Top chef Kevin Thornton said he was "baffled and sad" to learn that his renowned Dublin restaurant Thornton's had lost its Michelin Star in the most recent guide.
Thornton's, located in the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Dublin 2, had held the iconic star since 1996 and was awarded two stars between 2001-2006. Thornton said he learned from Twitter that the star had being deleted last week.
Speaking to the Sunday Business Post, Thornoton said that he and his wife and business partner Muriel received an outpouring of support from customers. ""While we are baffled and sad to lose the star, we are also strangely okay, content in the knowledge that we do what we do well," he said.
He said he couldn't determine whether the loss of the sat would have an adverse affect on business, but added: "There are a number of international travellers, for example, who only dine at starred restaurants," Mr Thornton said.
The announcement by the Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Guide 2016 came as a shock to most people in the industry as the restaurant seemed as popular as ever, recently picking up the Best Overall Restaurant award from Food & Wine Magazine.
