Michelin Awards for France 2008
The latest happenings in French Gastronomy
France, unsurprisingly, has more michelin starred restaurants than any other country, four times the amount of Great Britain and Ireland. Despite accusations in recent years of France’s perceived unwillingness to adopt new foods and influences and the supposed shift in the balance of power in world gastronomy towards Spain it continues to defy the critics.
I found much of the criticism unfair, arrogance could also be called pride, the French have always been fiercely proud of their food and produce, their techniques are, after all, the basis upon what modern gastronomy has become so why change it? There are a lot of chefs in other European countries who could be accused of using far too much ‘foreign’ produce simply because less imagination is required. Remember when lemongrass first raised its head? It was in the soup, then the fish followed by the creme brulee and even the petit fours.
So waht’s new in the 2008 Michelin Guide for France? well, sixty one restaurants have been awarded new stars with very little change at the top. There are still twenty six three starred restaurants (England has three) with Le Grand Vefour in Paris going down to three and Le Petit Nice in Marseille going from two to three.
In the two star bracket of which there are sixty eight, there are eight newcomers and fifty two being awarded their first star making an incredible four hundred and thirty five one star restaurants. What does this say about a. the standard of French food and b. the standard of michelin. Is the standard of restaurant food in France so much better than any other country and by such a margin or is it a case of differing standards on the part of the inspectors?
Virtually all of the chefs I have employed from France have had michelin star experience, were they all that much better than the English, Germans, Australians, etc? No. As I always say, in my life I have had my best and worst meal in France.
There are some fabulous restaurants in France and some exceptional chefs, there are also a lot of mediocre ones, just ask my French chefs.
Miles,
A very interesting article and thought provoking. Many years ago I booked a weekend in Paris with a friend who subsequently couldn’t go due to illness. My mother came instead and in the dead of night we arrived at a back street hotel just the two of us. It was a bit like a scene from The Third Man
Hungry after lots of travelling, I asked the staff where we should eat and they directed us to a tiny spit and sawdust joint around the corner. My mother’s face was a picture…. I could see trouble coming but the food there turned out to be excellent in a rustic sort of way. I remember we marvelled at the pate on it’s own let alone all the other courses that followed. After that we did the usual touristy things and the sun was shining and the cherry trees blooming… but I don’t remember anything about eating after that first night.
Cid
March 9, 2008 @ 11:00 am
Cid,
A lovely comment, it reminds me of a trip to Versailles some years back with my then partner. We bought bread rolls, pate and fruit at the markets in Paris before eating them for lunch in the beautiful grounds. The food was simple but added to a fond memory.
Miles
March 9, 2008 @ 6:13 pm