For chefs and restaurateurs, Michelin stars are something that they work for their entire lives. It is considered one of the highest recognitions in the food industry. They work all their lives, giving
their blood, sweat and tears, just to earn a Michelin star or two, which earns them huge respect and recognition in the industry. But have you wondered how the Michelin Star rating system began in the first place?
Let us tell you that the rating system’s origin story has little to do with the food industry. In fact, it began at a car tyre company when two brothers in France, Andre and Edouard Michelin, founders of the Michelin tyre company, came up with a clever marketing tactic.
The Michelin Brothers Wanted To Increase Tyre Sales
At the beginning of the 20th century, fewer than 3000 cars ran on the streets of all of France. But no one was driving enough for their car tyres to wear out. So, the brothers decided to come up with a plan to encourage people to use their cars more often. Their goal was simple: to get people driving their cars more often, which would increase sales of the tyres their company made. So, instead of focusing on selling their tyres, they focused more on the reasons people drive around in their cars.
That’s when they launched the first Michelin Guide, a small red book, which was free and featured maps, hotel listings, mechanics, and instructions on changing tyres. To encourage more trips, they eventually added restaurant recommendations across France. At first, it was just another travel guide, but soon, the brothers had another interesting idea. They decided to add stars for the restaurants that served exceptional food.
They Introduced The Michelin Star Rating In 1926
Anonymous food reviewers, now known as Michelin inspectors, were introduced to secretly rate restaurants. The Michelin star rating began in 1926. Five years later, in 1931, they launched the three-star system, which is still being used. One Michelin star denotes “a very good restaurant in its category”, two stars mean “excellent cooking, worth a detour”, and three stars signify “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
Today, the Michelin star rating system is present worldwide, with inspectors visiting restaurants multiple times a year, anonymously, to review food, quality, and the place’s presentation. Indian chefs like Vikas Khanna received a Michelin star for his New York-based restaurant Junoon; Atul Kochhar was the first Indian to be awarded one for his London restaurant Tamarind; and Vineet Bhatia’s Rasoi in Geneva was also awarded a Michelin star.
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