The Michelin star is a coveted award given to restaurants with the highest quality of food and service. It has become synonymous with excellence in the culinary world, and chefs strive to achieve it. But who invented the Michelin star?
The answer lies in the history of the Michelin tire company. Founded in 1889 by brothers Édouard and André Michelin, the company began as a small rubber factory in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
As their business grew, they saw an opportunity to expand into automobile tires. In 1900, they created the first detachable tire, revolutionizing the industry.
The brothers also saw another opportunity: promoting tourism through their tires. They decided to create maps of France featuring information about hotels, restaurants, mechanics, and other services useful for travelers.
To differentiate between eateries of varying quality levels, they came up with an idea for a rating system that would be printed on the maps: a one-, two-, or three-star rating system for restaurants. The stars were intended to indicate how much money one should expect to pay for their meal at each restaurant — one star denoting an “inexpensive” meal; two stars indicating a “distinctive” meal; and three stars indicating an “exceptional” meal worthy of a special journey.
The Michelin stars quickly became recognized by diners as a sign of excellence, and chefs around the world have been striving to earn them ever since. Restaurants are still judged according to the same criteria today: quality of product ingredients, mastery of flavors and cooking techniques, personality of the cuisine, value for money spent on food, consistency between visits (both in terms of food quality and service), and overall dining experience.
Conclusion
The Michelin star was invented by Édouard and André Michelin as part of their map-making endeavor for travelers throughout France. The rating system was designed to indicate how much money one should expect to pay for their meal at each restaurant — from an inexpensive one-star meal up to an exceptional three-star experience worthy of a special journey — and it quickly became recognized as a sign of excellence in dining worldwide.