[GastroNaut]

Hiyas :-)
I have talked, read and heard about Michelin Stars.... But what are they? where do they come from? How do you get rewarded with one?
I heard they come from the French President but that just didnt quite sound right :-)
Thanks
Dave

[thebighat]

No, really. Little leprachauns leave them in the reeking grease covered work shoes of deserving cuisiners, silly boy, where did you think they came from? There's even a story about not getting them called "Cruel Shoes."

[GastroNaut]

Please recount the story of "Cruel Shoes"

[thebighat]

I believe it's in a collection of stories by Steve Martin, the actor/funnyman. I'm not sure if the shoes are full of pins, or tuna fish.

[chefjohnpaul]

GastroNaut,

Michelin stars are awarded by the Michelin Tire Company. They put out a travel guide and have for years weilded great power in rating establishments. They make and break chefs. From my understanding for the ultimate, 3 stars, you need to generate $50,000 revenue a day just to finance the establishment and keep the standards for a 3 star rating. If you get 3 and drop to 2 it's not like having 1 and getting 2, it devaluates your establishment. There is a lot of politics from my understanding. Many chefs are happy with one because the pressure I hear is unbearable to maintain 3, although some chefs thrive under this pressure.

The cost of Michelin stars I believe is 10 years off your life and a bleeding peptic ulcer. I reality you have to be very good in all aspects and somehow court the Tire Company.

[thebighat]

To me the stars only mean anything when applied to restaurants in France. In the US it seems like every reviewer has their own system of awarding stars, 3 means average sometimes, 5, now you're doing a good job. And they (the stars) are so hard to come by there are only 32 three star restaurants in France.

[ August 19, 2001: Message edited by: thebighat ]

[Isa]

The rarity of three stars restaurants in France is part of the appeal. The rarer something is the more appealing it appear.

[pastry--chef]

Have any of you seen the progamm on Gordon Ramsay in the U.K its quite interesting watching this guy who has 2 michellin stars goin for his third, shows him stressing out waiting for the guide to come out very hardcore kitchen, I watch it and think how lucky i am this guy is not my boss, one of the guys i used to work with worked with him for a while Ramsay had the poor little australian out in the middle of the english winter picking chervil for 3 hrs so that it wouldnt bruise, no gloves and no jacket poor little bugger. My old boss use to work for a michellin star (le gavoroche roux brothers)
as the head pastry chef enjoyed it throughly but the pressure for that star was hugely intense 7 am-12am 6 days a week for hardly any money more the experience than the pay.
anyway have fun pastry_chef

[thebighat]

Read an interesting chapter in French Lessons by Peter Mayles (sp?) about the Michelin guide. He's the guy who wrote all those books about a year in Provence.

[Kimmie]

His hobbies include walking, reading, writing, and...lunch!

[Nick.Shu]

ehh, people getting aneuryisms because of a fat, tyre surrounded dude is handing out stars?

highly irregular.

[thebighat]

Poke around here for some stuff on the Michelin stars....lots of good stuff


that link seems to take one to really stupid places. I don't know why. it's www.echefs.net/links.htm. You may have to type it into the address bar. Scroll down the page till you get to the Michelin stories. Also links to a lot of three star joints.

[ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: thebighat ]
still doesn't work. Hijacked!!!

[ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: thebighat ]

[thebighat]

try this..http://www.e-chefs.net/links.htm

[GastroNaut]

Thanks Big Hat for your help

[Kimmie]

Here's one more link. The book Burgundy Stars : A Year in the Life of a Great French Restaurant is currently out of print but you can get it used through Amazon.com