How to Get a Michellin Star

[jeffperez62]

How long does one have to be in business for??

Do the star or stars belong to the establishment or the chef??

Usually, on average how many visits to an establishment does an inspector make before passing judgement??

How many places does anyone know of that have been open less that 1 year (in the USA) and have received Michellin stars??

Edited September 22, 2008 by jeffperez62 (log)

[oakapple]

How long does one have to be in business for??

In each of the last two years, the NY Michelin Guide has given stars to restaurants that were new since the previous guide was published. At least in New York, there seems to be no obstacle to being starred (or even multi-starred) after less than one year in existence.

Actually, I would take it even further. I think the only newly-starred restaurants in NY (leaving aside the first guide) have received their stars the first year they were eligible. In NY, I don't think there's a precedent yet for a restaurant more than a year old receiving a star for the first time.

Do the star or stars belong to the establishment or the chef??

It technically belongs to the establishment, but if the chef leaves the star may be withdrawn, or if it's a multi-star establishment they take a star away. There's not much to go on in NY, as the guide is so new, but that's the usual practice in Europe.

[jeffperez62]

Oakapple,

If my establishment is awarded a star and closed say due to the bad economy, does the star die with the restaurant??

Or if the chef leaves for another restaurant does he take his star with him??

[oakapple]

If my establishment is awarded a star and closed say due to the bad economy, does the star die with the restaurant??

Or if the chef leaves for another restaurant does he take his star with him??

←

The star dies with the restaurant. Of course, a chef who has previously shown the knack for acquiring a star has a better-than-average chance of getting one at his next place, but it still needs to be earned.

[Sneakeater]

But if the chef leaves and the restaurant stays open, the restaurant keeps the star.

Until the next edition, that is.

[Nathan]

right.

starred restaurants are supposed to receive visits from more than one inspector. if I recall correctly, three starred restaurants are visited by every inspector and the regional director....so there's supposed to be a correlation between ranking and visits (i.e. higher ranked restaurants get more visits)

[jeffperez62]

But didn't Fiamma lose a star recently due to a chef change??

Edited September 25, 2008 by jeffperez62 (log)