Michelin Guide 2003

[aprilmei]

Can someone please help! I'm writing a piece on Alain Ducasse, who's opening a branch of Spoon here in Hong Kong. To put his attainment of two Michelin three-star restaurants in perspective, I need to explain how few three-star restaurants there are in total in Paris and/or in France. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the Michelin Guide 2003 and there doesn't seem to be a copy in all of Hong Kong - I've checked all the bookstores. Can someone who has the 2003 guide(s) please tell me how many three-star restaurants there are in Paris and/or in all of France?? I've googled and checked past e-gullet threads but can't find a precise number.

Thanks in advance.

[enthusiast]

there are twenty five in france in total

[Gary Marshall]

try searching www.viamichelin.com

it's the guide on-line

under restaurants and you can search for 3 stars in an area eg paris

[aprilmei]

Great, thanks for both responses. It looks as if there are 10 in Paris.

[fresh_a]

There are!

[Jon Tseng]

There are!

Blimey!

Didn't realise there were so many... doesn't seem so long ago people were talking about the "rigid pentarchy" with one-in-one-out

Is posh food in Paris really twice as good now???

J

[Andy Lynes]

"rigid pentarchy"

I'm not sure you can say that on egullet actually.

[Jon Tseng]

"rigid pentarchy"

I'm not sure you can say that on egullet actually.

Its a quote from the FT

[paulbrussel]

About Michelin, especially in France, have been various discussions; not every one believes that France is as good as it looks in Michelin but that there is a sort of strategy and self protection of French cuisine, compared to other great countries, notably Spain.

Although I do believe that the 10 *** in Paris seem to be quite good, but I can't judge them all myself.

[fresh_a]

I'll take a three-star in France to a three-star in any other country, any day...

And don't forget, the manager of the Michelin Guide Rouge, is English, not a French patriot protecting his culture's culinary family jewels...

Edited September 9, 2003 by fresh_a (log)

[paulbrussel]

I'll take a three-star in France to a three-star in any other country, any day...

Do you really think so?

Elsewhere I have stated that the Brussels ***, Comme chez soi, does not at all deserve, in my view, three stars.

The same has been said by others about Paul Bocuse (which I can't judge, and I am not interested in his ***-restaurant).

But I can't judge it completely; I have only been in ten *** so far.

[Bux]

Fresh, I doubt there are ten three star restaurants in all of Spain or ten worthy of three stars, but those restaurants with a three star rating that I've visited are very much the equal of any in France. The two stars are usually better than those in France and I've eaten in one star restaurants that could give the average French two star a run for its money, which is not to imply that there's an equity in value. The Spanish restaurants are usually much less expensive and offer far better value. Admittedly, I don't have contact with a large cross section of young chefs, but what I hear from chefs, including French chefs, is that the action is in Spain. The difference in stars may be a reflection of Michelin's conservatism or its allegiance to the style of French cuisine as much as it is to outright self conscious protectionism or even chauvinism, but I really have to ask anyone who defends the unchallenged superiority of French cuisine today, how much experience have you had dining in Spain, particularly, but not exclusively, in Catalunya and the Pais Vasco. I am perfectly willing to consider my excitement for Spain may be fueled to some extent by novelty, but too great a defense of French cuisine today may be a sign of inertia. For all that, I don't believe there exists anywhere in the world such a cluster of truly great restaurants as in Paris.

[enthusiast]

QUOTE (Andy Lynes @ Sep 9 2003, 01:47 PM)

QUOTE (Jon Tseng @ Sep 9 2003, 01:08 PM)

"rigid pentarchy" 

I'm not sure you can say that on egullet actually. 

Its a quote from the FT

definitely not suitable for eGullet then. How about "five-way stitch up"

[fresh_a]

For all that, I don't believe there exists anywhere in the world such a cluster of truly great restaurants as in Paris.

That's what I meant..

[fresh_a]

But I can't judge it completely; I have only been in ten *** so far.

That's all?!?

[paulbrussel]

But I can't judge it completely; I have only been in ten *** so far.

That's all?!?

Well, I sometimes do get the impression here that I haven't been to restaurants at all! :-)

And indeed: that's all! I do think that since I haven't been to the French Laundry, Alain Passard, Blumenthal, Alain Ducasse, that I haven't been every where... But I do admit as well that it is also a question of money; the Parisian chefs I mentioned and I haven't been too, are terribly expensive!

But I can admit: I have been twice to el Bulli, several times to Pierre Gagnaire, I will be to Can Fabes next weekend, and I will revisit Gordon Ramsay soon as well...

But still - it is probably that I am so impressed by eGullet and there members that I feel a bit "that's all" :-)

[paulbrussel]

For all that, I don't believe there exists anywhere in the world such a cluster of truly great restaurants as in Paris.

Some people say that the density of great restaurants, compared to the number of inhabitants, is nowhere as good as in... Brussels :-) But perhaps I am prejudiced...

[Bux]

For all that, I don't believe there exists anywhere in the world such a cluster of truly great restaurants as in Paris.

Some people say that the density of great restaurants, compared to the number of inhabitants, is nowhere as good as in... Brussels :-) But perhaps I am prejudiced...

That is, of course, another thing. The density of great restaurants compared to the number of inhabitants might be higher in Roses, Spain or maybe Laguiole, France.

[fresh_a]

I was just joking with you!