Three Cork eateries grab Michelin stars

The three Cork recipients are the Japanese restaurant Ichigo Ichie in Cork City and two West Cork village restaurants — Mews in Baltimore and Chestnut in nearby Ballydehob. They are all first time recipients.

Ichigo Ichie which translates as ‘once in a lifetime’ received the award for combining Japanese culinary craft and art with the best of Irish seasonal ingredients to create “exquisite dishes”. It’s head chef Takashi Miyazaki was credited with bringing “kappou-style dining to Ireland”.

The Michelin Guide said the fact that West Cork alone secured two Michelin stars underlined the region’s growing reputation as a “fine food, fine dining destination”, celebrated annually in the Taste of West Cork event.

Baltimore’s Mews Restaurant was praised for “exploring Irish cuisine through the extraordinary variety of natural ingredients that the region has to offer”.

It serves a tasting menu based on the best local produce that it sources directly from small farmers, market gardeners, foragers and fishermen.

Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob is the creation of Cork-born chef Rob Krawczyk whose menu is influenced by his parents’ strong culinary and artistic heritage which they instilled in him when growing up in neighbouring Schull village.

A number of other Irish restaurants held onto their Michelin Star from previous years. They are the two-star Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and Chapter One, L’Ecrivain and The Greenhouse in Dublin City and Heron & Grey in Blackrock village.

Elsewhere, other one-star restaurants are Aniar and Loam, Galway City, Campagne and Lady Helen at Mount Juliet Hotel, Co Kilkenny, Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, and House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford. In the North, two Belfast restaurants — Eipic (Howard Street) and Ox (Oxford Street) — have also retained their Michelin Star status.

Speaking at the launch, Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland editor Rebecca Burr said much of the exciting things happening in Ireland’s food scene were taking place in Co Cork.

“The inspectors have seen exciting things happening in Ireland this year and much of it in Co Cork. There’s a lot of ability in Ireland right now. As everyone knows, the produce is stunning and it’s great to see chefs with such passion and personality in their food,” she said.