When it comes to fine dining, the Michelin Guide sets the gold standard for restaurant ratings. Restaurants around the world compete for the coveted three-star rating, which is widely regarded as a sign of culinary excellence.
Though it is extremely difficult to obtain a three-star rating, there are some chefs who have achieved this feat. But how many Michelin 3 star chefs are there in the world?
The answer depends on which country you’re looking at. The United States has the most Michelin three-star restaurants and chefs, with a total of 17 restaurants and 24 chefs.
France follows close behind with 16 restaurants and 18 chefs, while Italy comes in third with 15 restaurants and 14 chefs. Japan also boasts an impressive 11 restaurants and 12 chefs with three stars.
However, these numbers can change quickly since Michelin releases new guides each year and ratings can be revoked if a restaurant’s quality slips. This means that each year new names join this exclusive list of elite chefs while others may lose their stars due to changes in standards or dips in quality.
The majority of Michelin 3 star chefs are male – only seven out of the current 75 are women – though this number has been steadily increasing over recent years as more female chefs break into high-end dining establishments. These seven women include Dominique Crenn from Atelier Crenn in San Francisco; Anne-Sophie Pic from La Maison Pic in Valence; Elena Arzak from Arzak in San Sebastian; Clare Smyth from Core by Clare Smyth in London; Margot Janse from The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français in South Africa; Yoshihiro Narisawa from Narisawa Tokyo; and Martina Caruso from Piazza Duomo Alba in Italy.
Conclusion:
There are currently 75 Michelin 3 star chefs around the world, spread across 17 countries. The United States leads the way with 24 three-starred chefs while France follows closely behind with 18 and Italy with 14. While most of these elite cooks are male, there has been an increase in female representation over recent years with seven women currently holding three stars.