Malta’s first ever two Michelin star restaurant

ION Harbour by Simon Rogan has been awarded its second Michelin star, a year after chef Simon Rogan took the helm at the restaurant located within the Iniala Hotel in Valletta.

Following the announcement, the award makes ION Harbour by Simon Rogan Malta’s first ever two Michelin star restaurant.

 

There are currently six one Michelin star restaurants located on the island. ION Harbour is situated on the rooftop of 5 star luxury Iniala Harbour House Hotel, part of Iniala Group, and offers unrivalled views of the UNESCO Grand Harbour in Valletta, Malta’s historic capital.

Today’s announcement now makes the Simon Rogan restaurant group, UMBEL, the purveyor of eight Michelin stars worldwide alongside, L’Enclume*** and Rogan & Co* in the Lake District, Aulis* in Soho and Roganic Hong Kong*, in addition to two Michelin Green stars awarded to L’Enclume and one to Roganic Hong Kong, both in 2021.

After receiving the news today in Malta, Simon commented: “Receiving news that ION Harbour has two Michelin Stars today is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of my career so far.

“My team and I arrived here just over a year ago, knowing that we wanted to bring something different to the island’s restaurant scene, continuing to share the farm-to-table ethos we are known for globally.

“Most importantly, we wanted to ensure we worked as closely as possible with the suppliers and the produce on this beautiful island, whilst keeping sustainable practices front of mind.”

 

For Simon and ION Harbour Executive Chef Oli Marlow, Malta’s landscape provides contrasting opportunities and challenges; high summer temperatures and low rainfall are countered by warmer winters, including a ‘second spring’ around October time.

The team works to identify the very best and most aligned suppliers, working with experts and insiders to discover small-scale, sustainable producers including spear fishermen, and a third generation salt farmer in Gozo.

They also work with a specialist forager and ION Harbour’s Head of Sustainability, Keith Abela, who assists with the identification of specialty and native breeds.

 

As in Simon’s other restaurants, the commitment to sustainability extends well beyond the ION Harbour kitchen, with the bar team working with the chefs to utilise surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, such as peels, stalks and stems.