A Michelin star is one of the highest honours that can be awarded in the restaurant industry, and yet, Michelin wasn’t all about fine dining when it first started. The Michelin Guide, which was started in 1900 by the founders of the Michelin tire company, used to be a booklet presenting hotels, gas stations, and everything else a traveler might need.
Now, the Michelin Guide focuses on rating restaurants, and even though the process of earning one, two, or three of their stars seems secretive and complex, here are a few guidelines that will explain you how to get a Michelin star.
1. The restaurant needs to be in a city covered by Michelin
Not just any fine dining establishment can earn a Michelin star and be featured in the Michelin Guide. Michelin only covers certain areas of the globe, so before a restaurant tries to get their attention, they need to make sure they are in a city covered by them.
Michelin only sends inspectors to assess the food of restaurants located in the areas they are covering.
2. Everyone working in the kitchen needs to be disciplined
Getting a Michelin star is a team effort for a restaurant. Of course, the chef needs to be extremely talented and creative, but everyone working in the kitchen needs to be disciplined as well.
The kitchen has to be clean and well organized at all times, and every member of the staff needs to know exactly what their role is, and to take pride in what they are doing.
3. The chef needs to use local and seasonal ingredients
To earn a Michelin star, the chef needs to use only the best and freshest ingredients available. Michelin tends to favor restaurants who feature a lot of local ingredients on their menus, so the chef should consider developing relationships with local farmers and other people working in the food industry.
Seasonal ingredients featured in delicious dishes should also get the attention of Michelin inspectors.
4. The chef needs to be skilled
A restaurant can’t possibly get a Michelin star without a skilled, talented, and passionate chef at the helm. The chef should know how to balance texture and flavours in the dishes they prepare, and they should master different cooking techniques.
A great chef should not be afraid of experimenting and trying out new things. They should be aware of the latest culinary trends, and they should know how to make dishes look as amazing as they taste. After all, only the most daring chefs at the best restaurants can be awarded a Michelin star.
5. The personality of the chef must be on the menu
Preparing gourmet dishes is an art form, and a chef is an artist who is expected to express their personality in the dishes they create.
The personality of the chef should be featured in the dishes offered on the menu. This can seem difficult to achieve, but when it’s done right, it can make all the difference between being considered for a Michelin star or being ignored.
6. Every item on the menu needs to be amazing
It would be a mistake for a restaurant to rely on only one amazing dish to try to get a Michelin star. Michelin inspectors will visit a restaurant more than once, and you never know what they might decide to order.
Therefore, every item on the menu needs to be the best it can be. If an item is good, without being amazing, it needs to be improved or to be taken off the menu as soon as possible.
7. The quality of the food must be consistent
Since Michelin inspectors visit a restaurant trying to get a star more than once, the chef and everyone working in the kitchen have to make sure the quality of the food is consistent, day after day.
To always be preparing the best dishes they can prepare, they have to pretend they are receiving a mystery Michelin inspector every single day.
8. The quality of the service has to be consistent as well
The quality of the food has to be consistent, but so does the quality of the service. Even if the dishes look perfect, the customers won’t be too impressed if the food is cold by the time their plates reach their table, or if their waiter is rude.
The key to how to get a Michelin star is teamwork and collaboration. There needs to be a team effort that involves everyone working in the restaurant.
9. The restaurant must be ready for an inspection
Word-of-mouth praise and a strong online presence can help a restaurant get Michelin’s attention, but it’s also possible to contact them directly to request an inspection.
After contacting Michelin, the whole team should make sure the restaurant is ready for an inspection at any time. If there is any issue while the inspector visits, they will surely take note of it and it could ruin the chances of a Michelin star being awarded to this restaurant.
