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 The Michelin guide is making its entry into Asia with the publication of the first edition of the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2008, scheduled for release in November 2007. After Europe, where 20 countries are covered, and the United States, the Michelin guide is pursuing its international development in Japan.
"Japan is a country where fine dining is an integral part of the culture and the art of table setting reflects a way of life that discretely combines refinement and culinary enjoyment, " said Michel Rollier, the Group's Managing Partner, who made the announcement last week in Tokyo.
When asked about the choice of Japan and Tokyo, Jean-Luc Naret, Director of the Michelin guides, replied: " The Michelin guide is pursuing its international development with the launch of the first Michelin guide Tokyo a few months from now. Japan and Tokyo in particular, seemed the natural gateway to this continent, which is so rich in gourmet food and cooking traditions. "
Since last summer, European and Japanese Michelin inspectors have been making anonymous visits to restaurants and hotels in Tokyo, evaluating meals and staying overnight in hotels so that they can independently assess the quality and consistency of the services offered.
The Michelin Guide ( Le Guide Michelin ) is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for 20 countries. The term generally refers to the Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars. It also publishes Green Guides for travel and tourism.
In 1900, André Michelin with his brother Edouard (Founders of Michelin Tire Company) published the first edition of a guide to France to help drivers maintain their cars, find decent lodging, and eat well while touring. It included addresses of gasoline distributors, garages, tire stockists, public toilets, etc.
The guide was distributed free until 1920. In 1926, the guide introduced one star to denote good cooking; two and three stars were added in the early 1930s. The cover of the guide was originally blue, but since 1931 has been red.
As motoring became more widespread, the star system was developed and guides to other countries introduced. Today a series of twelve guides lists more than 45,000 hotels and restaurants across Europe. There is now a Red Guide covering France, Austria, Benelux , Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal , Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, the "Main Cities of Europe". In 2006 New York City was added followed by San Francisco in 2007. Tokyo 2008 will become the latest addition.
The Red Guide uses anonymous inspections and does not charge for entries, unlike some restaurant and hotel guides which are in effect little more than advertising. Michelin claims to revisit establishments once every eighteen months in order to keep ratings up to date, a claim refuted at times by some.
Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants offering the finest cooking, regardless of cuisine style. Stars represent only what is on the plate. They do not take into consideration interior decoration, service quality or table settings.
The guide's restaurant ratings using Michelin stars continue to be highly recognized and influential gastronomic ratings in Europe . The importance attached by the chefs can be gauged from the fact that on February 24, 2003, Bernard Loiseau, a prominent French chef committed suicide when he feared downgrading of his 3-MIchelin star Burgundian restaurant Côte d'Or to two stars.
The guide awards one to three stars to a small number of restaurants of outstanding quality. Stars are awarded sparingly. For instance, in the UK and Ireland 2004 guide, out of 5,500 entries, there were 98 with one star ("a very good restaurant in its category"), 11 with two stars ("excellent cooking, worth a detour"), and only 3 with three stars ("exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey"). Gordon Ramsay's flagship in Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea is one of the three- the other two being Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, and its near-neighbour the Waterside Inn, run by Michel Roux.
With 10 stars Ramsay is the most-starred UK chef. He is beaten worldwide only by Alain Ducasse, who has a total of 14 stars.
San Francisco Guide lists 'The French Laundry' in Yountville, Napa Valley as the only 3-star property. 'Jean-Georges', 'Le Bernardin' and 'Per Se' in Manhattan , earned 3-stars in New York City.
France has 26 restaurants with 3-stars. French Chef Anne-Sophie Pic became the first woman in 50 years to win three Michelin stars, in 2007 when the current edition was released last month. Four women have ever been awarded three stars.
Not only the star ratings result in phenomenal sales, the menu price also shoots up, like Robert Parker's wine ratings. Waiting time for reservation goes longer, according to the star status.
Last month during my visit to Napa Valley for the International Wine and Health Summit, I decided to try making a reservation with a doctor friend, at The French Laundry, the only 3-Michelin star restaurant in San Francisco Guide 2007, we were tinformed we had to wait for 2 months!
Earlier, when I met Heston Blumenthal at MadridFusion 2007, he had told me the wait was two months, at his Fat Duck Restaurant too. Used to make the same day reservation in the best f restaurants in Delhi , that was some surprise for me.. Of course, his PR lady Monica told me to let her know the next time I was planning to be in London, and she would squeeze me in, at a week's notice.
The Michelin Guides have been the centre of a few controversies as well. The main complaint has been that the inspectors use secret criteria, unknown to even the most experienced chefs.
Some claim that it has become extremely lax in its standards and the frequency of visits has been less than claimed. Many international food critics claim that the rating system as inherently biased toward French Cuisine.
A restaurant in Belgium had been rated even though it opened several weeks after publication of the Benelux Red Guide 2005.
Is India the next destination for the Michelin Guide? Keep on reading delWine to find out.
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