what is michelin

Michelin is a French tire company that also publishes the Michelin Guide, a series of guidebooks that awards up to three Michelin stars to select restaurants for their excellence in cooking. The Michelin Guide takes into account five universal criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine, and consistency both across the entire menu and over time. One Michelin star is awarded for high-quality cooking, worth a stop; two stars for excellent cooking, worth a detour; and three stars for superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession, where their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics. The Michelin inspectors are anonymous and visit hundreds of restaurants a year to ensure they don't receive any preferential treatment. The success of many of the world's leading restaurants is synonymous with the chef at the helm, but the Michelin stars are awarded to the restaurant, not just an individual chef.