The Michelin star is an award given to restaurants around the world, signifying the quality of both their food and their service. It is one of the most prestigious awards a restaurant can receive, with only a select few achieving it each year. Many people assume that the Michelin star is related to the tire company of the same name, but this isn’t actually the case.
The Michelin star was first established in 1926 by Andre and Edouard Michelin, two French brothers who owned a tire company. They created a guidebook for tourists, which included reviews of restaurants in different cities.
Over time, this guidebook evolved into what we know today as the Michelin Guide. The guide is published annually and assesses restaurants on criteria such as quality of ingredients used, skillful preparation of dishes, value for money, consistency of cooking over time and harmony between food elements.
In order to be awarded a single star from the Michelin Guide, a restaurant must offer exceptional cuisine that is worth a detour. Two stars indicate that the restaurant is worth a special journey and three stars mean that it offers exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.
To ensure fairness and accuracy in assessments, all reviews are made anonymously by specially trained inspectors who dine at each restaurant incognito multiple times before making any decisions. This system has been in place since 1933 when inspectors were first sent out to evaluate restaurants.
Although it shares its name with one of the world’s leading tire companies, The Michelin star has no direct affiliation with it. The award was created by two brothers who ran a tire company but has since been taken over by an independent team of experts who manage it today.
In conclusion, The Michelin star is an independently managed award given to restaurants based on their quality of food and service. It has no direct affiliation with its namesake tire company; although it was founded by two brothers who ran such a business many years ago.