German restaurant is Michelin's latest three-star addition

For a second year running, Germany was the only European country to gain a new three-star restaurant among the first clutch of 2001 Michelin guides, which were published in Britain last week and also covered Italy, Switzerland, and Spain and Portugal.

But Spain was the only country to gain more stars overall than it lost, a feat achieved by Switzerland alone in last year's guides for these countries.

The Residenz Heinz Winkler in Aschau became Germany's fifth three-star restaurant.

Germany also achieved the most new Bib Gourmand awards for good food at reasonable prices, which increased by 46 to total 352.

There were no other changes at the three-star level. Spain and Italy retained their three top-rated premises, Switzerland has two and Portugal, as yet, has none.

The guides - published with the same red covers that have marked the line for more than 100 years - are the first to be formally called "The Red Guide", although the name has long been used by readers.

The collection covers 11 European countries, with a 12th guide focusing on the major cities from 20 European countries.

The next red book due (on 19 January) is the guide to Great Britain and Ireland.

By Angela Frewin