In the 2014 guide Michelin awards Reale in Castel Di Sangro, Abruzzo, a third star. Ristorante Reale, housed in a former monastery, is run by chef Niko Romito and his sister Christina. The restaurant was awarded its first star in 2007, the second followed in 2009. Sergio Lovrinovich, editor in chief of the Michelin guide Italy, on Niko Romito: "he's a chef whose personality infuses each of his dishes".
Italy now has 8 three-star restaurants. Italy's other three-star restaurants are: Piazza Duomo in Alba, Da Vittorio in Brusaporto, Dal Pescatore in Canneto sull'Oglio, Le Calandre in Rubano, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence and La Pergola in Rome.
Michelin awarded three restaurants a second star: Villa Feltrinelli in Gargnano, Lake Garda (chef: Stefano Baiocco), Devero in Cavenago, Lombardy (chef: Enrico Bartolini) and Locanda Don Serafino in Ragusa, Sicily (chef: Vincenzo Candiano). Italy now has a total of 40 two-star restaurants.
In the last ten years the number of two and three-star restaurants in Italy has exactly doubled.
The 2014 guide will feature no fewer than 29 new one-star restaurants. Among the new laureats are Met restaurant at the Metropole hotel in Venice, Il Ridotto, also located in Venice, and Terrazza Bosquet in Sorrento. With these new additions the number of one-star restaurants in Italy stands at 281.
In the press release Michelin stresses that a considerable number of new two-star and one-star chefs are 35 years or younger, representing a new generation of young and promising Italian chefs.
In the Bib Gourmand category (a 'full meal' for less than €30, €35 in large cities or tourist areas) Michelin has awarded this accolade to 36 new restaurants, taking the the total number of Bib Gourmands in this guide to 294.
A full list of Michelin stars and Bib Gourmands can be downloaded here Italy2014
