The Michelin guide on 23 May announced its list of starred restaurants in Belgium and Luxembourg with a couple of newcomers.

Ryôdô chef Ryôdô Kajiwara last year was named and is following up his success with a Michelin star this year. He was joined by Camille Tardif and Julien Lucas for their French cuisine-inspired eatery La Villa de Camille et Julien.

But in something of a surprise, three restaurants lost their famous star, including Clairefontaine in Luxembourg City, which had pre-empted the news in a Facebook post earlier on Monday. 

“Without much explanation, the red guide has decided to withdraw our star. Even though our address had been printed in it for over 21 years,” stated Clairefontaine. “It is often said that when you see a shooting star, you have to make a wish. Ours is to find our serenity as soon as possible to write the next page of our restaurant.”

The restaurant, run since 2001 by chef Arnaud Magnier, said it “went over the whys and wherefores with anger”, before concluding “with a clear head” that “there is no point in giving a justification to the inexplicable”.

The restaurant invested several hundred thousand euros in renovations, both in the dining room and in the kitchen, during the pandemic. It intends to continue “to strive for excellence in all our areas,” it said.

La Cristallerie in Place d’Armes and Les Jardins d’Anaïs near Clausen also shed their stars. 

Keeping their stars are the Distillerie at Bourglinster castle, which also gained a green star for sustainability for its plant-based dishes, Léa Linster in Frisange, Mosconi in Luxembourg City, Fani in Roeser and Guillou Campagne in Schouweiler. 

Ma Langue Sourit in Oetrange is the country’s only two-starred restaurant with chef Cyril Molard keeping his double distinction.

The announcement on Monday also included the so-called Bib Gourmand, which recognises good food at more moderate prices. Making the list in Luxembourg this year are Parc Le’h in Dudelange, Dahm in Erpeldange, K Restaurant in Huldange, Luxembourg City eateries Brasseries des Jardins, La Cantine du Châtelet and Kamakura, as well as Bonifas in Nospelt and Bistronome in Strassen.

In this category, too, there are some losers, with L’Atelier Windsor and L’Ecuelle in Wilwerdange losing their listing. La Bergamote, Joël Schaeffer in Mertert and Two 6 Two in Strassen--previously included in the Bib Gourmand--have closed their doors since the last edition.

This story was updated on 24 May at 11.45am to indicate that three Bib Gourmand restaurants did not lose their listing but closed permanently.