‘It means everything’ – Skof chef Tom Barnes speaks on historic Michelin star win for Manchester

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Skof chef and owner Tom Barnes has issued a statement following his first Michelin star win last night, saying it ‘means everything’.

In case you missed it, the Michelin Guide UK & Ireland ceremony for 2025 was hosted in Glasgow yesterday evening, and it was here that Manchester restaurant Skof and its chef and owner, Tom Barnes, scooped its first Michelin star in what was a monumental win for his team and the city’s culinary scene as a whole.

Manchester had only one Michelin star before last night’s ceremony, held by Mana in Ancoats – but prior to Mana, the city had famously not had a star for more than 40 years.

Skof only opened its doors to the public last May, and can be found inside an old textile warehouse just a short stroll from Manchester Victoria station.

The restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide last August.

Skof chef Tom Barnes has spoken out on his historic Michelin star win for Manchester / Credit: Cristian Barnett

Following the impressive victory last night, chef Tom Barnes took to Instagram to issue a statement shortly after the ceremony was over, sharing his gratitude to his team for helping Skof achieve such a prestigious honour.

His statement reads: “I opened Skof to share my own take on fine dining with Manchester and beyond, so to be recognised by the Michelin Guide for what we do, means everything.

“The idea of building something that people love and that celebrates this industry was the fire inside that pushed me to try again when something didn’t work, or to tweak a dish to see if an even better version could be achieved.

“This determination of mine wouldn’t have got me very far if it wasn’t shared by my team. Words will not be enough to show my thanks for their ambition, hard work and, above all, skill. Every single one of them is vital to the success of Skof and every accomplishment is theirs to claim.

“The encouragement from our guests and supporters has given us hope to keep going through a very long build and has made us smile countless times. You’ve brought so much joy into our restaurant and without you, it wouldn’t be the same. Thank you.

“To Carla and my family, you have been there for me at every step of this wild journey, this is your success too.

“And to my work family, Simon, Sam, and the support from the team at UMBEL restaurants and ASM Global, thank you for your trust and for helping me grow.”

Chef and owner Tom Barnes said a special thank you to his Skof team / Credit: Cristian Barnett.

After thanking his team, his loved ones, and his mentors within the industry, Barnes then closed out his statement by congratulating all of the other ‘amazing restaurants’ who gained and retained stars at the ceremony last night – particularly his colleagues from restaurants he’s trained at and worked in through his career.

“I hope the hangovers aren’t too bad this morning,” his statement comically concluded.

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Elsewhere at the ceremony last night, Ormskirk restaurant Moor Hall became only the tenth establishment in the UK and Ireland to be awarded the hugely-coveted honour of having three Michelin stars, in what was another huge win for the North West.

Featured Image – Cristian Barnett