Skof, the restaurant helmed by chef Tom Barnes, has been awarded a Michelin star, less than a year after opening in Manchester.
Barnes accepted the star in this year’s Michelin Guide ceremony at the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow.
It’s only the second star to arrive in Manchester, with the other being Simon Martin’s mana in Ancoats, who also retained his star for the sixth year, since winning one in 2019.
Prior to that, Manchester had not held a star since 1977.
Speaking about the win, Tom said: “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.
“And finally, congratulations to all the amazing restaurants who gained and retained stars tonight, particularly my colleagues in London and The Lakes.”
(Credit: Cristian Barnett)
(Credit: Cristian Barnett)
(Credit: Cristian Barnett)
(Credit: Cristian Barnett)
(Credit: Cristian Barnett)
It is not the first time Barnes has steered a restaurant to Michelin glory – he was executive chef at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in the Lake District when it won its third star in 2022.
Skof opened in April 2024, in the NoMa district near to Victoria, boasting a flagship 16-course tasting menu of modern British cooking, featuring some of the best seasonal produce available in the UK.
The menu, which takes in dishes like Sladesdown duck, Orkney scallops and Dexter beef bavette, culminates in Barney’s Tiramisu, a tribute to Barnes’ father, who died four years ago.
Tom decided to become a chef after being inspired by his grandmother, starting his apprenticeship as a teenager at the Lakeside Hotel near Windermere, with chef Duncan Collinge.
He was working at the two-star The Vineyard at Stockcross before he was 18, going on to work under acclaimed chefs like Phil Howard, Rasmus Kofoed, Peter Goossens at the three-starred Restaurant Hof Van Cleve in Belgium and, pivotally, Simon Rogan at Rogan & Co and L’Enclume.
He won the coveted Roux Scholarship in 2014, aged 25, and was promoted to being Rogan’s executive chef in 2019.
As well as the Michelin star, Skof was named Best New Restaurant at the Good Food Guide Awards last week, as well as being hailed Best Newcomer and Barnes as Best Chef at the 2025 Manchester Food and Drink Awards.
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