MICHELIN STARS 2020: THESE ARE ALL THE WINNERS AND LOSERS

The day that every self-respecting chef gets a little nervous about is here, the Michelin stars have been awarded. Our friends from online food magazine FavorFlav are taking stock.

In the 2019 guide, there are three three-star restaurants, eighteen establishments with two stars, and 89 restaurants with one star. But Jacob Jan Boerma from De Leest – together with Inter Scaldes and De Librije a restaurant with three stars – is out anyway, because shortly after Christmas, Jacob Jan pulled the plug on his business. News: the former three-star chef is opening a ‘high-end’ pizza place in Amsterdam this year.

Tribute

A beautiful and touching moment during the award ceremony: the first Michelin guide was received by the wife of former star chef Lucas Rive. A tribute to the chef who passed away last December after a short illness.

Award for best sommelierBefore the chef awards, the spotlight was on the country's best sommelier. The Sommelier Award from Michelin went to Koen van der Plas from Kasteel Heemstede.

Most talented young chef

New this year is the Young Chef Award. It went to 23-year-old Cas Pikaar from restaurant Doyy in Eindhoven.

Biggest contenders

As always, there had been rumors for months about the big contenders. The most mentioned among chefs: Daalder in Amsterdam where Dennis Huwaë has been doing amazing things for a few years, and Thijs Meliefste from Meliefste in Wolphaartsdijk. The biggest surprise: both restaurants received no star.

Eight new restaurants with one star

For those who want to dine at one of the new star establishments, a trip to the South is necessary, as most newcomers were found there. The winners are: Graphite by Peter Gast (Amsterdam), Zout & citroen (Oosterhout), Noble Kitchen by Edwin Kats (Cromvoirt), Rantrée (Maastricht), Beluga loves you (Maastricht), Versaen (Ravenstein), Marrees (Weert) and Eden (Valkenswaard).

Two-star restaurants

All two-star restaurants that had one in the 2019 guide retain it this year.

Three stars

De Librije in Zwolle retains the three stars. Since 2004, top-level sports have been practiced here. “And we still enjoy it,” says an enthusiastic Thérèse Boer at the award ceremony. And hooray! Inter Scaldes by Jannis and Claudia Brevet also retains three stars.

There are no new two-star or three-star restaurants this year.

Losers

The restaurants that have lost their star(s) are: De Leest (Vaessen, ***), Beluga (Maastricht **), Blok’s (Amersfoort, *), Bridges Dining (Amsterdam, *), La Trinité (Sluis, *) and Strandlodge (Winterswijk, *).

Image: Graphite