Michelin's journey to develop the world culinary map

Known as the world's most famous "culinary guide" when introducing eateries and restaurants in many places, Michelin Guide still makes many people wonder about how it evaluates and ranks.

Don't judge by one person.

In response to the above question, Elite Traveler revealed that Michelin Guide employs thousands of reviewers who travel around the world to taste the best food on offer. The highly trained experts visit hundreds of restaurants each year.

To ensure they receive no preferential treatment, Michelin experts remain anonymous and book, dine and pay for their meals just like any other customer. Their anonymity is so tight that even their closest friends and family may not know about their role.

Representatives of restaurants in Vietnam ranked 1 Michelin star at the announcement ceremony on the evening of June 27.

After inspecting each restaurant under review, Michelin’s technical directors meet with teams of experts around the world to discuss the ratings. The local review process can last for days, with each eatery or restaurant being evaluated individually until a consensus is reached. The results are then published separately for each specific country or region.

The evaluation will be done annually, there may be more eateries or restaurants added to the selection list, or ranked by stars, but they can also be removed from the list, losing their rating. The evaluation and ranking of Michelin Guide is for eateries and restaurants, not awarded to chefs.

Tourism Race

Developed by French tire manufacturer Michelin, the Michelin Guide was first published in 1900 as a handbook with maps, tire repair and replacement instructions, and a list of mechanics, hotels, and gas stations throughout France. Michelin gradually expanded the guide to other countries and regions. The development was interrupted during World War I and World War II, but it gradually expanded to many regions. To date, Michelin has published the guide in about 40 countries and regions.

According to The New York Times , Michelin's rigorous evaluation process and adherence to the principles of no free meals, no sponsorships, no advertising - has given Michelin a special status. The cost of evaluation is offset by the annual income from selling guides. But this source of income has gradually decreased, so since 2010, Michelin has made changes after consulting with Accenture.

Michelin began receiving money from sponsors such as food brands, wine distributors, hotel chains, and travel agencies. Michelin guides in Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore are all published with financial support from local tourism agencies. For example, according to CNN, in 2017, the Tourism Authority of Thailand spent $4.4 million for Michelin to publish the Michelin Guide in the country for five years. Or some state and city governments in the US also spend money for Michelin to evaluate and rank local restaurants.

However, that also raises questions about the objective consistency of the Michelin Guide. Regarding this issue, at the end of 2023, The New York Times quoted Mr. Gwendal Poullennec, Director of Michelin Guide International, affirming that although the company accepts "partner" money to offset the costs of the review process, the decision on whether an area deserves its own Michelin Guide or not is only evaluated by experts with a strict process.

From a partner perspective, Tim Wolfe, Director of the Colorado State Tourism Office (USA) - the agency that paid for the Michelin Guide for this state, explained that the sponsorship helps attract international tourists, whose average spending is 5 times higher than local tourists. Similarly, many countries and local governments invest in Michelin to launch their own Michelin Guide, which is considered an effort to attract tourists.

Not only rating restaurants from 1 to 3 stars, Michelin Guide also has lists such as Bib Gourmand (since 1957), Green Star (since 2020). In which, Bib Gourmand is a separate category that recognizes the quality of dishes that are affordable according to the local cost of living. Green Star is to honor dining places that focus on sustainable cuisine and are environmentally friendly. In addition, Michelin also has awards such as: Young Chef Award, Sommelier Award and Service Award.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hanh-trinh-phat-trien-ban-do-am-thuc-the-gioi-cua-michelin-185240628224519324.htm