Amanda’s. A wasted opportunity perhaps to have a co-presenter directly from the Irish food world.
Disappointingly, Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the guide, didn’t manage to make his way to Dublin, gracing us instead with pre-recorded videos full of the faux jollity typical of a CEO who doesn’t want to face his employees at a company townhall.
The first award for Ireland went to Barbara Nealon of the excellent St Francis Provisions in Kinsale, who was joined on stage by chef Rebecca Recarey Sanchez. When asked about the secret to great service, Barbara delivered a somewhat deadpan answer of ‘liking your customers’, a response which left Gordon Ramsey cracking up.
And then, without any ado, the audience was presented with a stunning aerial video of Glenlo Abbey and the Pullman Restaurant, transitioning to montages of Chef Angelo Vagiotis, pastry chef Linda Sergidou and restaurant manager Rónán O'Halloran. Before you could blink, Angelo was up on stage, being buttoned into his white chef’s jacket. Star number one in the bag for Ireland, and a well-deserved one too for this classy and unique spot.
Things got dull for a while with a further 18 one stars being announced for the UK, with just a single nod to female chefs in the form of Nieves Barragán Mohacho from contemporary Spanish restaurant Legado, London.
By now, all 19 newly starred chefs are lined up across the stage, in various states of button-age into their fancy new whites, and the Irish contingent is starting to wondering if this is it. Lisa Hogan then asks the chefs to part like to proverbial waters, and a new video plays across the screen.
Immediately there are cheers and whoops from the audience as the facade of Dublin’s Forest Avenue is revealed, cutting away to touching moments of John and Sandy Wyer finally receiving their long overdue award. Star number two for Ireland, and one that really resonated with the audience.
The ceremony quickly moves onto the two stars, with only two new additions, both in the UK. And then it’s the turn of the three stars. The Irish audience is starting to lean forward hopefully. All 10 of the current three star UK restaurants are invited on stage to acknowledge their retention of the stars, and then, quieter than a sparrow’s fart, Amanda utters the words “and that brings us to the end of the ceremony”.
There’s a sense of let down in the room, not only for the Irish, but across the entire audience. A pair of two stars and no new three stars feels somewhat anti-climatic.
And while the lack of support from the Irish state is to be lamented, marquee sponsors La Rousse Foods went all in with their veritable cornucopia of Irish and fine products for the post-awards party. It can’t be easy cooking for this audience, but an army of producers and chefs smash it out of the park with fillet of Dexter beef, foie gras, shredded duck, caviar, bluefin tuna and the finest of Irish cheeses.
Overall, Irish hopefuls may feel hard done by, but I’m choosing to take a different view. I prefer to see an incredible pipeline of restaurants in Ireland that is constantly growing in confidence and identity. Even more stars will come, of that I’m sure.
Full details of all awards from the 2026 Michelin Guide for UK & Ireland can be found here.