Daily Express

Meet the man who’s eaten at all the world’s best restaurant­s

IT consultant Andy Hayler is the only person to have sampled the cooking at all 120 eateries that hold three Michelin stars, the Oscars of the food world

- By Adrian Lee

BY HIS own admission Andy Hayler was not much interested in food when he was a lad. His mum’s idea of cooking when he was growing up in Somerset in the 1970s was instant mash from a packet and opening a tin.

At university in the following decade he discovered the delights of Indian and Chinese food but the notion of paying top dollar to eat in a fancy restaurant left him cold. British cuisine deservedly had a dire reputation at the time.

Then came an epiphany. On a whim Andy decided to splash out a small fortune to dine at Jamin after reading an article describing the restaurant in Paris as the best in the world. He went with the expectatio­n of proving to himself that high-end food was a waste of money.

However that first exquisite mouthful in 1986 was the dawning of a passion for fine dining. Three decades later Andy is now the only man to have eaten at every Michelin three-star restaurant in the world. He has travelled tens of thousands of miles in the process but it is a never-ending quest to keep up.

Just don’t keep asking him how much it has all cost. “It’s my passion, like some people follow their football team everywhere,” explains Andy. “So I never really get hung up on the money side.”

The award of three stars by the prestigiou­s French guide, which began its ratings system in 1926, is cooking’s equivalent of an Oscar. Only the best of the best, offering “exceptiona­l cuisine”, receive the coveted honour.

Japan with 34 and France boasting 27 lead the way while the UK has just five of the most highly regarded restaurant­s (see box).

When Andy started out on his quest to tick off every one he was working for a technology company in London. He used weekends, holidays and business trips to indulge his hobby. Fortunatel­y his wife Stella shares his passion for fine food. “At the time Michelin three-stars were much fewer in number so it was much easier then,” he says. “As I recall there were only 49, all in Europe. By 2004 I’d been to all of them.”

Later the guides were expanded to include Hong Kong, Shanghai and some US cities. Once he had the taste it seemed churlish not to visit the lot, now covering 15 countries including Monaco.

HE EVENTUALLY began writing about his experience­s and that led to him becoming a food critic. Andy has been a judge on Master Chef: The Profession­als and is often asked to write reviews for magazines.

These days it is a case of catching up when new three-star winners are announced, or new countries added. You could say that it’s a constantly moving feast. “Although I have this tag of having eaten at every three-star restaurant I’m not doing this just for the sake of it,” says Andy. “It is fun, not a chore, and I always look forward to really good new restaurant­s being highlighte­d.

“Michelin is not infallible and judging food is not an exact science but the guides are a good measure. They use multiple, anonymous inspectors who pay their bills. You would be hard-pressed to find a better system. But I’m not a food snob. One of my favourite restaurant­s is Diwana Bhel Poori in London’s Euston where you struggle to spend £15 a head.”

His own opinions are based firmly on the food, not the service DINER: Andy Hayler has gone from humble Smash to haute cuisine ANDY’S FAVOURITE or ambience. He is a devotee of French cooking but his favourite food nation is India.

His favourite city in which to eat is Tokyo but if he had to choose one restaurant for his last meal on Earth it would be chef Michel Guérard’s Les Prés d’Eugénie in Aquitaine, France. “I’ve been there many times and the food is always remarkable,” says Andy. “It has had three stars for 40 years and the chef is now 84 years old.”

Even within the three-star category Andy believes there are about two dozen that stand out from the rest. He says that most food critics agree that they have a certain magic that puts them on a pedestal. But on the current list of 120 Michelin three-star restaurant­s there are a few he does not think merit top rating including T’ang Court in Hong Kong. “You tend not to get hideous meals at that level but eating there was disappoint­ing.”

CONVERSELY he thinks Ibai in the basement of a tapas bar in San Sebastian, Spain, and only open for lunch is one of the world’s most underrated eateries.

While Andy is reluctant to try to put a figure on the lifetime cost of dining at Michelin three-star restaurant­s he points out that the average price is about £200 a head including modest wine. Doing the maths that’s £24,000 to complete the set of 120 but not including repeat visits, regular new additions to the guides or travel costs.

“The vast majority of my disposable income I spend on food and getting there,” he confirms. “People ask if a meal can really be worth £200 or £300 but it is subjective. Is a Ferrari worth it?”

The most he has forked out at a sitting was over £500 at Per Se in New York but on the other hand he ate handsomely for £64 at Wa Namamra in Nara, Japan.

He is also the author of a book, The London Transport Restaurant Guide, and divides his time between eating and writing about food and his technology consulting business. Andy doesn’t claim to be a good chef himself, adding: “I quite enjoy cooking but it is a lot of work and it makes me admire people who do it very well.”

His love affair with food means gym membership is a must and he works out regularly to prevent piling on the pounds. Dessert is invariably part of the three-star experience so Andy and his wife try to eat healthily at home.

Does he think that British food is still lagging behind rest of the world? “It has certainly improved,” he says diplomatic­ally.

You can keep up with Andy’s quest and read more than 1,600 of his restaurant reviews by visiting andyhayler.com

 ?? Pictures: JONATHAN BUCKMASTER; AFP/Getty ??
Pictures: JONATHAN BUCKMASTER; AFP/Getty
 ??  ?? FIRST COURSE: French restaurant Les Prés d’Eugénie near Pau
FIRST COURSE: French restaurant Les Prés d’Eugénie near Pau
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