A RESTAURANT in Oxford has joined the crème de la crème of the culinary world and gained a Michelin star.

The Oxford Kitchen in Summertown was awarded its first star at a ceremony last night, with food inspectors praising executive chef Paul Welburn as someone who 'never fails to demonstrate his acute understanding of flavour'.

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Oxford Mail:

The Oxford Kitchen in Summertown. Pic: Google 

He credited the restaurant's success to his 'whole team' and said the news had not yet sunk in.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, whose own restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars, offered his congratulations on Twitter.

It is the second award for the Banbury Road restaurant in as many weeks, as it gained a third AA rosette last week.

The Michelin Guide is published annually and awards up to three stars for excellence to the country's most impressive establishments.

See last year's Oxfordshire winners

The Oxford Kitchen was among three Oxfordshire restaurants to gain stars last night, alongside: 

-  Raymond Blanc's Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Great Milton, which gained two Michelin stars

- The Nut Tree Inn pub in Murcott, near Bicester, which gained one Michelin star (it first gained the star in 2008)

The guide also publishes a list of winners for an award called Bib Gourmand, defined as those offering 'exceptionally good food at moderate prices'.

There were three winners of this award in Oxfordshire; two of which are located on the same street in Oxford:

- The Bell Inn, Langford

- The Magdalen Arms, East Oxford (Magdalen Road)

- Oli's Thai, East Oxford (Magdalen Road)

This year marked Le Manoir's 34th year of gaining two Michelin stars, which chef Raymond Blanc described as an 'extraordinary' achievement.

The Nut Tree celebrated its 10th year of being awarded a Michelin star, and sous chef Mary Franklin said she 'couldn't be prouder'. 

See the full Michelin Guide here