The Michelin star system is a guidebook rating system that awards restaurants from one to three stars based on quality and experience. When a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant dies, the restaurant often loses its star.
In some cases, the restaurant may retain its star for several years after the chef’s death, but eventually the Michelin Guide will re-evaluate the establishment and remove its star.
The Michelin Guide is designed to be an indication of quality in dining, and so when a chef dies, it can set off a chain reaction within the restaurant that can lead to a decrease in quality. The first issue that arises is that without the original chef, there will be no one who can replicate their unique style of cooking or recreate dishes in exactly the same way. This means that customers who are expecting to have meals prepared by this famous chef may be disappointed with their experience when they visit the restaurant post-death.
Another issue is that without an experienced head chef generally comes a lack of consistency with regards to the food being served. The new chef may not adhere to recipes or techniques as strictly as their predecessor did and this could mean a noticeable difference in flavours and presentation of dishes. This would then be reflected in customer reviews which could lead to fewer people wanting to visit this particular establishment.
Finally, Michelin inspectors will usually come into these restaurants at least once per year, sometimes more often if warranted. They are looking for evidence of high standards in terms of quality ingredients, creative cooking techniques and overall dining experience as well as consistency across dishes – all things which can suffer if there is no experienced head chef at the helm.
Conclusion:
When a renowned head chef passes away from a Michelin-starred restaurant it often leads to said restaurant losing its star due to changes in quality resulting from lack of experience, consistency and adherence to recipes. This does not happen immediately however; it usually takes several years for inspectors from the Michelin Guide to re-evaluate the establishment and remove its star.