Twilight of the Idols

Abstract

At a time when warnings of starred restaurant closures are spreading throughout Europe –and beyond– under the backdrop of the economic crisis, it is important to document the real influence of the Michelin Guide, which has dominated the world of gastronomy since 1926. This study shows that the popularity of the Michelin Guide on Google has dropped by 85% over the last twenty years, to the advantage of its competitors, mainly Le Fooding in France, and even more so the Ile-de-France region (Paris), where competition between food guides seems to be intense. This means that in 2004, nearly seven times as many web users were interested in the guide's judgements as today. The influence of the famous Guide Rouge is now close to that of Le Fooding, particularly in the Ile-de-France region. Michelin 's popularity is still strong abroad, however, where the guide is deliberately expanding its activities. This study shows that there are other, less costly and financially risky routes to recognition in the French gastronomic landscape.

Design: Victor B. Gergaud

Photo credit: Edgar F. Gergaud