That FT piece is, um, interesting. It's quite a stretch to claim that 'The correct number of Michelin stars is one. For two and three, judges tend to expect things of the service and decor that will be lost on almost all diners.' Michelin claims that 'A Michelin Star is awarded for the food on the plate – nothing else. The style of a restaurant and its degree of formality or informality have no bearing whatsoever on the award.' I'm not saying I entirely believe that because the sort of places that tend to get two and three stars are quite swanky (there are exceptions of course) but I would say that many users of the Michelin guide will have expectations about service and decor the more money they are paying. To portray 2 and 3 star restaurants as something esoteric in 2025 is a little ridiculous. It's also a bit of a stretch to say that, regarding the US, Michelin have 'passed over with majestic hauteur until the recent past'. They've been in America since 2005!
That FT piece is, um, interesting. It's quite a stretch to claim that 'The correct number of Michelin stars is one. For two and three, judges tend to expect things of the service and decor that will be lost on almost all diners.' Michelin claims that 'A Michelin Star is awarded for the food on the plate – nothing else. The style of a restaurant and its degree of formality or informality have no bearing whatsoever on the award.' I'm not saying I entirely believe that because the sort of places that tend to get two and three stars are quite swanky (there are exceptions of course) but I would say that many users of the Michelin guide will have expectations about service and decor the more money they are paying. To portray 2 and 3 star restaurants as something esoteric in 2025 is a little ridiculous. It's also a bit of a stretch to say that, regarding the US, Michelin have 'passed over with majestic hauteur until the recent past'. They've been in America since 2005!
Yeah. My original draft of that reflection on the FT piece was a lot longer and a good deal more... critical.
I would have liked to have read that!