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This year's Michelin star awards announced

It's a hundred years since the first Michelin Guide in the UK came into being and this year, there were 143 stars awarded, which represents the most ever. But critics including the likes of restaurant reviewer Jay Rayner believe the Michelin Guide has had its day.

Derek Bulmer, editor of the Guide revealed the lucky newcomers in yesterday's press conference in Michelin House, West London.

There were 12 new 1 stars, two new 2 stars but no new 3 stars:

1 star
1. Curlew, Bodiam, East Sussex
2. Pony & Trap, Chew Magna, Bath & North East Somerset
3. Adam Simmonds at Danesfield House, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
4. The Black Rat, Winchester, Hampshire
5. Paris House, Woburn, Bedforshire
6. Kitchen W8, Kensington, London
7. Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, London
8. Viajante, Bethnal Green, London
9. Galvin La Chapelle, Spitalfields, London
10. Petrus, Belgravia, London
11. Seven Park Place, St James's, London
12. Gauthier-Soho, Soho, London

2 stars
1. Helene Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair, London
2. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Rock, Cornwall

Big players, such as Gordon Ramsay hung on to their stars but, according to Rayner, there were plenty of rising stars that didn't get a look in, "...one has to ask whether that star really stands for much when the likes of the terrific Koffmann's, Launceston Place, L'Anima and Bistro Bruno Loubet do not equally get a star." Unusually all the new stars were awarded within England and over half in London.

On a positive note, Derek Bulmer has had a 33-year career with the Guide and said that when he started out the restaurant trade was blighted by overly long menus with most of the food coming straight from the freezer. Speaking about the increasing numbers of restaurants honoured he said, " It's a reflection of the quality of food in this country. It's getting better and better." Hurrah!

Have you visited a Michelin-starred restaurant? Did it deserve the hype?

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