Gastronomical bucket list with the MICHELIN Guide

About the MICHELIN Guide

The MICHELIN Guide was created over 100 years ago by the tire company MICHELIN to encourage more road trips (and sell more tires). The guide included a list of hotels in Paris and a list of restaurants that qualified based on a set of criteria. The restaurant section of the MICHELIN Guide became so influential that the brothers Michelin, recruited a team of inspectors to dine anonymously at restaurants.

What is a MICHELIN star

This prestigious rating is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. The now infamously secretive MICHELIN inspectors assess restaurants annually and award between 1 and 3 stars to deserving establishments. Stars may also be removed.

Five universal criteria are considered when awarding 1,2 and 3 MICHELIN stars: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of the flavours, the technical execution, if the personality of the chef is evident in the cuisine and, consistency in the menu and execution, over time.

According to the MICHELIN guide website, the difference between 1, 2 and 3 MICHELIN Stars are as follows:

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.
Three MICHELIN Stars is our highest award, given for the superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession; their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics.

There’s more to the MICHELIN guide

Not all the restaurants in the MICHELIN guide are fine-dining establishments. The best-value-for-money award, the Bib Gourmand Award, is given to restaurants, including pubs, that offer a three-course meal at a reasonable price, taking into consideration the cost of living in the country.

The MICHELIN Green Star recognises restaurants that make a difference in the world by reducing their environmental footprints.
It includes but isn’t limited to practices such as considering the source and seasonality of their ingredients, implementing better food waste and recycling systems, and managing their resources in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.

How to plan your MICHELIN adventure

There are currently 3367 MICHELIN restaurants in 38 countries, from Austria and Croatia to Norway and Turkey. A veritable smorgasbord of gastronomical experiences to choose from.

Visit the MICHELIN guide and start planning your gastronomical adventure.

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Create a Gastronomical bucket list with the MICHELIN Guide