Michelin stars are a rating system used by the Michelin Guide to recognize restaurants that offer outstanding cooking. The Michelin Guide takes into account five universal criteria when awarding stars: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine, and consistency both across the entire menu and over time.
Restaurants of any style and cuisine type can qualify for a Michelin star, and any number of stars granted to a restaurant signals a huge honor and a rare accomplishment. One Michelin star is awarded to restaurants using top-quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavors are prepared to a consistently high standard. Two Michelin stars are awarded when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes, and their food is refined and inspired. Three Michelin stars are the highest award, given for the superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession, where their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics.
Michelin stars are awarded solely on the standard of cuisine, so inspectors will not consider things like restaurant decor or ambiance when awarding stars, although the comfort and quality are rated from 1 to 5 using a crossed fork and spoon symbol. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants, rather than to individual chefs, so chefs who run more than one establishment can hold more than three stars.
Receiving a Michelin star can be the honor of a lifetime, and it can greatly alter the fortunes of a restaurant. However, because of the extremely high expectations in the rating system, there has been a growing trend to reject Michelin star ratings around the world, with some restaurateurs even demanding that their star rating be removed. They feel that the expectations of the star system are unreasonable and restrict a chef’s creativity in the kitchen.