# Thoughts on the Stars???



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

One thing I have always been curious about is how seriously does the European community of chefs take the Michelin star rating system? The reason I ask is that I have read of certain chefs who before they have even open their restaurant have already received a michelin rating of two star. Does anyone know if this does actually occur, and if it does how is it received from the Chef community.

Thanks in advance for you comments.


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## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

Just curious, what exactly is the michelin rating system ?.


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## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

Thanks for the info CC. This website is the first place I'd ever heard of or seen anything about the michelin system


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Coolj,
The Michilin guide comes out every year and amoung other things rates the restaurants of france.Three stars being the highest awarded.

It is very difficult to recieve 3 stars from michilan,but those who do are usally considered the best in europe. I believe that they do award outside of france as well.Giredet had 3 stars and he is in Crisser swiss. Nicko,I do think that the chefs reallt care about there rating.Chefs have actually commited suicide after loosing a star or two.
Think about Taillevent or le tour argent in paris or Ch Boyer in Rhiems,George Blanc in vonnes and louis Outhiar in cote d' Azur,Ducasse. Look what happened to Vergie when he spent to much time at disney world he went from 3 to 2 stars.
I think they take it very seriuosly.
cc


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## papa (Oct 5, 2001)

Dear Friends:

The Michelin Star Rating Systemn is taken extremely seriously in Europe. I agree with Cape chef's posting totally.

This rating system is taken very seriously by the public as well. I saved money for a whole year while I was living in Greece so that when I visited France for the first time I could dine at a restaurant that was included in the Michelin rating sytem. I booked a table for dinner at a restaurant where the Chef was the first woman ever to win a Michelin star. I am afraid I cannot recall that gifted Chef's name. She was wonderful and so proud of her one star rating! Somehow, she found out that a "starving student" had saved for a whole year in order to eat at her restaurant and she came out to meet me. It was an experience that I never forgot.


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

Everyone's pardon if I'm in the wrong here, but does this type of comment belong here? It doesn't exactly encourage people to ask questions and learn about another country's culture, customs, et cetera (which, to me, demonstrates the opposite of insularity) if others are going to answer, but take shots at their country of origin.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Hmmm I love hearing about how Americans are preceived elsewhere. 
Some of us try to keep up with what the rest of the world is doing.....I've been a Michelin star groupie since I was a teenager.
Apparently there is a big difference in 2 to 3 stars...not all in food but in fresh flowers, crystal, silver etc...
Hoof and Mouth or Foot and Mouth made the front pages here, as well as radio....
I don't watch tv but assume it made it on the tube too....
What do you recommend us reading to get accurate info on your part of our world?
I read British mags, Food Illustrated and Good Food....New York Times and several local print...


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## papa (Oct 5, 2001)

Dear Friends:

I have read the commentary this morning with great interest. While it is true that there are many Americans who are very sophisticated and wordly, unfortunately, the American media system is terrible about reporting world news. Has anyone noticed how we suddenly discovered Africa in the past two years? All of my American friends who visit Europe say to me that they are surprised to discover how much Europeans know about America. They attribute it to the importance that this great nation holds for the rest of the world. I also credit it to the European media system which is extremely comprehensive in its news coverage.

It is my understanding that the origin of the development of the Europeans' extensive international media coverage is economic and political in nature. When European countries had their colonies in the rest of the world, it was essential that they be able to keep up with the political and economic news concerning the areas in which they had business investments and wanted to retain influence in the political direction of these colonies. What was happening overseas obviously affected their political and business decisions back home. The established culture of the European news appetite has continued its tradition of thorough reporting of political, economic and humanitarian interests which Europeans expect to continue to receive.

I subscribe to the International Herald Tribune which has been my daily newspaper for the past twelve years. I read it cover to cover every day. I never realized how much I was missing in world news by living in the US, until I subscribed to this newspaper.


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## papa (Oct 5, 2001)

Dear Friends:

I just posted an interview with Chef Jean-Michel Lorain on my web site about his loss of his third Michelin star rating. This interview is part of the continuous monthly contributions of Chef Thuries to my site. I thought that some of you might find interesting to read what Chef Lorain says about life with a two star rating.

To read the interview, go to the "World of Chefs/France/English" section of my site at: http://www.OliveTree.cc

I hope that this interview gives you a personal insight into the Michelin rating system.


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## pompeyams (Jun 4, 2001)

My Thoughts on Michelin.
Having spent my entire career working in michelin starred restaurants here in England and in France I would just like to make the point that out of all the three main guides in Britain Michelin is the most vague and unused all it is is an ego boist for chefs theres no information in the book about the style or food served not like the good food guide .For the last 4 years I have had my own restaurant which has been included in the Michelin Guide not with a star mined you previous to this I gained a star as head chef of my old work place this year I have been sent or the information to fill in for the 2002 edition but have had no inspection so I think this makes a mockery of the whole guide how can they include a restaurant they haven,t visited that year Michelin criteria look for so many other things apart from the food its madness penguins as waiters starch table clothes yes they are all nice but they dont make the food taste better basically Michelin is to vague and out dated for most users and chefs keep on cooking pompeyams


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## pompeyams (Jun 4, 2001)

Well in my experience Both Michelin & AA inspectors introduce themselves after dinner its only on a second visit if needed that year they dont the only completely anonymous guide is The good food guide
The AA are also hopeless I have had the same inspector come three years running I think they must all suffer from a shortage of funds and time to visit every establishment in the UK any way not to make me sound bitter and twisted bums on seats pay the bills and any listing or write up in the papers ( IF GOOD ) is a bonus TTFN


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## pompeyams (Jun 4, 2001)

hi beaches I think you might be best to try london they will all speak the same language try Landmark Hotel or Tante claire at the Berkeley Hotel or The connaught they will all have web sites and im sure you might get a chance if your keen


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## pompeyams (Jun 4, 2001)

It was late last night and I didn,t have much energy hers the proper addresses
.........La Tante Claire ,Berkeley Hotel ,Wilton Place London SW1X 7RL telephone 02078232003

La Gavrouche, 43 Upper Brook Street W1Y 1PF tel 02074090939
The Connaught Hotel Restaurant carlos Place W1Y 6Al tel 0207 499 7070


they are just a few if not try these ones which are in the country side

Chewton Glen Christchurch Road BH256Qs Hampshire southern england tel 01425 275341

Croque-en-bouche 221 Wells road WR144HF Malvern Wells Malvern tel--01684565612

hope you find this of some use if you dont try you,ll never know love pompey


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## chefjune (May 11, 2001)

The article on Cote St. Jacques was quite interesting. We visited there not long after the move across the road. My group liked this restaurant best, this chef best of all the restaurants we visited on our tour. (Other places we dined included Taillevent and La Cote d'Or) The food was fabulous, the ambience intimate and warm, and the Lorain family could not have breen more welcoming than had we been the British Royal Family. So "Go Figure."

re the translation of the article. Next time, go back and re-insert the French names. We do not refer to M. Verge as "Roger Laid" in this country! Nor do we rever to La Cote St. Jacques as "Coast" nor to La Tour d'Argent as "the Tower of Money!"
(LOL!)


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