Whether you’re a chef, a restaurant owner or simply someone who is passionate about fine food, this infographic will provide you with a broad understanding of the Michelin star universe. You will discover what Michelin stars mean and what the assessment criteria are. You will find out how Michelin stars are spread around the world and what the inspectors’ job is.

Yet before we get to the actual infographic, I have decided to answer some common questions and debunk a couple of myths.

Are Michelin stars for restaurants or chefs?

Michelin stars are not for chefs, but for restaurants. They are based on several criteria, among which the personality of the chef experienced through the dishes. It is common practice to associate Michelin stars to the head chef or owner of the restaurant awarded, however, this is not fully accurate.

Do Michelin stars go with the chef when moving to a new restaurant?

No, Michelin stars do not go with chefs once they move to a new restaurant. However, a lot of restaurants provide misleading information purely for marketing purposes. For example, some restaurants promote themselves as having a Michelin star because their head chef previously worked in a Michelin star restaurant. Yet, as I noted in the first question, Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants, not chefs.

Why do some chefs have more than three stars?

I bet you’ve heard of Gordon Ramsay’s many, yet constantly fluctuating stars. That is because he is the owner and/or head chef of several restaurants with Michelin stars. But, as I’ve explained earlier, if he were to quit all his restaurants, he would no longer own any of his current stars. The stars would stay with their current restaurants.

Are Michelin stars related to tyres?

Well, of course, despite the connection between fine food and tyres not being all too obvious! At the beginning of the 20^th century the Michelin Brothers tried to find a way to sell more of their tyres. They created The Michelin Guide, which first featured only gas and repair stations. A couple of years later they started adding restaurants and hotels, and not long afterwards, they introduced the Michelin stars. Basically, The Michelin Guide is one of the first examples of content marketing!

The what, how and why’s of Michelin stars

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