How the Prestigious Michelin Star System Really Works

"The way we hear about restaurants is always changing: whether it's from the pages of magazines or an online article, a social media suggestion or even the long faithful word-of-mouth recommendation. Yet no matter how we discover them, the standard of how we measure them has remained the same for more than a century. Enter the Michelin Guide. Since it was first launched in 1900, the Michelin Guide has remained the benchmark for evaluating culinary excellence."

"The surprising story of its unlikely origin has bounded around the internet and dinner party tables for some time, going as so: the Michelin tire company launched a ranking of French restaurants to encourage people to drive more, and ergo, go through tires at a faster rate. Yet despite its importance within the industry, the guide remains shrouded in mystery."

"New York and Tokyo, both of which have long been considered fine dining capitals, only achieved inclusion in 2005 and 2007 respectively. It may go without saying, but if your restaurant is not in the covered region, it doesn't matter how good the food is, you won't be getting that star. It's important to clarify that restaurants are awarded Michelin stars, not chefs."

Since 1900 the Michelin Guide has set the standard for evaluating culinary excellence worldwide. The Michelin tire company originally created a restaurant ranking that is often linked to encouraging driving and increased tire use. The guide's regional coverage and inspector criteria are not fully transparent. Many culinary-rich countries and cities remain excluded, so restaurants outside covered regions cannot receive stars regardless of quality. New York and Tokyo were added only in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Michelin awards stars to restaurants rather than individual chefs, and a star does not automatically follow a departing head chef.

Read at Elite Traveler