Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall awarded three Michelin stars
The Roux Scholarship family is celebrating the many achievements of Roux Scholars, judges and former finalists after the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland announced the newly starred restaurants on Monday 10th February. The highlight of the evening was seeing Roux Scholar 2011 Mark Birchall’s restaurant Moor Hall win its third Michelin star, making him the first ever Roux Scholar to win three stars for their own restaurant.
He said on receiving the news at a glittering ceremony at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum “You dream about these things, and act out how it might feel… and getting our first star was just one of the best feelings ever, but this just blitzes past that.” He went on to thank his family and remark that he would never forget today’s date, as it was also his daughter’s fifth birthday, and to thank his team and business partners.
Michelin noted that “Chef Mark Birchall and his team have continued to hone their craft and have now achieved new levels of excellence. The ingredients, many from the kitchen garden, are outstanding; the chefs’ culinary technique is hugely impressive; and the judgement of flavours, of when to prioritise simplicity and when to add complexity, is exemplary. The Inspectors particularly enjoyed the classically based turbot cooked in brown butter, with seasonal kuri squash and Mylor prawns. This new addition to the Three-Star family brings the total number of restaurants delivering ‘exceptional cuisine’ to 10.”
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of The MICHELIN Guides, commented: “I am thrilled to see that our Great Britain & Ireland Guide has had such a strong year yet again. Despite the challenges they face, chefs and restaurateurs have shown us that their talent, commitment and ingenuity know no bounds. Moor Hall newly receiving Three Michelin Stars will rightly be headline news, but I am equally pleased to see a huge total of 22 new Stars join our family. Having 36 Bib Gourmands awarded this year is also a great sign for British and Irish hospitality – showing how hard restaurants are working to offer great value to diners. Finally, we must not forget our new Green Stars and their inspiring commitments, for they are role models of our industry.”
Mark Birchall wasn’t the only Roux Scholar to be recognised with a new star this year, there were several more in the one star category. Roux Scholar 2014 Tom Barnes opened his restaurant Skof in central Manchester in spring 2024 and was awarded a star; while Roux Scholar 2019 Spencer Metzger’s restaurant Row on 5, in collaboration with Jason Atherton, was also awarded one star just a few months after opening.
Our newest judge Emily Roux’s restaurant Caractère was also awarded one Michelin star, while Chairman Alain Roux’s The Waterside Inn was celebrated for holding three Michelin stars for 40 years. Meanwhile, the Roux Family were delighted to see that our good friend of The Roux Scholarship Chef John Williams was invited on stage to receive the second Michelin star for The Ritz, London.
Other the Roux Scholars were celebrating the retention of their stars, including Sat Bains at Restaurant Sat Bains**, Luke Selby at Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons**, Kenneth Culhane at The Dysart Petersham*, Adam Smith at Woven*, Simon Hulstone at The Elephant*, Hrishikesh Desai at Cedar Tree at Farlam Hall*, Dan Cox at Crocadon Farm*, Steve Drake at Sorrel*. With the ceremony being in Scotland, it was also a good time to remember our first Scholar, Andrew Fairlie, whose eponymous restaurant maintained its two stars under Stephen McLaughlin.
