Does a Michelin inspector make themselves known to the restaurant?

Unlike a spy, a Michelin inspector is permitted to reveal his (or her) occupation to his friends and family, but his visits to restaurants, aside from one “announced visit” every year, must be done incognito.

How do Michelin inspectors work?

Michelin reviewers (commonly called “inspectors”) are anonymous; they do not identify themselves, and their meals and expenses are paid for by Michelin, never by a restaurant being reviewed: Michelin has gone to extraordinary lengths to maintain the anonymity of its inspectors.

What is the criteria for a Michelin star?

To earn one Michelin star, a restaurant needs to be “a very good restaurant in this category”. For two stars, it needs to be “excellent cooking, worth a detour”. For three stars, a restaurant must serve “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”

How does a restaurant get a Michelin star?

To earn one star, a restaurant must be considered “a very good restaurant in its category.” For two stars, the criteria is “excellent cooking, worth a detour.” To qualify for the elusive three stars, a restaurant must serve up “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”

Is Michelin star awarded to restaurant or chef?

But the fact of the matter is that they don’t exist: stars are awarded to the restaurant, not the chef. Gordon Ramsey holds no Michelin stars. Restaurant Gordon Ramsey holds three.

Who are the Michelin inspectors?

Anonymous restaurant inspectors for the much-lauded Michelin Guide who fiercely protect their identities—and their reviewing “secrets.” But there are ways of making them talk.

Why choose a Michelin restaurant?

Most Michelin Inspectors have either worked in the hospitality business or cooked in kitchens themselves – rest assured our reviews are written with passion, integrity and knowledge. Quality: Any restaurant can be reviewed for our guides as long as the establishment is deemed high quality based off Michelin’s 5 restaurant rating criteria.

Why are restaurants tested in complete anonymity?

Testing restaurants in complete anonymity in order to ensure that they do not receive any special treatment is essential to the creditability of the MICHELIN Guide. Independence: Michelin Inspectors are employees of the Michelin Group only and are not linked to any other organisations.

How do restaurant inspectors evaluate consistency?

An inspector will visit a restaurant multiple times during a year to validate consistency—consistency up and down the menu and consistency over time. Validating a restaurant at a two- or three-star level usually requires additional visits from other inspectors from other regions, who will bring special expertise to the discussion.