Michelin Guide 2024: Birmingham welcomes its first ever two star Michelin restaurant

One Birmingham restaurant has become the first in the city to be awarded two Michelin stars
Joe Forte
By Joe Forte
Published 5th Feb 2024, 20:08 BST
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Birmingham has welcomed its first ever two star Michelin restaurant at the prestigious ceremony tonight (February 5).

Some of the UK's best restaurants have found out whether they have won, lost or maintained prestigious Michelin stars this evening.

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The Michelin Guide Ceremony was held at The Midland Hotel in Manchester announcing the latest restaurant distinctions for UK and Ireland, including the globally renowned Michelin Stars. The best chefs in the country gathered for the event where the verdict of the inspectors was revealed.

Perhaps most significantly, the Michelin Guide has its first ever two star Indian restaurants in Birmingham’s Opheem and Gymkhana in London. Chef-Owner Aktar Islam owns the fine dining Indian restaurant Opheem, which is located on Summer Row.

Aktar Islam’s dining room is praised by Harden’s for going from strength to strength. It’s one of the top-10 most mentioned outside London in the guide’s poll - and has been described as “the best Indian restaurant outside London”.Aktar Islam’s dining room is praised by Harden’s for going from strength to strength. It’s one of the top-10 most mentioned outside London in the guide’s poll - and has been described as “the best Indian restaurant outside London”.
Aktar Islam’s dining room is praised by Harden’s for going from strength to strength. It’s one of the top-10 most mentioned outside London in the guide’s poll - and has been described as “the best Indian restaurant outside London”.

Opheem is one of the city's very best restaurants and it was honoured at the ceremony on Monday evening. The venue on Summer Row pushes the boundaries of Indian flavours using cooking techniques from across the world to create an exquisite dining experience.

Aktar opened Opheem in 2016 and it received its first Michelin star in October 2019. No other Birmingham or West Midlands restaurants received awards tonight.

Aktar Islam is a multiple award-winning English Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur. He opened Opheem in 2016 and it received its first Michelin star in October 2019. Opheem is the first and, as of 2023, only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the UK outside of London.Aktar Islam is a multiple award-winning English Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur. He opened Opheem in 2016 and it received its first Michelin star in October 2019. Opheem is the first and, as of 2023, only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the UK outside of London.
Aktar Islam is a multiple award-winning English Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur. He opened Opheem in 2016 and it received its first Michelin star in October 2019. Opheem is the first and, as of 2023, only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the UK outside of London.

What's been said about the winners?

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Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of The MIchelin Guide commented: “The dining scene in Great Britain & Ireland continues to be both innovative and impressive. With a new Three Michelin Star and 6 new Two Star restaurants, the selection’s global standing has grown even further. Among all of the newly awarded Stars, both the quality and variety of the dining experiences are wonderful to see.

"There are enormously talented chefs turning their hands to anything from wood-fired sharing plates to finely tuned sushi. To have so much positive news to share with the industry, at a time when restaurants are facing so many challenges, gives me great pride and is proof of the continued vitality within British and Irish dining.

"That this has happened in the 50th year of the Great Britain & Ireland Guide is proof of how much gastronomy has grown and evolved in that time.”

Related topics:RestaurantsMichelinBirminghamIrelandManchester

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