January, with its fresh start and chilly weather, presents an ideal opportunity to explore the culinary masterpieces of Michelin-starred restaurants. As we embrace the new year, it’s a time for setting new goals and indulging in new experiences, especially in the realm of fine dining. In this article, we will delve into the exquisite world of Michelin-starred establishments, renowned for their outstanding cuisine, impeccable service, and extraordinary dining atmospheres.
Whether you’re looking to celebrate a significant milestone or simply wish to embark on a gastronomic adventure, these restaurants are sure to provide an unparalleled dining experience. Let’s embark on a journey to discover the best Michelin-starred restaurants to visit in January, where each meal is not just food, but a celebration of culinary artistry and innovation.
Just a new French superstar: AM
During a ceremony broadcast online from the Jules Verne restaurant, located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, the Michelin Guide revealed its French edition.
Chef Alexandre Mazzia’s restaurant, AM, has been elevated to the most sought after three Michelin star ranking.
France is now the largest country with Michelin stars, with 30 three-star establishments.
The dishes that made Chef Mazzia so popular in the reviews were seaweed popcorn, smoked eel and chocolate and raspberry ice cream with harissa.
The example of Noma: creating alternatives
Many famous chefs have been taking alternative initiatives to combat the pandemic and to pressure governments to reopen establishments, such as food for travel or deliveries, change menus and even cut prices.
The world famous Noma was one of the restaurants that took some of these alternative measures, which for years topped the list of the best restaurants in the world with two Michelin stars.
Redzepi, the owner chef of Noma, wrote on Instagram that in these crazy and uncertain times he will transform the restaurant into a wine and burger bar without reservation, just for home deliveries.
On the other hand, we have restaurants that have not been able to reinvent themselves and as we noted in the Michelin guide, stars are removed from them for having closed permanently or for moving to new ventures to remain open.
The new one- and two-star restaurants
The 2024 guide promoted two new two-star restaurants, one in Paris and the other in Strasbourg. It also promoted 54 new first-rate chefs, including young chefs from the years, such as Mory Sacko, of the restaurant Mosuke, and Coline Faulquier of Signature.
Le Point wrote that it is a much smaller crop than in 2023, where 63 restaurants were selected to join this constellation of Michelin stars.
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Newly Starred Restaurants in Britain and Ireland
As in France, Great Britain and Ireland, the Michelin guide has also been published while restaurants remain closed.
This publication announced the selection of two new three-star restaurants in London, led by women, The Connaught in Mayfair directed by Hélène Darroze and Core in Notting Hill West London by chef Clare Smyth. Bloomerang, wrote that they are the first women in the UK to earn three stars in their own right.
Britain now has seven three-star restaurants, of which there are only 130 in the world with this rating.
Chef Andrew Wong, from A Wong, won a second Michelin star, being the first Chinese restaurant in the UK to receive it.
Another seventeen restaurants received new individual stars and twenty-three received a green star for the sustainable approach to gastronomy.
New starred restaurants in Switzerland
In Switzerland, four restaurants were entitled to receive the second Michelin star, for example, the Cà d’Oro in St. Moritz, Magdalena in Schwyz, Sens on the banks of Lake Lucerne and the Widder Restaurant in Zurich.
The three three-star restaurants maintained them and sixteen other restaurants earned their first star.
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New stars in Belgium and Luxembourg
The 2024 edition in Belgium and Luxembourg includes a new three-star restaurant, Zlite in Antwerp, and two new two-star restaurants, Castor in Beveren-Leie and Bartholomeus in Knokke. Ten new restaurants still won their first star, thus making 137 starred restaurants.
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The new starred restaurants in Spain and Portugal
The 2024 Michelin guide in Portugal and Spain has three two-star restaurants in Spain: Bo. Tic in Girona, Cinc Sentits in Barcelona and Culler de Pau in Pontevedra in Galicia.
In Portugal it has two new restaurants with one star in Lisbon: Eneko Lisboa and the restaurant 100 Maneiras.
In total, 21 establishments received the first star, 53 restaurants were added to the Bib Gourmand category and 21 were awarded the new green Michelin star.
The stars are distributed as follows: three stars – exceptional cuisine, worth a special trip; two stars – excellent cuisine, which is worth a detour; a star – a high-quality cuisine that is worth stopping by. The Bib Gourmand category is an award for good value and inexpensive restaurants.
Article Written by Luís Leão
