 | |
| Categories | Gastronomy,tourism |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Yearly |
| Founder | Édouard Michelin André Michelin |
| First issue | 1900; 125 years ago (1900) |
| Company | Michelin |
| Country | France |
| Website | guide.michelin.com |
TheMichelin Guides (/ˈmɪʃəlɪn,ˈmɪtʃəlɪn/MISH-əl-in,MITCH-əl-in;French:Guide Michelin[ɡidmiʃlɛ̃]) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre companyMichelin since 1900.[1] TheGuide awards up to three Michelinstars for excellence to a select fewrestaurants in certain geographic areas. Michelin also publishes theGreen Guides, a series of general guides to cities, regions, and countries.
In 1900, there were fewer than 3,000 cars on the roads of France. To increase the demand for cars, and accordingly car tyres, the car tyre manufacturers and brothers,Édouard andAndré Michelin published a guide for French motorists, theGuide Michelin (Michelin Guide).[2] Nearly 35,000 copies of this first, free edition were distributed. It provided information to motorists such as maps, tyre repair and replacement instructions, car mechanics listings, hotels, and petrol stations throughout France.
In 1904, the brothers published a guide for Belgium,[3] and then for Algeria and Tunisia (1907); theAlps and theRhine (northern Italy, Switzerland,Bavaria, and the Netherlands) (1908); Germany, Spain, and Portugal (1910); the British Isles (1911); and "The Countries of the Sun" (Les Pays du Soleil) (Northern Africa,Southern Italy andCorsica) (1911). In 1909, an English-language version of the guide to France was published.[4]
DuringWorld War I, publication of the guide was suspended. After the war, revised editions of the guide continued to be given away until 1920. It is said that André Michelin, while visiting a tyre merchant, noticed copies of the guide being used to prop up a workbench. Based on the principle that "man only truly respects what he pays for", Michelin decided to charge for the guide, about 7.50 francs orUS$2.15 in 1922.[5] They also made several changes, notably listing restaurants by specific categories, adding hotel listings (initially only for Paris), and removing advertisements.[3] Recognizing the growing popularity of the restaurant section, the brothers recruited a team of anonymous inspectors to visit and review restaurants.[6]
Following the usage of theMurray's andBaedeker guides, the guide began to awardstars for restaurants in 1926. Initially, there was only a single star awarded. Then, in 1931, the hierarchy of zero, one, two, and three stars was introduced. Finally, in 1936, the criteria for the rankings were published:[3]
: "A very good restaurant in its category" (Une très bonne table dans sa catégorie)
: "Excellent cooking, worth a detour" (Table excellente, mérite un détour)
: "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey" (Une des meilleures tables, vaut le voyage).[6]In 1931 the cover was changed from blue to red and has remained so in all subsequent editions.[6] DuringWorld War II, publication was again suspended. In 1944, at the request of theAllied Forces, the 1939 guide to France was specially reprinted for military use; its maps were judged the best and most up-to-date available. Publication of the annual guide resumed on 16 May 1945, a week afterVE Day.[3]
In the early post-war years, the lingering effects of wartime shortages led Michelin to impose an upper limit of two stars; by 1950 the French edition listed 38 establishments judged to meet this standard.[7] The firstMichelin Guide for Italy was published in 1956. It awarded no stars in the first edition. In 1974, the first guide to Britain since 1931 was published. Twenty-five stars were awarded.[8]
In 2005, Michelin published its first American guide, covering 500 restaurants in the five boroughs ofNew York City and 50 hotels in Manhattan. In 2007, aTokyo guide was launched. In the same year, the guide introduced a magazine,Étoile. In 2008, aHong Kong andMacau volume was added.[3] As of 2013, the guide is published in 14 editions covering 23 countries.[3]
In 2008, the German restaurateur Juliane Caspar was appointed the first woman and first non-French national editor-in-chief of the French edition of the guide. She had previously been responsible for the Michelin guides to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The German newspaperDie Welt commented on the appointment, "In view of the factGerman cuisine is regarded as a lethal weapon in most parts of France, this decision is like Mercedes announcing that its new director of product development is a Martian."[9][10]
TheKorea Tourism Organization commissioned Michelin to includeSouth Korea in its 2016 edition at a cost of 3.2 billionwon (over US$1 million), but government officials were unhappy with resulting inaccuracies such as typos, translation errors, and description errors regarding seating options.[11] In 2017, theTourism Authority of Thailand agreed to pay 144 million Thai baht (US$4.4 million) over five years for the inclusion of their country.[12]
In 2022, the guide expanded to Canada, with guides coveringToronto[13] andVancouver[14] in return for undisclosed payments from each city's local chapter ofDestination Canada.[15][16]
The guide announced its first list of restaurants in the US state ofFlorida on 9 June 2022, after the state and city tourism boards inMiami,Orlando, andTampa, agreed to collectively pay the company up to US$1.5 million.[17][18] The guide awarded a single two-star ranking and fourteen one-star rankings, and 29 Bib Gourmands.[19][20]
In late 2022, the guide expanded toVietnam,Malaysia,Estonia, and theUnited Arab Emirates in return for undisclosed payments.[21][22]
In February 2023, theIsraeli Tourism Ministry announced a bid to bring the Michelin guide to their country in return for a payment of €1.5 million.[23][21]
In 2023, the guide expanded to several cities inColorado (Aspen,Beaver Creek Resort,Boulder,Denver,Snowmass Village, andVail) that paid between US$70,000 and US$100,000 on top of a state contribution; other cities (Aurora,Colorado Springs,Fort Collins, andGrand Junction) declined to participate.[24][25] In September 2023 the Michelin Guide also expanded toAtlanta, in return for a payment of US$1 million over three years.[26][27]
In the early 2020s, Michelin began requiring certain countries which had previously received reviews to pay for continued coverage.Hungary,Slovenia, and theCzech Republic agreed to do so.[28][29]
In 2025, the guide plans to expand to thesoutheastern United States, called theAmerican South edition, which includesAlabama,Louisiana,Mississippi,North Carolina,South Carolina, andTennessee. The edition will include theAtlanta guide.[30]
The guide will expand to thePhilippines in 2026, covering theGreater Manila Area andCebu.[31]
The Michelin Guide ended printed copies in 2021. After 121 years, Michelin transitioned to digital publication and released a proprietaryapp. This allowed Michelin to distribute the guide to a larger audience at no charge.[32] However, as of 2024, a handful of popular regions,France,Italy,Japan andSpain, remain in printed publication.[33]
Red Guides have historically listed many more restaurants than rival guides, relying on an extensive system of symbols to describe each one in as little as two lines. Reviews of starred restaurants also include two to three culinary specialties. Short summaries (2–3 lines) were added in 2002/2003 to enhance descriptions of many establishments. These summaries are written in the language of the country for which the guide is published (though theSpain andPortugal volume is in Spanish only) but the symbols are the same throughout all editions.[34]
Michelin inspectors (reviewers) visit restaurants anonymously, and they award one, two, or three stars for those considered at least very good:
: "High-quality cooking, worth a stop" (Cuisine de qualité, mérite une halte) : "Excellent cooking, worth a detour" (Cuisine excellente, mérite un détour) : "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey" (Une des meilleures cuisines, vaut le voyage).[6]Inspectors' meals and expenses are paid for by Michelin, never by a restaurant being reviewed:
Michelin has gone to extraordinary lengths to maintain the anonymity of its inspectors. Many of the company's top executives have never met an inspector; inspectors themselves are advised not to disclose their line of work, even to their parents (who might be tempted to boast about it); and, in all the years that it has been putting out the guide, Michelin has refused to allow its inspectors to speak to journalists. The inspectors write reports that are distilled, in annual "stars meetings" at the guide's various national offices, into the ranking of three stars, two stars, or one star—or no stars (establishments that Michelin deems unworthy of a visit are not included in the guide).[35]
The French chefPaul Bocuse, one of the pioneers ofnouvelle cuisine in the 1960s, said, "Michelin is the only guide that counts."[36] In France, when the guide is published each year, it sparks a media frenzy which has been compared to that for annualAcademy Awards for films.[35] Media and others debate likely winners, speculation is rife, and TV and newspapers discuss which restaurant might lose and which might gain a Michelin star.[37][38][39][40]
TheMichelin Guide also awards "Rising Stars", an indication that a restaurant has the potential to qualify for a star, or an additional star.[41]
In 2020, theMichelin Guide launched a sustainability emblem to symbolise excellence in sustainablegastronomy.[42] An establishment awarded this green star is given space on the Guide's website for the chef to describe the restaurant's vision.[42]
Since 1997,[43] the guide has also highlighted restaurants offering "exceptionally good food at moderate prices", a feature now called "Bib Gourmand". They must offer a combination of menu items priced below a maximum determined by local economic standards. For example, inCanada a Bib Gourmand restaurant must be able to offer a two-course meal and either dessert or a glass of wine for less than $60 CAD per person.[44]Bib (Bibendum) is the company's nickname for theMichelin Man, its corporate logo for over a century.[45] Like Michelin stars, a restaurant can gain or lose a Bib Gourmand designation at Michelin's annual award ceremony for the region where it operates.[46]
In 2016, a new symbol, the Plate, was added to recognize restaurants that "simply serve good food".[47]
Michelin began awarding "keys" to hotels starting in 2024. Michelin states that the key award will be given after stays conducted anonymously byMichelin Guide selection teams use 5 criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting. The MICHELIN Guide selection recommends over 6,000 hotels across the world.[48][49]
Note: the information below is based on the number listed on Michelin Guide official website, up to May 21, 2024.
| Country/Region[50] | Year |  Stars |  Stars |  Star | Total | Green star | Bib Gourmand | Selected Restaurant | Establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2024[51] | 30 | 75 | 534 | 639 | 93 | 392 | N/A | almost 3000 restaurants |
| Japan | 2023[52] | 23 | 82 | 442 | 547 | 28 | 492[53] | 1,501 restaurants | |
| Spain | 2024[54] | 15 | 32 | 224 | 271 | 49 | 229 | 766 | 1,266 restaurants |
| Italy | 2024[55] | 13 | 40 | 342 | 395 | 58 | 257 | 1,986 restaurants | |
| United States[Note 1] | 2023[56] | 13 | 33 | 177 | 223 | 29 | 374 ($49)[57] | 1,509 restaurants | |
| Germany | 2024[58] | 10 | 50 | 280 | 340 | 77 | 199 | 750 | N/A |
| Great Britain andIreland[Note 2] | 2024[59] | 9 | 27 | 170 | 206 | 32 | 127 | N/A | 1,162 restaurants |
| Nordic Countries[Note 3] | 2024[60] | 6 | 13 | 66 | 85 | 36 | 37 | N/A | 268 restaurants |
| Switzerland | 2023[61][62] | 4 | 26 | 108 | 138 | 31 | 125 (CHF70)[63] | 458 hotels and guest houses, 777 restaurants | |
| China (mainland)[Note 4] | 2024[64] | 5 | 18 | 109 | 131 | 4 | 183 | 245 | 485 restaurants |
| Singapore | 2024[65] | 3 | 6 | 42 | 51 | 2 | 81 | 151 | 283 restaurants |
| Taiwan | 2023[66][67] | 3 | 6 | 35 | 44 | 11 | 139 | 321 restaurants | |
| Belgium and Luxembourg | 2024[68] | 2 | 23 | 128 | 153 | 12 | 131 | N/A | 792 restaurants |
| Netherlands | 2023[69] | 2 | 20 | 103 | 125 | 15 | 98 (€39)[70] | 504 restaurants | |
| Austria | 2025[71] | 2 | 18 | 62 | 82 | 33 | 43 | 208 | |
| Slovenia | 2023[72] | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 59 restaurants | |
| South Korea | 2024[73] | 1 | 9 | 26 | 57 | 87 | 177 restaurants | ||
| Portugal | 2024[74] | 0 | 8 | 31 | 39 | 5 | 32 | 96 | 167 restaurants |
| Thailand | 2024[75] | 7 | 28 | 35 | 4 | 196 | 447 restaurants | ||
| Brazil | 2024[76] | 6 | 15 | 21 | 3 | 37 | 82 | 140 restaurants | |
| Mexico | 2024[77] | 2 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 42 | 97 | 157 restaurants | |
| Hungary | 2023[78] | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 75 restaurants | ||
| Canada[Note 5] | 2023[79] | 1 | 23 | 24 | 2 | 38 | 160 restaurants | ||
| Turkey | 2024[80] | 1 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 24 | 70 | 106 restaurants | |
| Argentina | 2024[81] | 1 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 71 restaurants | ||
| Malta | 2024[82] | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 40 restaurants | |
| Malaysia | 2024[83] | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 45 | 77 restaurants | ||
| Poland | 2024[84] | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 55 | 77 restaurants | |
| Estonia | 2024[85] | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 35 restaurants | |
| Croatia | 2023[86] | 1 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 71 | 93 restaurants | |
| Vietnam | 2023[87] | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 103 restaurants | ||
| Lithuania | 2024[88] | 4 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 34 restaurants | |||
| Qatar | 2025[89] | 2 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 33 restaurants | |||
| Latvia | 2024[90] | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 22 restaurants | |||
| Serbia | 2025[91] | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| Andorra[Note 6] | 2024[54] | 1 | 0 | N/A | N/A | 5 restaurants | |||
| City[50] | Year | 3 Star | 2 Star | 1 Star | Total | Green star | Bib Gourmand | Selected Restaurant | Establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 2023[92] | 9 | 15 | 106 | 130 | 46 (€35) | 488 restaurants[93] | ||
| Abu Dhabi | 2025[94] | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 36 | 48 restaurants | |
| Athens | 2023[95] | 0 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 31 restaurants | ||
| Atlanta | 2023[96] | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 45 restaurants | ||
| Beijing | 2025[97] | 2 | 4 | 27 | 33 | 21 | 47 | 101 restaurants | |
| Belgrade | 2024[98] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 restaurants | ||
| Bodrum | 2024[80] | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 19 restaurants | ||
| Buenos Aires | 2024[81] | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 52 restaurants | ||
| Busan | 2024[73] | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 (₩ 45,000) | 25 | 43 restaurants | |
| Chengdu | 2024[99] | 0 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 20 | 69 restaurants | ||
| Chicago | 2023[100] | 2 | 3 | 16 | 21 | 47 ($40)[101] | 400 restaurants[102] | ||
| California[Note 7] | 2023[103] | 6 | 12 | 69 | 87 | 143 | 608 restaurants | ||
| Colorado | 2023[104] | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 44 restaurants | ||
| Doha | 2025[89] | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 33 restaurants | ||
| Dubai | 2024[105] | 0 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 1 | 90 restaurants | ||
| Florida | 2024[106] | 0 | 1 | 25 | 26 | 33 ($50) | 91 | 149 restaurants | |
| Guangzhou | 2024[107] | 0 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 44 | 105 restaurants | ||
| Hangzhou | 2023[108] | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 51 restaurants | ||
| Hanoi | 2023[87] | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 48 restaurants | ||
| Ho Chi Minh City | 2023[87] | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 55 restaurants | ||
| Hong Kong and Macau | 2024[109] | 9 | 18 | 68 | 95 | 77 | 90 | 262 restaurants | |
| Istanbul | 2024[80] | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 77 restaurants | ||
| İzmir | 2024[80] | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 restaurants | ||
| Kaohsiung | 2023[67] | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 53 restaurants | ||
| Kyoto and Osaka | 2024[110] | 8 | 27 | 150 | 185 | 117 | 138 | 440 restaurants | |
| Kuala Lumpur | 2024[83] | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 43 restaurants | ||
| Las Vegas (suspended) | 2009[111] | 1 | 3 | 13 | 17 | 140 restaurants, 32 hotels | |||
| London | 2023[112] | 5 | 12 | 57 | 74 | 34 (£28) | 347 restaurants, 14 in hotels | ||
| Main Cities of Europe | 17 March 2010[113] | 15 | 55 | 271 | 341 | 231 | 1,715 restaurants, 1,542 hotels | ||
| Mendoza | 2024[81] | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 19 restaurants | ||
| Moscow (suspended)[114] | 2021[115] | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 15 | |||
| Milano | 2024[116] | 1 | 4 | 14 | 19 | 7 | 122 restaurants | ||
| Nara Prefecture | 2023[117] | 0 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 18 | 88 restaurants | ||
| New York City | 2023[118] | 4 | 14 | 53 | 71 | 102 ($49) | |||
| Penang | 2024[83] | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 34 restaurants | ||
| Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo | 2024[76] | 0 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 37 | 82 | 140 restaurants | |
| Salzburg | 2023[119] | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 20 restaurants | ||
| Seoul | 2024[73] | 1 | 9 | 23 | 33 | 57 (₩ 45,000) | 87 | 177 restaurants | |
| Shanghai | 2024[120] | 2 | 9 | 41 | 51 | 26 | 148 restaurants | ||
| Taichung | 2023[67] | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 64 restaurants | ||
| Tainan | 2023[67] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 56 restaurants | ||
| Taipei | 2023[67] | 2 | 5 | 28 | 35 | 45 | 148 restaurants | ||
| Texas | 2024[121] | 0 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 44 | 116 restaurants | ||
| Toronto | 2023[122] | 0 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 83 restaurants | ||
| Trieste | 2024[123] | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 20 restaurants | |
| Tokyo | 2024[124] | 12 | 33 | 138 | 183 | 127 | 194 | 504 restaurants | |
| Vancouver | 2023[125] | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 77 restaurants | ||
| Vienna | 2023[119] | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 57 restaurants | ||
| Washington, D.C. | 2023[126] | 1 | 3 | 21 | 25 | 29 ($40) | 122 restaurants[127] |
In 2014, Michelin introduced a separate listing forgastropubs in Ireland.[128] In 2016, theMichelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau introduced an overview of notable street-food establishments.[129][130] In the same year, the Singapore guide introduced the first Michelin stars for street-food locations, forHong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle andHill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.[131]
All listed restaurants, regardless of their star,Bib Gourmand, or Plate status, also receive a "fork and spoon" designation, as a subjective reflection of the overall comfort and quality of the restaurant.[132] Rankings range from one to five: one fork and spoon represents a "comfortable restaurant" and five signifies a "luxurious restaurant". Forks and spoons colored red designate a restaurant that is considered "pleasant" as well.
Restaurants, independently of their other ratings in the guide, can also receive a number of other symbols next to their listing:
TheMichelin Green Guides review and rate attractions other than restaurants. There is aGreen Guide for France as a whole, and a more detailed one for each of ten regions within France. OtherGreen Guides cover many countries, regions, and cities outside France. ManyGreen Guides are published in several languages. They include background information and an alphabetical section describing points of interest. Like theRed Guides, they use a three-star system for recommending sites, ranging from "worth a trip" to "worth a detour", and "interesting".[133]
Pascal Rémy, a veteran France-based Michelin inspector, and also a formerGault Millau employee, wrote atell-all book,L'Inspecteur se met à table (The Inspector Sits Down at the Table), published in 2004. Rémy's employment was terminated in December 2003 when he informed Michelin of his plans to publish his book.[134] He brought a court case for unfair dismissal, which was unsuccessful.[135]
Rémy described the French Michelin inspector's life as lonely, underpaid drudgery, driving around France for weeks on end, dining alone, under intense pressure to file detailed reports to strict deadlines. He maintained that the guide had become lax in its standards. Though Michelin states that its inspectors visited all 4,000 reviewed restaurants in France every 18 months, and all starred restaurants several times a year, Rémy said only about one visit every3+1⁄2 years was possible because there were only 11 inspectors in France when he was hired, rather than the 50 or more hinted by Michelin. That number, he said, had shrunk to five by the time he was fired in December 2003.[134]
Rémy also accused the guide of favouritism. He alleged that Michelin treated famous and influential chefs, such asPaul Bocuse andAlain Ducasse, as "untouchable" and not subject to the same rigorous standards as lesser-known chefs.[134] Michelin denied Rémy's charges, but refused to say how many inspectors it actually employed in France. In response to Rémy's statement that certain three-star chefs were sacrosanct, Michelin said, "There would be little sense in saying a restaurant was worth three stars if it weren't true, if for no other reason than that the customer would write and tell us."[136]
Some non-French food critics have alleged that the rating system is biased in favour ofFrench cuisine or French dining standards. British newspaperThe Guardian commented in 1997 that "some people maintain the guide's principal purpose is as a tool of Gallic cultural imperialism".[137] When Michelin published its first New York City Red Guide in 2005 Steven Kurutz ofThe New York Times noted thatDanny Meyer'sUnion Square Cafe, a restaurant rated highly byThe New York Times,Zagat Survey, and other prominent guides, received a no-star rating from Michelin (he did, however, acknowledge that the restaurant received positive mention for its ambiance, and that two other restaurants owned by Meyer received stars). Kurutz also said the guide appeared to favour restaurants that "emphasized formality and presentation" rather than a "casual approach to fine dining". He said over half of the restaurants that received one or two stars "could be considered French".[138] TheMichelin Guide New York 2007 included 526 restaurants, compared to 2,014 in Zagat New York 2007; afterThe Four Seasons Restaurant received no stars in that edition, co-ownerJulian Niccolini said Michelin "should stay in France, and they should keep their guide there".[139] The 2007 guide does, however, include menus, recipes, and photographs, and descriptions of the atmosphere of starred restaurants.[139]
In 2007,Tokyo's restaurants were awarded with the most stars and in 2010 other Japanese cities likeKyoto andOsaka also received many stars. At the time this sparked questions from some over whether these high ratings were merited for Japanese restaurants, or whether theMichelin Guide was too generous in giving out stars to gain an acceptance with Japanese customers and to enable the tyre-selling parent company to market itself in Japan. Some argued that the discrepancy is explained by the difference in total restaurants in each city: Tokyo has 160,000 restaurants while Paris, for example, has just 40,000.[140][141]The Wall Street Journal reported in 2010 that some Japanese chefs were surprised at receiving a star and were reluctant to accept one because the publicity caused an unmanageable jump in bookings, affecting their ability to serve their traditional customers without compromising on lowering the quality of their dishes.[142]
Some restaurateurs have asked Michelin to revoke a star, because they felt that it created undesirable customer expectations[143] or pressure to spend more on service and decor.[144] Notable cases include:
The pressure to retain Michelin stars can be immense, as the loss of a star will almost inevitably have a significant impact on business. It is widely believed that chefBernard Loiseau committed suicide in 2003 after hearing the rumor that his three-star restaurant,La Côte d'Or, would be demoted to two stars.[152]
In 2017, the Bouche à Oreille café inBourges, France, was accidentally given a star when it was confused with a restaurant of the same name inBoutervilliers, near Paris.[153][154]
In the 21st century, some American chefs, restaurant owners, and officials interviewed byThe New York Times criticized the guide for creating a type of sameness, rewarding expensive fine dining attributes, luxury ingredients, expensive tableware, matching uniforms, many-course menus, small bites, and meticulously arranged plating.[150] High-quality fine dining in Western countries is labor-intensive, putting pressure online chef wages. Because of their high status, Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants often rely onstaging, a form ofunpaid internship. At the three-star restaurantNoma, chef-owner René Redzepi yielded to public pressure in 2022 and began paying interns. After three months, Redzepi announced the restaurant was no longer financially sustainable and that the concept would close at the end of 2024.[155] The power imbalance between chef-owners and staff has also resulted in workers at some fine-dining restaurants producing intricate dishes complaining of very long hours, difficulty affording food, physical and sexual abuse, refusal of permission to treat injuries at a hospital, and destruction of workers' personal property.[156]
Most chefs interviewed byThe New York Times said the increase in business and job applicants that comes with the publicity around a Michelin star makes it worth seeking.[150] Many also said the competition for stars improves restaurant quality.[150]
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| National | |
