Michelin star for Hampshire restaurant (From Daily Echo)

The Black Rat in Winchester wins a Michelin star

11:10am Wednesday 19th January 2011 in Winchester By Andrew Napier, Winchester Chief Reporter

A Winchester restaurant has won a coveted Michelin star.

The Black Rat on Chesil Street, which only opened in 2007, has been honoured as among the best in the country.

Proprietor David Nicholson said last night: "I'm very, very excited. All the praise goes to the chef, Chris Bailey.

“The reason we have this is down to him. It is little to do with me. He creates the fantastic food. I’m excited for him. This is what you work for as a chef.”

Mr Nicholson said the accolade could be a double-edged sword: “I don’t want to be a slave to these awards. There is a certain element that it is a poisoned chalice. If we lose it next year, even though the food is exactly the same, then people may think we are rubbish.”

Much of the food served comes from a local allotment.

Mr Nicholson who has run the acclaimed nearby Black Boy pub since 1995 and is set to open a third venture, the Black Bottle later this year.

The Black Rat is the first Winchester restaurant to win a Michelin star since the Old Chesil Rectory, further down Chesil Street, under proprietor-chef Phil Storey, earlier this century.