This morning’s Michelin Guide 2022 sees two new one-star entries and two well-known restaurants get their second star.

Every year, Michelin hands out Stars to the dining establishments it considers to be the best of the best. Over the years, chefs and restaurants have gained worldwide fame by being given the much-vaunted awards. Gordon Ramsay, Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux Jr are just some of the well-known faces to have been awarded Michelin Stars.

To earn one Michelin star, a restaurant needs to be “a very good restaurant in this category”. For two stars, it needs to be “excellent cooking, worth a detour”.

Glovers Alley gets their first star

Set in a prime spot on the second floor of The Fitzwilliam Hotel, overlooking St Stephen’s Green, Glovers Alley is named in honour of the city’s glove-makers, who once occupied the neighbouring alleyway.

Spearheaded by chef Andy McFadden the cooking is characterised by boldness – both in its flavours and textures – and his experience shines through in creative, modern dishes which are skillfully prepared and artfully presented. Dishes arrive at a smooth pace, brought to the table by a team who are detailed in their approach but aren’t pompous about it.

Dublin-born chef McFadden started his career in kitchens at the age of fourteen as a part-time kitchen porter at Luttrellstown Castle. Andy worked in London for Shane Osborn in Pied a Terre for four years. He then moved to the Netherlands to work under Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis for a year. After returning to London Andy spent the next seven years as Head Chef in L’Autre Pied and at sister restaurant Pied á Terre. He retained a Michelin Star during his time in both L’Autre Pied and Pied á Terre. 

Glovers Alley is the Tallaght native’s first Irish venture. Speaking about the win he said “It is a very proud day for the restaurant and for all the team. The tireless work by both the front of house and kitchen team has been an honour to be part of. As this exciting new chapter begins, I am looking forward to nurturing the young talent in our team and continuing to challenge and push ourselves. We are all over the moon.”

Bastible gets their first star

Bastible has been awarded a Michelin Star for the first time, joining the ranks of Variety Jones and Patrick Guilbaud.

One MICHELIN Star for vibrant neighbourhood spot, @Bastible111, where the generous cooking comes from the heart #Dublin #Ireland#MICHELINGuideGBI #MICHELINStar pic.twitter.com/KBipfVIyFh

— The MICHELIN Guide (@MichelinGuideUK) February 16, 2022

Bastible, the name of a traditional Irish cooking pot, is a neighbourhood restaurant in the vibrant suburb of Portobello in Dublin 8. This award levels up Bastible from the Bib Gourmand they have held since 2018.

Bastible serve a set menu based around the best Irish produce available. Once given advanced notice they can cater for most dietary requirements. Vegetarian menus are always available upon request. Their drinks list is concise but features some amazing wines from some of the world’s most interesting winemakers.

Bastible was founded in 2015 by Barry Fitzgerald, former head chef at Etto and the Michelin starred Harwood Arms in London and partner Claire-Marie Thomas. Bastible focused on seasonal produce from the get-go, and after a five-star review from the Irish Times, they were booked out months in advance. Chef Cúán Greene came on board as head chef in mid-2019, to more rave reviews but left in 2020 amid the corona crisis. Since reopening after lockdown last there has been a significant shift in the dishes by Barry, showcasing more refined flavours that have taken Bastible up a gear.

Liath gets a second

Liath in Blackrock Market has been awarded two Michelin Stars in 2022’s Michelin Guide.

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Liath is run by Australian chef-proprietor Damien Grey, whose focus is on the shared experience of eating. With a handful of tables, Liath prioritises a personal dining experience with a small team explaining the dishes personally to guests.

The website states that “We pay the utmost respect to all our superb ingredients, from both land and sea, and to all the people, the fishermen, the farmers, the growers, foragers, producers and many more, who work so hard to deliver it to our restaurant.”

There’s an early evening sitting of 3 courses (the ‘Preview’) and a later sitting where they serve the full surprise tasting menu; both showcase Liath favourites from across the years, which have been continually reworked and perfected. Bold, original dishes are centred around the five tastes – salty, savoury, sweet, bitter and sour – which come together in perfect harmony, and excellent wine pairings further enhance the experience.

When Damien Grey opened the booking system for Liath after the restaurant’s refurbishment in 2019, around 3,500 people tried to book a table at the same time, causing the website to crash.

Chapter One gets their second

 Chapter One is a fine dining restaurant that has been awarded one Michelin star from 2007 to today. Today after 15 years they have been awarded their second.

Two MICHELIN Stars for Dublin’s @ChapterOneByMV, whose sophisticated dishes boast striking natural flavours#Ireland #MICHELINGuideGBI #2MICHELINStars pic.twitter.com/DuPtRU0UXl

— The MICHELIN Guide (@MichelinGuideUK) February 16, 2022

Chapter One, where Finnish chef Mickael Viljanen took over the kitchen last May, was widely expected to debut at this level. Viljanen previously earned two stars for The GreenHouse in Dublin 2 but left there to enter into a partnership with Ross Lewis which saw Viljanen take over the kitchen and Lewis step into a management role.

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