After a few months of sleep, due to the pandemic, Under Grain received the recognition which had been long overdue.
On February 26, Under Grain was awarded a One Michelin star, just a few months after its official opening. Under Grain is one of the first restaurants in Malta to be awarded such a prestigious award and also the first hotel restaurant in the heart of Valletta that holds such an honour.
Julia Farrugia Portelli, the Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection in Malta, proudly commemorated the award, officially, last Wednesday, June 10, by presenting the Michelin plaque of 2020 to the hospitality director, Claire Zammit Xuereb, in the presence of the Malta Tourism Authority high officials.
“Being awarded a Michelin star is an honour, not just to the Under Grain team, but to the whole AX Group,” Zammit Xuereb said.
“Putting our baby to sleep, after receiving such high recognition, was one of the hardest things we had to do this year. However, we were committed to keep on working on our brand behind closed doors to reopen with a bang, which we certainly have.”
“Seeing the physical Michelin plaque brought us straight to reality. It’s an emotional day in which our hard work has been duly recognised,” Victor Borg, executive chef at Under Grain, claimed.
Matthew Gingell Littlejohn, general manager of AX Hotels Valletta properties, expressed his gratitude towards the whole Under Grain team and went on to say that this award “brings forth a higher level of responsibility to give out the best possible service to our guests, which we have always been committed to giving”.
After the easing of government restrictions post-COVID-19, Under Grain reopened its doors on June 5. After a very successful opening weekend, Under Grain has three fully-booked weekends in advance. Currently, solely opening on Fridays and Saturdays, the business has picked up so rapidly that it is currently under discussion whether Under Grain should open during weekdays.
For clients’ safety and comfort, Under Grain has now moved under the stars, taking its Michelin star menu to the hotel’s rooftop.
Bookings can be made in advance at https://grain.mt/undergrain-booking/.
Under Grain is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7.30pm to 10.30pm (last order).