Blog

Michelin stars are synonymous with the best restaurants and the greatest of dining experiences. However, before we talk about Michelin stars, let's take a quick minute to get introduced to the Michelin Guide. In 1900, there were fewer than 3,000 cars on the roads of France. To increase the demand for car tires, car tire manufacturer brothers Eduard and Andre Michelin published a guide for French motorists. Nearly 35,000 copies of the first Michelin Guide were distributed. It provided information to motorists, such as maps, tire repair and replacement instructions, car mechanics listings, hotels, and petrol stations throughout France. Gradually this guide became the bible of culinary world.

Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide is a red book, that millions of chefs dream to be listed in. Michelin Guide is based on five main criteria -

1. Quality of the products
2. Mastery of flavour and cooking techniques
3. The personality of the chef and his cuisine
4. Value for money
5. Consistency between visits.

Recognizing the growing popularity of the restaurant section of the guide, the brothers recruited a team of inspectors to visit and review restaurants, who were always anonymous. They also made several changes, notably listing restaurants by specific categories, adding hotel listings (initially only for Paris), and removing advertisements in the guide.

Michelin maxes out at 3 stars. The difference is between great, extraordinary, and unbelievable. Obviously, it is based on a subjective scale that elevates the rating based on how the menu relates to itself, if there is a crescendo of flavors, whether it is clever and intriguing, and whether it is magical and marvelous. How creative, how inspiring, how revolutionary is it? It’s not easy to obtain the stars which are awarded to restaurants that Michelin considers the very best in a given city, and recipients gain immense prestige and exposure along with the honor, with many seeing an increase in business after receiving their stars.

Michelin Star & Conventional Star system of hotels

Michelin Guide is concerned with culinary excellence and it has a global standard. The conventional star system hotels have no such global standard. For example, hotels that are categorized as "Five-star hotels" are properties that offer their guests the highest levels of luxury through personalized services, a vast range of amenities, and sophisticated accommodations.

5 Star Hotel Criteria

Though a luxury hotel may share many five-star hotel characteristics, a true five-star hotel should satisfy all these criteria:

1. 5-Star Service - it has definite service pattern
2. 5-Star room amenities - it also has specific criteria
3. 5-Star comfort - to be complied as per the defined norm

Who awards hotels 5 stars?

There is no universal standard for hotel ratings. Terms such as Deluxe/Luxury, First Class/Superior, Tourist Class/Standard, and Budget Class/Economy are more widely accepted as hotel types, not hotel standards. In North America, AAA hotel ratings are from 1 to 5 diamonds. The Forbes (Mobil) Travel Guide only ranks 4- and 5-star hotels.

In Europe, the Hotelstars Union has standard hotel star ratings applicable to properties for more than 15 countries. Switzerland uses hotelleriesuisse which confirms a certain level of quality service, infrastructure, and equipment. The UK uses the Automobile Association's (AA) 1-to-5 star ratings. Many other nations have laws to define hotel rating criteria. In New Zealand, Qualmark, part of Tourism New Zealand , grades hotels from 1 to 5 stars. In Australia, the Auto Clubs (NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAC, RAA and RACT) have awarded hotels star ratings that incorporate guest feedback. The ratings are now managed by the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC).

A Michelin Star is awarded for culinary excellence while conventional star hotels have different parameters like service, room amenities and comfort. Individual chefs also get Michelin Stars.

The top Michelin Star recipient chefs are:

1. Joël Robuchon - 31 Michelin Stars.
2. Alain Ducasse - 21 Michelin Stars.
3. Gordon Ramsay - 16 Michelin Stars.
4. Martin Berasategui - 8 Michelin Stars.
5. Carme Ruscalleda - 7 Michelin Stars.

So, when ever you plan to eat out look for a Michelin Star hotel.

In addition to this, there are different levels of chefs:

1. Executive chef who can be Celebrity Chef as well
2. Head Chef
3. Sous Chef
4. Pastry chef

How to get a Michelin Star?

Although the Michelin star is awarded to a restaurant the credit for it goes to the chef in charge of the kitchen. In order to be a Michelin Star chef, the first step is to become a chef. You can either take a course at a reputed culinary school, learn the basics, join the industry and work your way up the ladder. Next you become a become a Commis chef. There are 3 levels of the Commis chef. A Commis chef works at different kitchen stations. You eventually get promoted to First Junior chef and then Senior Chef de Partie. Next step up the ladder, is the position of the sous chef and finally after this is the position of the executive chef.

Often, an amateur has to start their career even lower in the ladder as an assistant in the kitchen, washing dishes and working their way up till they can head the kitchen. Once you become a chef it is your passion and creativity that will speak for you. How you blend flavours, present each dish and clean your kitchen are all important factors that matter to the Michelin inspector. The most important factor that every Michelin inspectors places immense value on is consistency. The inspectors are always anonymous and visit the restaurants a number of times before reaching their decision. Each and every time they have to have a flawless experience.

The freshness and quality of the ingredients is of prime importance to the Michelin inspectors. That along with the cooking, the presentation of the dish and the harmony of the flavors in the dish decides the worthiness of an establishment. First, to qualify for a Michelin star your restaurant has to be located in an area covered by Michelin. If it is, then your journey to the stars begins by your food speaking for itself among the locals, the food bloggers, the food writers and critics.

Once a buzz is created the Michelin inspectors will come to visit. It's hard to predict who is an inspector since they never reveal their identity. Your entire concentration should be on producing top class food, using the best and freshest ingredients, consistently. Consistency becomes important because you cannot keep second guessing yourself on who is an inspector or not. Consider all of your guests to be inspectors and follow through. Finally, if you are lucky, you may receive a phone call that says “Bonjour, this is (name) with Le Guide Michelin. We are calling to inform you that you will be included as One Star in the next Michelin guide for (city)”.

The achievement of Michelin Star is great honor and it gives a new dimension to the career of any chef. Michelin Star system has really changed the culinary world. Such stars are like Olympic medals. It is a relentless pursuit of excellence for the chefs. You never know when the personal chef who is today the part of your birthday or anniversary celebration may just become a Michelin Star chef in the future.