NI chef Clare Smyth earns coveted three Michelin stars
Northern Ireland-born Clare Smyth has become the first British female chef to win her own three Michelin stars, as tipped by mentor Gordon Ramsay in UTV programme Taste of Success.
The Bushmills native has worked for numerous celebrated chefs around the world – including French culinary master Alain Ducasse – but it was with Gordon Ramsay that she really made her mark.
Coming through the ranks at his flagship restaurant in London’s Chelsea, Clare Smyth finally ended up as head chef of the three-star establishment – an achievement unheard of for a woman in the UK.
She then opened her own restaurant Core in Kensington just three years ago.
Clare Smyth now joins a very small number of British chefs who have three Michelin stars in their own right, earning them in a good year for women alongside French chef Hélène Darroze of The Connaught, also in London.
It comes during an incredibly turbulent time for the hospitality industry, with restrictions in place in many countries to try to curb the spread of coronavirus amid a global pandemic.
That has, for many, meant the closure of eateries and bars and, for those who can, struggles to adapt business models to offer takeaways or diming at home experiences.
While only six operational restaurants lost Michelin stars this year, a further 16 lost them as they closed their doors permanently.
However, in Northern Ireland, there was good news for Deanes Eipic, Ox, and The Muddlers Club, with all three of the Belfast establishments retaining their one Michelin star status.
Throughout the difficult months that followed the outbreak, Clare Smyth’s team at Core have been doing what they can to support their local community when the restaurant has been unable to open in the usual way, cooking for those in need of support.
They have also turned their hands to translating their fine dining experience into something patrons can enjoy in their own homes.
“This year has been unbelievably challenging, and I am so proud of my team for their resilience and their constant dedication to excellence,” Clare Smyth said.
“I am also immensely grateful for all the support we have received from our guests, and our amazing British farmers, food producers and suppliers - many who have been on the journey with us from the beginning.
“I would also like to thank the restaurant community who have supported me throughout my career.”
Having spoken so warmly about his protégé in Taste of Success, and with such certainty that she would continue to achieve great things, Gordon Ramsay paid tribute to both Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze on social media.
Praising the teams at his own three-star restaurants for maintaining that level, he added: “And to top it all off, we now have two new three stars lead by Britain’s most talented female chefs.
“Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze have worked so hard to elevate dining to new heights and I couldn’t be more proud to see them with this honour.”