From tire manufacturer to gastronomy authority: the controversial journey of the Michelin Guide

How did it come about that a tire manufacturer became a respected authority in the gastronomy sector?

Understated descriptions on the menu, such as 'Fish with peas' or 'Country pork', hint at the skill and rich flavor profiles hidden within each dish — this was the consensus of the "Guide Michelin" authors.

The magazine highlighted that the tourist guide was initially launched in 1900 as a free gift with a tire purchase. The Michelin brothers, André and Edouard, included handy addresses for drivers in the guide, including locations of workshops, gas stations, and restaurants.

Over time, the authors began rating the restaurant listings. This was the birth of a revolution.

The first stars appeared in the 1904 edition. By 1931, the guide's creators had started categorizing gastronomy establishments by the stars awarded.

In French, the word "menu" represents not only a selection of available meals but also a complete dish. It includes an appetizer, main course, and a dessert or cheese platter. Therefore, a restaurant's quality is assessed based on the overall meal experience.

The "Guide Michelin" ratings range from zero to three stars. Here is how the star ratings are perceived:

• One star indicates that the "restaurant is a standout in its category, consistently offering a high standard of cuisine."
• Two stars designate restaurants where "the unique personality of the chef is evident in the served dishes."
• Three stars are reserved for restaurants where "the chef is regarded as a true artist, creating dishes worthy of being considered original patterns."

Interestingly, restaurants that receive a star maintain their esteemed reputation even if they later lose it. Olivier Gergaud, a professor at KEDGE Business School, estimates that each Michelin star boosts a restaurant's turnover by 80 percent over three years. Conversely, losing a star results in just a 3 percent decrease each year.

The bi-monthly "Press" publication also points out that Michelin's lack of true competition in the guide market means that the specific details and methodology behind the ratings are somewhat of a mystery. Information about the work of "independent inspectors", a group that allegedly numbers around 70, is not made public. Their process for selecting specific restaurants for evaluation is also unclear.

These factors contribute to the controversy surrounding the "Guide Michelin". Chef Marc Veyrat took legal action after losing a star. Among his grievances, he accused Michelin of the impossibility to inspect all restaurants in France within a year and misidentifying cheese types in one of his dishes.

One theory even suggests that the Club des Cent has been influencing the guide's inspectors for years.