Food & drink
One star in under 5 months: Under Grain won big at this year's MICHELIN Awards
Under Grain was awarded a MICHELIN star yesterday evening

Caroline Curmi

The local restaurant industry triumphed yesterday with three restaurants awarded one MICHELIN star each. This success achieved by one of the restaurants, Under Grain, is especially mind-blowing as Executive Chef Victor Borg can reveal: “This is an honor and a big achievement for us, especially that Under Grain has been opened for 5 months to be recognized with a one MICHELIN star,” he says.

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"This has been a lifelong dream for me...I've been working for this for 30 years," Victor continues, adding that he trained abroad and worked at several MICHELIN starred establishments in Norway, London and Switzerland. "It’s not just waking up one fine morning and decide to go after a MICHELIN star," he says. 

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Upon receiving the call from MTA informing him of the great news, Victor admits to experiencing a wide array of emotions and even shedding a tear or two: "We're now no longer one of the best in Malta but also in the world," he says.

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Victor also took a moment to thank his team: "It’s definetely a team effort," he says. "We’re all so happy: owners, directors, the kitchen and service team. It's an amazing feeling...I can't put it into words...It's like the Academy Awards but for food!" Victor explains. 

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Located in Merchant Street in Valletta, Under Grain can be accessed through Grain, a restaurant serving a selection of Mediterranean options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sitauted underground, Under Grain offers a refined dining experience right in the heart of Malta's capital.

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The restaurant offers six starters, six main dishes and five desserts and aims to give diners a sense of of harmony, artfulness and order delivered through the restaurant's best possible offerings in an environment of informal luxury.

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Victor expresses his joy at receiving such a momentous achievement in such a short period of time: "This award shows the passion and dedication that the team and myself are delivering on a daily basis to our diners," he says.

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Congratulations to all the team at Under Grain!

27th February 2020


Caroline Curmi
Written by
Caroline Curmi
When she’s not having a quarter-life crisis, Caroline is either drawing in a café, frittering her salary on sushi or swearing at traffic in full-on Gozitan. There is also the occasional daytime drink somewhere in the equation. Or two. A creative must be allowed at least one vice.

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