The Michelin guide for 2022 has just been released, and whilst there were no new stars for Yorkshire this year many were retained whilst new openings were praised by judges.
The guide is generally accepted as one of the foremost authorities on fine dining across the globe, leading to great excitement when its annual editions are released - but it seems not everyone is in agreement.
In fact, TV personality and celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo has caused quite a stir after branding the Michelin system 'absolutely c***'.
Speaking at his new restaurant Luciano, the chef was pretty damning when asked about the highly-prized rating system – saying that he ‘didn’t believe in it’ and thought it was ‘absolute nonsense.
Insisting that he didn’t want his cooking to be judged by people that ‘know less’, the TV personality pointed to his thirty-year cooking career as proof that he knows what he is doing.
Image: Instagram
According to reports in Cheshire Live, when asked about the area’s recent loss of its only star D’Acampo said that he didn’t believe in the star system and that he couldn’t accept the organisation.
He went on to call the majority of stars awarded ‘nonsense’ before adding ‘it is the best marketing ever’.
He also jested that he would create his own ‘Gino Star’, insisting that he would go to a Chinese restaurant and ‘judge them’ – a reference to the fact that Michelin guides are published by a French tyre company.
Speaking to Cheshire Live, the chef said: “Most of the Michelin stars are absolute nonsense. It is the best marketing ever, but the worst idea ever. Because if you think about it, you get judged by people who know less than you.
Image: Instagram
“I’ve been in Italian cuisine for 30 years, are you telling me that you’re going to get some French guy, he is going to come here and he is going to sit in my restaurant and judge the way I cook? I don’t think so.
“I’m not interested in the idea, and I’m not interested in restaurants that have got a Michelin star.
“It always upsets me when I have a friend of mine that maybe lost the star and they get so upset.”
“You should not think about stuff like that. Cheshire should not think about a Michelin because they are a nobody. They are no-one. Who are they?
“Tomorrow I can come up with s**t like that. I can say, ‘I’m going to call it the Gino Star’. I’m going to go to a Chinese restaurant and I’m going to judge them.
Following the recent closure of a number of his Gino D’Acampo’s My Restaurants, including a longstanding site in Manchester’s Corn Exchange, the chef has launched a new eatery in Alderley Edge and hinted at plans to open a new restaurant in Leeds.
Called Luciano, it promises to bring premium Italian ingredients to metropolitan diners as part of a new, fine dining menu.
Feature image - Instagram
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New BBC TV drama starring Bel Powley and Harley Squires to be filmed in Leeds this spring
The BBC has announced a brand-new crime drama set to be filmed in Leeds and Hull.
We all love a BBC drama, and luckily for us one is about to be filmed right here in Leeds.
The new drama will be titled Shy & Lola, starring Harley Squires from The Night Manager and Bel Powley from The Diary of A Teenage Girl.
The six-part series has been described as a "dark comedy" about two women caught up in a murder in the criminal underworld.
The plot follows an unassuming pair in a small coastal town in northern England where the pair both realise they have a hidden talent for crime.
The series synopsis states: "As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town."
The show is based on a popular French TV series and is written by Amanda Coe, an acclaimed English screenwriter and novelist.
Amanda Coe spoke about the announcement: "With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lolais a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion. I can't wait to see our hugely exciting cast and director bring it to life."
Rachelle Constant, executive Producer for Clerkenwell Films, said: "Amanda has written a brilliantly bold series centred on a dynamic female duo, which blends dark comedy with propulsive storytelling.We’re thrilled to have Hayley and Bel as our leads, alongside an exceptional cast and crew."
The new series will begin filming in Leeds and Hull this spring and will air on BBC One and iPlayer and we'll absolutely be tuning in.
Turnstile to play their only UK headline show this year at Halifax Piece Hall
Clementine Hall
Turnstile will headline the Halifax Piece Hall this summer, their only UK headline show.
The Grammy-winning hardcore group have just announced a very special show at historic venue the Halifax Piece Hall.
As part of the venue's huge summer season, Turnstile will take to the stage on Wednesday 26 August marking a whopping 41 shows at the Piece Hall's calendar so far.
The group pulled huge crowds at Glastonbury festival last year and scooped up two Grammy Awards earlier this month, using their platform to thank fans who "swung in the dark" with them.
Nicky Chance-Thompson MBE DL FRSA, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, says: “2026 will see Turnstile playing at some of the world’s most iconic festivals and then here in Halifax at UK’s most iconic heritage venue.”
“We always aim to deliver for the full spectrum of music lovers in Calderdale and knowing how passionate our rock and metal community is, this gig will be off the scale – truly unmissable!”
Alongside Turnstile, Halifax Piece Hall will welcome the likes of Hollywood Vampires, Paul Weller, Bowling For Soup, Skunk Anansie, Garbage, Empire of the Sun, Sex Pistols, Mcfly, CMAT and Jimmy Eat World this summer. What a season it's going to be.
Baltimore’s hardcore heroes will head to West Yorkshire to play TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall on Wednesday August 26.
Tickets go on sale this Friday 27 February at 10am, and you can get your tickets here.
Find out more about what's going on at the Halifax Piece Hall this summer here.
Georgina Pellant -
21st March 2022 
