The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co. Waterford, is a new entry in the Michelin Guide, Great Britain & Ireland 2010. It received a coveted 'One Star' from the toughest critics in the business. This is a stunning achievement for a property which opened just two years ago. I have been fortunate to visit and know it is very well deserved.
Michelin stars are a big deal. Restaurant guests tend to place more trust in them as a mark of quality than in any other guide. So what does Michelin look for?
Well, most people are confused and really have no idea. Surprisingly, a lot of what customers consider to be really important is NOT taken into account - warmth of welcome, general ambience, service level, customer experience and the quality of facilities & equipment.
The only criteria Michelin use in awarding a Star are -
- Quality of ingredients
- Skill in preparing them and in combining flavours
- Level of creativity
- Consistency of culinary standards
- Value for money
- One Star - 'A very good restaurant in its own category, a good place to stop on your journey'
- Two Stars - 'Excellent cooking, worth a detour, with specialities and wines of first-class quality'
- Three Stars - 'Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey, where diners eat extremely well, often superbly'
So, what matters to Michelin inspectors is what's on the plate, nothing else! And that's where many chefs get confused.
For chefs, a Michelin star is the ultimate acolade, a culinary Oscar! However, many young chefs mistakingly think they should be cooking for stars rather than for customers and profit. They ought to be encouraged to think otherwise. I don't know if people remember the media fuss when Mint in Ranelagh won its star in 2008? Unfortunately, it closed its doors a year later.
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