the michelin guide

What is the Michelin Guide, History, Red Guides and Symbols, Red and Green Stars, Other Listings and Ratings

what is the michelin guide?

The Michelin Guides are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few establishments. The acquisition or loss of a star or stars can have dramatic effects on the success of a restaurant. Michelin also publishes the Green Guides, a series of general guides to cities, regions, and countries.

early michelin history

In 1900, there were fewer than 3,000 cars on the roads of France. To increase the demand for cars and, accordingly, car tires, car tire manufacturers and brothers Édouard and André Michelin published a guide for French motorists, the Michelin Guide.

Nearly 35,000 copies of this first, free edition of the 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.

In 1904, the brothers published a guide for Belgium similar to the Michelin Guide. Michelin subsequently introduced guides for Algeria and Tunisia (1907); the Alps and the Rhine (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 and Corsica) (1911). In 1909, an English-language version of the guide to France was published.

During World 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, whilst visiting a tire 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 a price for the guide, which was about 750 francs or $2.15 in 1922.

They also made several changes, notably listing restaurants by specific categories, adding hotel listings (initially only for Paris), and removing advertisements in the guide. 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.

the red guides and their symbols

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 the Spain and Portugal volume is in Spanish only) but the symbols are the same throughout all editions.

red stars and green stars

Michelin reviewers (commonly called "inspectors") are anonymous; they do not identify themselves, and their 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.)

The French chef Paul Bocuse, one of the pioneers of nouvelle cuisine in the 1960s, said, "Michelin is the only guide that counts." In France, when the guide is published each year, it sparks a media frenzy which has been compared to that for annual Academy Awards for films. Media and others debate likely winners, speculation is rife, and TV and newspapers discuss which restaurant might lose, and who might gain a Michelin star.

The Michelin Guide also awards "Rising Stars", an indication that a restaurant has the potential to qualify for a star, or an additional star.

sustainable gastronomy

In 2020, the Michelin Guide launched a sustainability emblem to symbolize excellence in sustainable gastronomy. An establishment awarded this green star is given space on the Guide's website for the chef to describe the restaurant's vision.

Nature is at every turn at Knystaforsen, MICHELIN Green Star and Star 1-Starred Restaurant in Sweden

The MICHELIN Guide’s video series Green Star in Action is dedicated to the Green MICHELIN Star restaurants run by chefs who are committed to sustainable gastronomy. In this episode, we meet Nicolai Tram and Eva H. Tram who take us to their restaurant, which is actually their home.

Here the restaurant Knystaforsen, awarded a MICHELIN Green Star and 1 Star in the Guide of Nordic countries 2023, is a sawmill located near the river and woodland, offering something quite unique. Chef Tram cooks over an open fire using ingredients he can get our hands on from the wild nature around him: rivers, lakes, woods, and local producers. At Knystaforsen, nature is at every turn.

MICHELIN Guide Athens | Green Star in Action

The MICHELIN Guide’s video series Green Star in Action is dedicated to the Green MICHELIN Star restaurants run by chefs who are committed to sustainable gastronomy. In this episode, we meet George Papazacharias and Thanos Feskos at the restaurant Delta, awarded 2 Stars and a Green Star in the MICHELIN Guide Athens.

After honing their skills in Scandinavia, both of chefs returned to their homeland to create Delta—a restaurant that blends culture, gastronomy, and sustainability. They focus on the provenance of ingredients, from their own kitchen garden to their local producers, such as their fisher handpicking every single day shellfish. Notably, they prioritize mental sustainability, fostering a tight-knit team where everyone's voice is heard. In a departure from the norm, Delta boasts two head chefs, emphasizing their collaborative spirit.

Located on the fifth floor of the building housing the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, Delta Restaurant also came as a pleasant surprise thanks to the design of its dining spaces as well as other details such as the exclusively designed bronze bar, the dreamlike trees suspended from the ceiling, and the impressive sea views.

Meet the first MICHELIN Starred vegan restaurant chef: Claire Vallée

The MICHELIN Guide’s video series Green Star in Action is dedicated to its holders, the Green MICHELIN Star chefs who are committed to sustainable gastronomy. In this episode, we meet with Claire Vallée, chef-owner of the restaurant ONA, awarded 1 Star and a Green Star in the MICHELIN Guide France 2022.

Self-taught chef, Claire Vallée, proposes 100% vegan, organic gastronomy – hence the name, which stands for "non-animal origin" in French. She aims to show how organic cuisine can be both environmentally good and gastronomically delighful. More than a restaurant, it’s a way of life!

gastropubs and street food

In 2014, Michelin introduced a separate listing for gastropubs in Ireland. In 2016, the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau introduced an overview of notable street-food establishments. In the same year, the Singapore guide introduced the first Michelin stars for street-food locations, for Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.

videos on the michelin guide

How the Michelin Guide rates restaurants

First published in France in 1900, The Michelin Guide has been awarding stars to restaurants for about 100 years. Today, it rates the work of chefs around the world, including in the United States. Correspondent Kelefa Sanneh talks with an anonymous Michelin restaurant inspector, and with chefs at a restaurant with a coveted Michelin star.

How Michelin Inspectors Stay Secret

Cook: What it Takes to Make It in a Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Follow Joseph Johnson’s glorious and relentless pursuit of his cooking dream as he works his way up the cooking echelon in the kitchen of Mélisse — Chef Josiah Citrin’s shining star in the Los Angeles food scene.

Once Ranked No.1 in the World... Is This 3 Michelin Restaurant Still The Best? El Celler De Can Roca

Here's our recent experience at El Celler De Can Roca!

Every Job in a Michelin-Starred Kitchen | Bon Appétit

At the heart of every Michelin-star restaurant are its hardworking employees. Bon Appétit goes behind the scenes at Crown Shy in New York City to meet every worker responsible for running this Michelin-rated restaurant each night. From owner Jamal James Kent to chef de cuisine, to servers–meet the faces behind the meals.

other listings and ratings

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.

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.

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