For the first time ever, the Michelin Guide held a huge event in the centre of London to unveil this year’s group of Michelin star restaurants in the UK and Ireland. Still considered as the most important guide to eating out in the world, Michelin inspectors have spent the last twelve months dining in the places that encapsulate everything incredible about the world of food and drink.

There were eighteen new one-star entries this year, with The Raby Hunt in County Durham the only establishment to gain a second. The Fat Duck regained its three stars after moving to Melbourne last year, bringing the total number of three-starred restaurants in the UK back to four.

2016 has seen quite a few Michelin star restaurants lose their chefs or close and, as a result, their stars. Legends like Phil Howard parted ways with The Square to open his new venture Elystan Street; Michael Wignall left The Latymer for Gidleigh Park to take over from Michael Caines and retained two stars and Matt Gillan moved on from The Pass in West Sussex. Claude Bosi also closed his Michelin star restaurant Hibiscus just two days before the results were revealed, meaning the number of two-star restaurants in the UK has decreased by two to twenty-one.

There were also some new special recognition awards presented at the beginning of the ceremony – Clare Smyth took home the title of Michelin Female Chef 2017, while the front of house team at Peel’s at Hampton Manor (which was also awarded a Michelin star) were given the Michelin Welcome Service Award 2017.

It was a good result for the north of England, as restaurants such as Kevin Tickle’s Forest Side and Gilpin Hotel and Lake House in Cumbria earned their first stars. Hackney in London also gained two stars, with Ellory and Pidgin making the cut.

Michelin-starred restaurants that closed and therefore lost their stars include Brasserie Chavot and Arbutus in London, Mr Underhill’s at Dinham Weir in Shropshire and Sangster’s in Fife. Other restaurants that have lost their Michelin stars this year are London’s Wild Honey, Launceston Place and L’Autre Pied; Paris House in Woburn; Drake’s in Surrey; Ockenden Manor in West Sussex; The Terrace at Montagu Arms Hotel and Thackeray’s in Kent.