Michelin star

Michelin stars are a rating system used by the red Michelin Guide to grade restaurants on their quality. The guide was originally developed in 1900 to show French drivers where local amenities such as restaurants and mechanics were. Today the term "Michelin Star" is synonymous with fine dining quality. Restaurants may receive zero to three stars for the quality of their food based on the system devised by Michelin.

History

The Michelin Guide was first published in 1900 in France for Michelin tire customers, when there were fewer than 3,000 cars in the country. It was intended to boost the demand for cars, and thus for car tires. For the first edition of the Michelin Guide the brothers André and Édouard Michelin, founders of the Michelin tire company, hired a team of inspectors to visit and review restaurants.

Rating system

The rating system was first introduced in 1926 as a single star, with the second and third stars introduced in 1933. According to the Guide, one star signifies "a very good restaurant", two stars are "excellent cooking that is worth a detour", and three stars mean "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey". The listing of starred restaurants is updated once a year.

One star

A one-star review in the Michelin Guide suggests a good place to stop on your journey, indicating a very good restaurant in its category, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard.

Two stars

A two-star ranking represents excellent cuisine, worth a detour, skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality.

Three stars

A three-star Michelin ranking is rare, with just over 100 restaurants currently holding this coveted title. This ranking signifies a restaurant offering exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey. The inspectors are looking for distinctive dishes that are precisely executed, using superlative ingredients.

Criticism

Despite its wide influence, the guide has been criticized for its relevance and its biases. Some critics have pointed out that the guide is too Euro-centric, and overlooks outstanding restaurants in other parts of the world.

See also

• List of Michelin 3-star restaurants
• Michelin Guide
• Gault Millau