What a Michelin star means to some of Ireland's finest restaurants

Attaining a Michelin star does not remove all challenges, but some of Ireland's elite chefs tell ELLEN O'REGAN the gourmet world's highest accolade can transform a restaurant business

The co-owners of Dede in Baltimore, Co Cork, executive chef Ahmet Dede and maitre D Maria Archer celebrate their recently-awarded second Michelin star. Picture: Andy Gibson 

Considered the pinnacle of a chef’s career and the highest accolade a restaurant can achieve, Michelin stars are notoriously difficult to obtain, but can change the fortunes of a business and its surrounding areas overnight.

Last month the latest raft of Michelin stars were announced for Ireland and Britain, with Terre in Castlemartyr in Cork the only new Irish restaurant to enter the list — bringing the total number of Michelin star restaurants across the country to 21.