Guy Savoy is undeniable one of, if not the biggest name in the gastronomic cuisine guide. The downgrade of his three-star Parisian restaurant is widely seen as a surprising move.
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There’s been a shock in the culinary world after the Michelin Guide announced they were knocking a star off the Paris restaurant of Guy Savoy - who’s often named as the best chef in the world.
69-year-old Savoy has held Michelin's top three-star status since 2002 for his iconic eponymous restaurant, Monnaie de Paris, which overlooks the Seine. He was named as the best chef in the world as recently as November 2022; La Liste, which aggregates thousands of reviews from around the world, gave him that honour.
Savoy's fame goes beyond French culinary excellence - he has another Michelin-award restaurant in Las Vegas and even lent his voice to the French version of Pixar favourite ‘Ratatouille’.
But he’s not the only chef who’s seen Michelin remove his stars. The prestigious guide did the same for the La Rochelle-based seafood eatery of Christopher Coutanceau, which also went from three stars to two.
Coutanceau and Savoy will not be alone in having a sour taste left in their mouths by Michelin’s choice. Although their newest guide isn’t released until Monday (6 March), it’s thought that around 20 other restaurants have been downgraded from two stars to one.
Kitchen confidential
The star decisions are shrouded in secrecy with the reasons never made public. It’s thought Michelin communicate directly with only the chefs involved. Savoy is reported to have received a personal visit from the guide's publishers.
Downgrading restaurants is always controversial and can damage the reputation of chefs and restaurants. In 2003, French chef Bernard Loiseau took his own life following rumours that his restaurant was about to lose a star.
In 2019, chef Marc Veyrat, unsuccessfully filed a legal suit against the guide after he was stripped of a star and tried to remove himself from future publications.
2023 marks the first time any restaurant has been downgraded since 2019, with Michelin citing difficulties caused by the Covid-19 as the reason.
Restaurants worldwide have faced issues since then with staffing shortages and soaring prices making the industry trickier than ever to negotiate.
Michelin has said, though, that downgrades are now necessary in order for the guide to stay relevant.
Created in 1900 by tyre manufacturers Andre and Edouard Michelin as a guide for motorists, it’s highly respected across the globe and has editions across Europe and Asia as well as North and South America.
FAQs
MICHELIN GUIDE STAR RATING DESCRIPTIONS
- One star: A very good restaurant in its category.
- Two stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour.
- Three stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.
What is the difference between a Michelin Guide restaurant and a Michelin star restaurant? ›
While MICHELIN stars specifically rate the quality of a restaurant's food, the MICHELIN Recommended designation more broadly covers entire cities and countries to highlight local dining establishments. These fall under the brand, MICHELIN Guide, along with Bib Gourmands (more on that shortly).
Why did Gordon Ramsay lose all his Michelin stars? ›
The London faced setbacks when it was downgraded by two stars due to its consistency issues. Michelin guide director Michael Ellis told Bloomberg, “We've had some very erratic meals [there].” He explained that the Michelin team felt it was the right thing to do.
How much do Michelin reviewers get paid? ›
How much does a Michelin Inspector make? As of Aug 1, 2024, the average annual pay for a Michelin Inspector in the United States is $54,939 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.41 an hour.
What are the Michelin guide standards? ›
Five criteria are applied in an identical manner around the world when assessing a restaurant: the quality of the ingredients used; the mastery of cooking and culinary techniques; the harmony of flavours; the personality of the cuisine as expressed through the dishes; and consistency, both across the entire menu and ...
What is the Michelin Guide Star? ›
One MICHELIN Star is awarded to restaurants using top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavours are prepared to a consistently high standard. Two MICHELIN Stars are awarded when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes; their food is refined and inspired.
Do restaurants pay to be in the MICHELIN Guide? ›
Myth: MICHELIN Guide inspectors aren't always anonymous
MICHELIN Guide inspectors visit every venue listed every 18 months as a minimum, and its Bib Gourmand and starred venues as many times as necessary. Restaurants do not - and cannot - pay to be listed in the guide.
Can a restaurant be in the MICHELIN Guide without a star? ›
The least prestigious of Michelin's categories of recognition, L'Assiette Michelin, or the Michelin Plate, includes any restaurant with neither stars nor a "Bib Gourmand" designation. This is not entirely insignificant, however. Many restaurants never see the inside of a Michelin Guide, much less a star.
What restaurant has the most Michelin stars in the world? ›
Le Bernardin Restaurant – New York
It is one of the restaurants which is highly regarded and is famous among the local food lovers. In fact, it is the highest Michelin star restaurant.
Does Bobby Flay have any Michelin stars? ›
The Las Vegas Mesa Grill earned Flay his only Michelin Star in 2008, which was taken away in the 2009 edition. Michelin did not publish a 2010 or 2011 Las Vegas edition, so the star could not be re-earned.
Yes. Le Susquet in France held 3 Michelin stars for almost 20 years, then turned them down out of concern that one dish could trash the restaurant's reputation.
Who lost Michelin stars in 2024? ›
Meanwhile, longtime SF restaurant Gary Danko lost its star after 17 years, and Avery was removed from the list after closing in San Francisco last year. Barndiva in Healdsburg, Sushi Shin in Redwood City and Sushi Yoshizumi in San Mateo also all lost their single Michelin star.
Do Michelin reviewers eat alone? ›
As Inspectors for The MICHELIN Guide, we love to eat together and share our experiences, but we also really enjoy eating alone. One thing we've noticed in recent years, and this applies all over the world, is that more and more people now both enjoy and feel confident dining and travelling alone.
What does a fork on the floor mean Michelin? ›
So, they place a fork on the floor to see how quickly a staff member comes over to pick it up. A fork that sits on the floor for too long could indicate that there isn't as much attention to detail as would be required from the very best of the best.
Who owns the Michelin guide? ›
The Michelin Guides (French: Guide Michelin [ɡid miʃlɛ̃]) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic areas.
What is the Michelin star rating system? ›
In theory, a one-star rating means, “a very good restaurant,” two stars signify “excellent cooking that is worth a detour,” and a three-star restaurant is one that offers “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.”
What are the Michelin star guide lines? ›
Straight from the source, here are the Michelin Star rankings:
- One Star: High quality cooking, worth a stop.
- Two Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour.
- Three Stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.
What are the 3 Michelin stars for? ›
Three Stars: The restaurant has exceptional cuisine and thus “worth a special journey” just to visit. Rather than being a stop on the way to a destination, this restaurant is the destination. This restaurant serves distinct dishes that are executed to perfection.
What does it mean to be in the MICHELIN Guide without a star? ›
“A restaurant in the Recommended selection is the sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal,” says Michael Ellis, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide books. “It means that the inspectors have found the food to be above average, but not quite at star or Bib level.”