Michelin unveils 62 newly starred French restaurants
The Michelin Guide unveiled its annual list of the best French restaurants Monday, praising the “cultural dynamism” of a new generation of chefs, though again honoring only a handful of women. After a long period of resting on the laurels of its gastronomic reputation, )UDQFH KDV VHHQ D ÁRXULVKLQJ RI QHZ HVtablishments in the last decade or so, absorbing international ideas and increasingly focusing on sustainability.
Two restaurants achieved the highest pinnacle of three stars at the annual ceremony, this year held in the Loire Valley city of Tours: Le Gabriel in Paris and La Table du Castellet in the southern Provence region. A total of 62 restaurants were awarded at least one star — most MRLQLQJ WKH 0LFKHOLQ UDQNV IRU WKH ÀUVW time, including 23 that have been open for less than a year.
The Espadon at the Paris Ritz won a star for the innovative Africa-inspired cooking of chef Eugenie Beziat. ReÁHFWLQJ WKH FRQWLQXHG PDOH GRPLQDQFH of the industry, Beziat was one of just six women earning a star. “Hopefully ,·P KHUH WR LQVSLUH RWKHU ZRPHQ EXW , GRQ·W KDYH WKH DQVZHUV (YHU\RQH KDV D place in my kitchen as long as they work hard,” she told AFP.
Speaking on stage, Michelin Guide director Gwendal Poullennec acknowledged: “There are too few women at the head of kitchens despite their being more and more numerous in culinary schools DQG UHVWDXUDQW WHDPV ´,W·V D UHDOLW\ ZH deplore,” he said, adding he remained hopeful about “the strong initiatives to promote talented young women.”
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La Table du Castellet, which focuses on locally-sourced seafood and vegetables, went straight to the top ranking LQ LWV ÀUVW \HDU XQGHU )DELHQ )HUUH $W just 35, he is now the youngest chef in )UDQFH ZLWK WKUHH VWDUV ´$JH GRHVQ·W PDWWHU /LIH LV PDGH RI IDLOXUHV ,·YH KDG WKHP DQG \HW ,·P KHUH EHLQJ FURZQHG \RX KDYH WR ÀJKW µ D WHDUIXO )HUUH WROG AFP immediately after earning his threeVWDUUHG FKHI·V ZKLWHV
The Michelin Guide celebrated his “perfectly executed creative dishes” and “deep and punchy sauces”. Le Gabriel is an exclusive eatery near the Champs-Elysees in Paris inspired by head chef JeURPH %DQFWHO·V QDWLYH %ULWWDQ\ ZKHUH WKH dinner menu starts at 278 euros.
0LFKHOLQ SUDLVHG %DQFWHO·V ´FRVPRpolitan alchemist skills”, singling out his OREVWHU FRRNHG ZLWK ELQFKRWDQ D FDUERQ QRUPDOO\ XVHG LQ -DSDQHVH FRRNLQJ DOmond praline and peach with verbena. “All these years of working without any recompense and moments of self-doubt,” a choked-up Banctel told AFP, adding he FRXOGQ·W ZDLW IRU WKH WHDUV DQG FULHV RI MR\ when he walked back into the kitchen on Tuesday morning.
There are now 30 restaurants with three stars in France, 75 with two, and 534 with one. Many were rewarded Monday for their sustainable, locally-sourced cuisine. “French gastronomy is no longer stuck in the past,” Poullennec told AFP before the ceremony. “There is a very FOHDU HPSKDVLV RQ WKH ¶WHUURLUV· ³ WKH ORcal agricultural fabric.”
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Michelin announced demotions two weeks ago — done in advance to avoid
of 28 lost a star this year, including one three-star establishment. The annual ceremony has become a touring affair around France since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the last two held in Strasbourg and Cognac.
7KDW UHÁHFWV WKH VSUHDG RI )UDQFH·V best restaurants beyond Paris, with regional eateries accounting for most of the new stars in recent years. Some 40 small PXQLFLSDOLWLHV DQG YLOODJHV ÀQG WKHPselves with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the new edition. Among top chefs, the Michelin Guide is as feared and criticized as it is respected.
Its anonymous reviewers can make
impacts on the fragile bottom lines of restaurants. Tyre-manufacturing brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin ODXQFKHG WKHLU ÀUVW JXLGH LQ WR HQcourage motorists to discover restaurants around France. — AFP