The famous Michelin gastronomic guide has enjoyed success for more than a century, but has also sparked recurring controversy. The guide was particularly criticized by two books in 2004, which revealed the ruthless world of cooking or highlighted the lack of transparency of the ratings: The inspector sits at the table, by Pascal Remy, and Food business: The hidden face of French gastronomy, by Olivier Morteau. Pascal Rémy, Michelin inspector, is fired for serious misconduct and breach of confidentiality clause.
–
At the origin of recurring debates, the granting of laurels arouses ever-increasing pressure on the lucky recipient, which is sometimes resented. Several three-starred chefs wanted to solve the problem in one way or another (accelerated retirement, closure of the restaurant, request for the guide to leave, etc.): Joël Robuchon in 1996, Alain Senderens in 2005, Antoine Westermann in 2006, Olivier Roellinger in 2008, Sébastien Bras in 2017. More dramatic, the suicide of the three-star chef Bernard Loiseau in 2003. Among other reasons, the pressure exerted by food critics.
–
Another chef, Benoît Violier, also committed suicide in 2016, 24 hours before the release of the Michelin which nevertheless maintained his “three stars”. At the end of 2019, chef Marc Veyrat, who had taken legal action to find out why the Guide had deprived one of his restaurants of his third star, was dismissed. Of the approximately 20,000 restaurants worldwide listed in the guide, only around 100 have achieved the supreme distinction of “three stars”.
–
In 2021, the Guide was once again criticized for maintaining its selection in France despite the restaurant closures imposed by the Covid. Its competitors, they had chosen to cancel their prize list. In 2005, Michelin left Europe for the first time with the publication of the New York guide, followed in 2007 by San Francisco, then Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
–
The first guide in Asia concerns Tokyo in 2008, then Michelin launches a Hong Kong and Macao edition for China. Shanghai, Singapore, Taiwan, Seoul and Bangkok now each have their own guide. Renowned Tokyo sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jirō, which was rated three stars, was delisted in 2019 for refusing reservations from the general public. Tripadvisor site and can be reserved on La Fourchette, the world leader in online restaurant reservations.
—
