Very few people understand the methodology behind a restaurant becoming Michelin-starred.
And that includes one very angry chef. La Maison des Bois in France’s Haute-Savoie region lost its third Michelin star earlier this year, and now Chef Marc Veyrat is fighting back with a lawsuit.
His contention? An inspector for Michelin confused a locally-sourced, saffron-flavored emulsion with cheddar cheese because it was yellow.
“I was dishonored. My team, I saw them cry,” he told FranceInfo, after receiving news of the star reduction. He also told Le Point that while his restaurant business is actually up 10 percent, “I feel like my parents have died a second time … I am the only chef in history to get a third star and then to lose it the next year.”
“We understand the disappointment of Mr. Veyrat whose talent no one contests,” Michelin said in a statement, adding, “We will study his demands with attention and calmly respond.”
The modern version of the Michelin Guide was launched in 1920 and originally conceived by the Michelin tire company “to encourage more motorists to take to the road.” The guide uses “restaurant inspectors” (a.k.a. mystery diners) to anonymously review restaurants. A three-star ranking system was started in 1936. According to the company, the guide now rates over 30,000 establishments in over 30 territories.
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