You have undoubtedly heard of Michelin stars and their vaunted place in the restaurant industry. The gastronomic press is abuzz with stories about which chefs have the most Michelin stars and when a great chef like Gordon Ramsay loses Michelin stars it is seen as a devastating loss.
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What “Michelin Star Restaurant” Really Means
For many these stars represent the ultimate culinary achievement even though the award itself doesn’t have much substance. There’s no prize money and while winning restaurants do get a mention in the Michelin Guide it’s just a small blurb with basic information not a glowing review. You get a plaque with a star on it to display in your restaurant and that’s really all there is in terms of tangible rewards. The real prize is influence.
Some foodies plan their entire vacation around visiting Michelin-starred restaurants and travel thousands of miles to see what the hype is about all on the word of a tire manufacturer. The association is confusing to some. What do cars and good food have in common? Quite a lot actually. The Michelin Guide wasn’t invented to celebrate food it was invented to sell tires and more than a century after its inception it remains one of the most brilliant PR moves in history.
In 1889 brothers Édouard and André Michelin took over their family’s rubber company and quickly proved to be ambitious businessmen. Édouard invented the modern removable tire which became a sensational hit with cyclists. But the brothers had dreams beyond bicycles and saw even greater potential in the emerging automobile industry. There was just one problem: in the 1890s there were few cars on the road in France. If the Michelins wanted to sell tires they had to convince more people to drive.
