TWINKLE, TWINKLE, MICHELIN STAR: HOW I WONDER IF YOU'RE WORTH IT

(Image from: madeiraislandnews.com)

Extremely coveted. Deeply controversial.

The theory is that nothing expresses the height of culinary excellence like Michelin stars, but are they worth it? The consensus is divided. There's a widespread belief that the stars have "lost their lustre." For those (presumably) in the know, the Michelin Guide is the definitive source for the best places to eat in the world.

With that in mind, there are a couple of new 3-star restaurants in Spain, and you can read more about them in this article from the Rob Report. Very quickly, here they are: the Aponiente restaurant in El Puerto de Santa Maria and ABaC (a restaurant and hotel combo) in Barcelona.

Michelin Madness

For all the bickering over the true value of Michelin ratings, it's well known that a star not only inspires elevated levels of culinary quality, it also drives chefs into the depths of menu madness. The point is well made in this BBC documentary:

Michelin Stars: The Madness of Perfection (BBC - 2010)

The film is a must-watch for foodies and anyone else who wants to explore and reflect on what it means for a chef to be awarded with this accolade. It also leads one to feel discouraged and disheartened when seeing stories like this appear in The Washington Post:

People in Washington may balk at the pamphlet-thin weight of our recently released Michelin Guide, which includes only 108 restaurants. But in Seoul, some unhappy customers are saying they haven’t gotten their money’s worth — and that’s not just people who have bought the book.

Korean media are reporting that one politician has been speaking out against Seoul’s 2016 edition of the little red book, which has been described as being full of errors. This may be especially disappointing for him and other Korean officials because — twist! —  they paid Michelin to commission the book.

Many people in the restaurant industry may not realize that Michelin Guides can be commissioned for a price. (Emphasis added.)

Fake food

How valued is an "esteemed" ranking if you can simply purchase it? Where's the challenge and achievement in that? If you can commission your own Michelin rating, why work for it? What a tire fire. To put it mildly: this is disgraceful.

Still, from someone I've spoken with, who has visited multiple Michelin-calibre eateries, the experience is well worth the exorbitant prices. If you feel the same way, here's a list, by Forbes, of some of the top countries in the world for Michelin Star restaurants.