Double for Clare Smyth from Bushmills in world’s top restaurants

Two of the world’s best five restaurants are owned by Co Antrim-born chef/restaurateur Clare Smyth, holder of three Michelin stars for culinary excellence.
Chef Clare Smyth pictured at Oncore in Sydney, the world’s number four restaurantChef Clare Smyth pictured at Oncore in Sydney, the world’s number four restaurant
Chef Clare Smyth pictured at Oncore in Sydney, the world’s number four restaurant

Originally from a farm near Bushmills, Clare is now one of the world’s most celebrated chefs. Her Core by Clare Smyth restaurant in London’s Kensington is listed at number three and Oncore in Sydney, Australia at four in the world’s top 1,000 restaurants by the influential LaListe global dining publication. She was voted the World’s Best Female Chef in 2018.

Clare, who has just opened a novel Whiskey and Seaweed cocktail lounge as part of Core, says: “Such an incredible achievement having both restaurants ranked third and fourth in the world. I am beyond proud of everyone’s hard work for helping us achieve this special recognition.”

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Every meal at Core, she says, “is a celebration of British ingredients. From Isle of Harris scallops and Sharpham Park spelt to Rhug Estate venison and Porthilly oysters, we seek the best seasonal produce from sustainable producers”. Potato and Roe, one of Clare’s classic dishes in both restaurants, is seen as homage to her Co Antrim upbringing and the role of potatoes.

The Whiskey and Seaweed cocktail lounge at Core by Clare SmythThe Whiskey and Seaweed cocktail lounge at Core by Clare Smyth
The Whiskey and Seaweed cocktail lounge at Core by Clare Smyth

Clare, the first and only British female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars for excellence, has used Abernethy Butter from Dromara in the past and currently includes Bushmills Whiskey and Boatyard Double Gin from Enniskillen in the new bar.

She worked with a number of top chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, before setting up Core in 2017 and then Oncore in 2021, the latter in a spectacular setting overlooking Sydney Harbour. Both restaurants have won widespread acclaim from food critics.

Based on the compilation of thousands of publications, hundreds of guidebooks, and millions of online reviews, LaListe, which is based in France, offers the world's best restaurant and hotel selection.

Clare also cooked for the wedding reception for Prince Harry and Meaghan Markle, a meal in which she used Northern Ireland’s luxury Abernethy Butter in the sauce..

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