Italian TV chef Gino D’Acampo has spoken out against the Michelin star awards, calling the system ‘absolute nonsense’ in a recent interview.
Speaking at his new Cheshire restaurant Luciano, TV personality Gino D’Acampo was pretty damning when asked about the highly-prized rating system – saying that he ‘didn’t believe in it’ and thought it was ‘absolutely c***’.
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’.
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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.
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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.”
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“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 Manchester city centre.
Called Luciano, it will follow on from a successful Cheshire opening earlier this year and promises to bring premium Italian ingredients to metropolitan diners as part of a new, fine dining menu.
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Gino’s description of his new Luciano site seems to match that of the now-vacant Restaurant Bar & Grill on John Dalton Street, which was owned by Individual Restaurants – the company also behind Gino’s My Restaurant brand.
His new Manchester restaurant is expected to open in the city this summer.
Feature image – Instagram
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Police appeal for information after pedestrian killed on Mancunian Way followed earlier welfare concern reports
Emily Sergeant
Police are continuing to appeal for information after a pedestrian was killed on Mancunian Way during the early hours.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that the shocking incident occurred at approximately 12:50am on Friday 31 October when it was reported that a Volkswagen Passat had collided with a man in his 20s.
Sadly, the collision was fatal and the pedestrian died at the scene.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a man in his 40s, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Following the incident, subsequent police enquiries have established that a call was made to the force shortly after midnight which reported concern for a man walking on the carriageway, and GMP says it believes the man in that report was the man who was involved in the fatal collision.
Officers were sent out as ‘high priority’ to carry out an extensive search of the surrounding area after the report was made, but it was said that they couldn’t locate him.
#UPDATE | Officers are continuing to appeal for information following the fatal collision on Mancunian Way this morning.
We have referred ourselves to the IPOC after reports that the victim was possibly spotted on the carriageway earlier that morning.
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) October 31, 2025
Due to this earlier report, GMP has confirmed that it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to look into its response to the search.
The victim’s family is aware, have been updated, and they are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is still appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward, and are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have CCTV footage, dashcam, or mobile phone footage from the area in the moments leading up to the incident.
“This is a tragic incident for all involved and we express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who has lost his life, and whom we are doing our utmost to support at this time,” commented Sergeant Andrew Page.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of the 31/10/25, or by using the ‘report tool’ or LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Geograph
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Stockport paedophile who abused teen girls in early 2000s handed five extra years in prison
Emily Sergeant
A prolific paedophile who ‘groomed, exploited, and coerced’ teenage girls in the early 2000s has had his sentenced extended.
It was reported on back in June that Christopher Oates, from Stockport, was brought to justice after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.
Oates was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.
He was originally sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.
But now, following a successful appeal by GMP, working with the survivors and the Crown Prosecution Service, to take the ‘unduly lenient’ sentence to the Court of Appeal, Oates has now been handed an extra five years in prison.
Paedophile who abused teenage girls twenty years ago has sentenced extended by five years after successful appeal
We’ve worked with the survivors and the CPS to take Christopher Oates’ unduly lenient sentence to the Court of Appeal. pic.twitter.com/4yfgjpWxCN
His sentencing increase comes after the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.
When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.
It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.
From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.
Speaking on Oates’ sentencing increase, DI Eleanor Humphreys, who was a senior investigating officer for this case, said: “We join both victims in expressing our relief and delight that the Court of Appeal has reviewed Oates’ lenient sentence and increased it by five years.
“Oates will now rightly serve consecutive sentences for both victims, meaning that his time behind bars reflects the totality of his offending against both women – whose lives he has so badly impacted.
“We will not relent in ensuring child sex offenders are brought to justice and face the full consequences for their horrific crimes.”
Georgina Pellant -
21st March 2022 
