The Michelin Guide 2022 has just been published and two Somerset restaurants have retained their Michelin stars.
Osip in Bruton
Merlin Labron-Johnson, whose restaurant Osip is housed within a boutique hotel in Bruton, is something of a culinary legend, achieving a Michelin star for Portland Restaurant in London when he was 24, and just nine months after it opened.
Wanting to return to the countryside, he initially thought of opening a restaurant in Devon, but plans fell through; then Number One Bruton turned up, and it was the perfect fit. A hotel in a beautifully restored building, with access to land where Merlin and his team can grow veg, along with plentiful amounts of produce coming from people nearby.
Hotel owners Claudia Waddams and Aled Rees took two years to transform the rambling, semi-derelict building with its warren of long-disused rooms.
It’s their dream project, and they have drawn on Aled’s hotelier expertise – his family has run The Ridgemount Hotel in Bloomsbury since his Welsh grandmother took it on in the 1960s.
Olive Tree in Bath
Known for being one of Bath’s longest established independent restaurants, the Olive Tree – located below the Queensberry Hotel – was awarded its first Michelin Star in 2018. This distinction is in addition to the restaurant’s 3 AA Rosette status.
Queensberry Hotel is made up of four beautiful grade II listed Georgian townhouses in the city, which owners Helen and Laurence Beere converted into a luxury boutique hotel after they bought it in 1998.
With Executive Head Chef Chris Cleghorn at the helm, The Olive Tree Restaurant menu showcases all of the high-quality artisan food producers worth their salt around the West Country.
Chris says: 'It is almost impossible to put into words what it means to me as a chef to be recognised by Michelin yet again with a star for The Olive Tree. This reward reflects the years of dedication and hard work that we have all collectively, and continually, put in behind-the-scenes to create our own individuality on the UK restaurant scene.
'Looking to the future, the team and I want to enjoy what we have achieved, but at the same time we will continue to evolve every single day. We want to push ourselves all the time, creating outstanding menus and memorable experiences that our guests can enjoy, working with our exceptional local suppliers and their excellent produce. We never rest on our laurels.'
Michelin Green Stars
These are awarded to restaurants that show real concern for sustainability in all aspects of gastronomy.
Newly awarded for 2022 is Oak Bath.
Just getting a mention in the guide is plenty to be chuffed about, and a whole host of other restaurants across the area are highlighted - read about them here.
