As of this writing, Gordon Ramsey has lost nine of his 16 Michelin stars. Why is this significant?
Michelin stars are the crem de la crem of prestigious awards for chefs worldwide. The Michelin Brothers of famed Michelin tires created the Michelin Guide book as a directory of places of interest for travelers with popular hotels, tourist locations, and restaurants. Over time, people paid particular attention to the restaurants, so much so that Michelin hired a team of anonymous restaurant reviewers to highlight restaurants serving meals of the highest quality. Out of this team of anonymous restaurant reviewers was born the famed Michelin rating of 0,1,2, or 3 stars. The rest is history.
If you ask Gordan Ramsey or any chef what it feels like to lose a Michelin star - it is devastating. Upon hearing of the loss, Cheatseat reported Gordan Ramsey's saying, "I started crying when I lost my stars. It's a very emotional thing for any chef. It's like losing a girlfriend. You want her back."
Why did acclaimed chef and restaurateur Gordan Ramsey lose his Michelin stars? Distractify explained the reason for the loss of stars in a quote from Michael Ellis, Michelin’s Guide Director: "We've had issues with consistency, and consistency is a huge thing for us."
A Michelin star win is won and maintained through a few factors:
- Serving quality dishes year over year never knowing when the next anonymous reviewer may visit
- Putting quality metrics to make sure nothing slips through the cracks
- Are based on the collective talents of both the chef AND the day-to-day execution of the restaurant staff.
In Gordan Ramsey's case, the loss was attributed to several factors. After selling the restaurant to another entity, the chef was no longer active in day-to-day operations and the quality dropped.
What does this mean for you?
If you are a fellow grant writer or business owner reading this article, understand you are not in the business of whatever you think you are doing. You are in the business of establishing trust by consistently delivering high-quality service or products to your clients.
If you are a nonprofit leader, your Michelin stars are earned through (by):
- The quality of your programs and the ability to communicate your impact in the community. Your impact is communicated by submitting reports to current funders and telling your impact story throughout the community for potential future funders.
- You are building a reputation of trust. Funders will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will see a ten-fold return on their investment in the form of your work in the community through your demonstrated and proven track record.
- Active engagement from leadership in a good way. This does not necessarily mean micromanaging your team or bouts of founders syndrome. This means hiring dedicated, talented people while having an operations structure in place for quality control.
- A coordinated effort from every member of your organization. Everyone should be equally invested in creating a culture of consistently meeting metrics of success and constantly re-examining your programming to ensure you are meeting the needs of those you serve.
Link to original article: https://www.distractify.com/p/why-did-gordon-ramsay-lose-michelin-stars
-Shavonn
_________________________________________________________________
Shavonn Richardson, MBA, GPC is Founder and CEO of Think and Ink Grant Consulting™. She is a Grant Professional Association Approved Trainer, presenter, and speaker. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Grant Professionals Association.
Shavonn earned a BBA from Howard University and an MBA from Emory University. She earned the GPC (Grant Professional Certified) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute in 2020.
FAQs
Holding three Michelin stars, Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant on Royal Hospital Road showcases elegant modern French cuisine, the finest seasonal ingredients, and both classic and innovative culinary techniques.
Why do chefs lose Michelin stars? ›
In order to earn a star, the food in the restaurant will be reviewed multiple times. To lose one, it will be again reviewed a few times, but generally, it will take less time to make a decision. Key Takeaway: Any restaurant can lose a Michelin Star. Lack of consistency is the main reason why a Star is taken away.
Does anyone have more Michelin stars than Gordon Ramsay? ›
His restaurants were awarded a total of 31 stars across his career. Robuchon was followed by fellow Frenchman Alain Ducasse, with 21 stars, while British chef-cum-TV-star Gordon Ramsay came in third with 17 stars. Out of the 10 most starred chefs in the world, five hailed from France.
Why did Gordon Ramsay lose so many Michelin stars? ›
In October 2013, the Gordon Ramsay at The London restaurant in New York lost its two Michelin stars owing to issues encountered by the Michelin reviewers. The guide's director Michael Ellis stated that he was served "some very erratic meals" and also experienced "issues with consistency."
Who is the #1 chef in the world? ›
Introducing Joël Robuchon – the chef with the most Michelin stars. He holds the number one spot among the top 10 chefs in the world, which makes him the best chef in the world according to the Michelin star rating.
Why did Bobby Flay lose his Michelin Star? ›
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. Bolo Bar & Restaurant closed its doors on December 31, 2007, to make way for a condominium.
Did Gordon Ramsay cry when he lost a Michelin Star? ›
The Daily Mail reported that when appearing on a Norwegian TV show the sweary chef said, "I started crying when I lost my stars. It's a very emotional thing for any chef... It's like losing a girlfriend. You want her back."
Who owns the most Michelin Star restaurants? ›
#1: Alain Ducasse
Throughout his career, he has operated over 30 restaurants, his most famous being Ducasse in Paris. Fun fact: While Alain Ducasse currently holds the most Michelin Stars, the late Joël Robuchon earned 31 stars throughout his lifetime.
Does Bobby Flay have any Michelin stars? ›
American chef Bobby Flay does not currently hold any Michelin stars. His second restaurant, Mesa Grill, in Las Vegas, was the only one to receive the award in 2008, just to have it taken back one year later with no option of re-earning it. By Gemma Bargues.
Who is the richest chef in the world? ›
Alan Wong takes the top spot as the world's wealthiest chef by a long shot, with a jaw-dropping estimated net worth of $1.1 billion (£870m).
Thomas Keller
Thomas Keller is an American chef who has been awarded titles like best chef in America and California multiple times. His restaurants hold seven Michelin stars. He worked his way from kitchen apprentice to very successful and famous chef over many years.
Who owns the most 3 Michelin star restaurants? ›
Alain Ducasse, 21 Michelin Stars
He is the proud owner of 3 Michelin Stars restaurants. About 34 restaurants worldwide opened.
How many 3 star Michelin restaurants are there in the US? ›
March 6, 2024. Get more recipes, food news, and stories by signing up for our Deep Dish newsletter. Only thirteen restaurants in the United States currently have the coveted distinction of three Michelin stars.
How many chefs have 3 Michelin? ›
All about Michelin Star Chefs? First, there are about 2500 restaurants awarded of 1 Michelin Star in the world, 500 restaurants with 2 Michelin Stars and around 150 awarded 3 Michelin Stars. Secondly, this evolves every year based on the release of the guide in every part of the world.
Does Bobby Flay have a Michelin star? ›
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. Bolo Bar & Restaurant closed its doors on December 31, 2007, to make way for a condominium.
