The never shy Marco Pierre White

In the April issue of my favorite grocery store's food magazine, that would be Waitrose Food Illustrated, there is a fantastic article called the "Michelin backlash" in which my favorite chef ever had a few comments. Anyone else saying these things would be pure arrogance but Marco was and is still the man. Perhaps the sole reason I wanted to be a cook in the first place.

Marco Pierre White.
Quoted.

In my opinion, Michelin no longer has anything to do with Andre Michelin's original philosophy of supplying a service to his customers. Instead it has become a commercial brand that Michelin directors want to roll out across the world, but it's inconsistent.

I have dined in Michelin starred places in New York and I am confused. There are at least 50 restaurants in England that are as good as the 2 star restaurants in New York instead of the the paltry 10 that currently hold that distinction.

I once ate at a one-Michelin starred restaurant in New York : I was served by a man with a mohican, while Def Leppard played in the background and a waiter walked past my table carrying a bag of rubbish.

I agree.

Waitrose.

Comments

[Tags]

Things have always been different in the UK than in the US.

We have Ken Starr, they have Ringo.

[Carl Kabat]

I'll tell you a story about a (former) 3-star restaurant in Paris. A few years ago, the Michelin reviewer demoted it to a 2-star. The following year, the reviewer came to the restaurant again. The owner of the restaurant gave him a piece of her mind. The restaurant was not in the Michelin guide at all that year --- nor has it been since. Vindictiveness? I think so!

[RKO280]

In my opinion food critics and rating guides are about as useful as solar powered flashlights. Marco Pierre White said it best, that you're being critiqued by people that know less about food than you do. Unfortunately there is no disputing what good reviews can do for your career, even Marco's. I am sure his career would have brought him much fame and glory because there is no disputing that he is the man, but would he be as famous as he is now without being the youngest chef, and only British born chef to receive three stars (side note, I was reading L'atelier of Alain Ducasse and it said that he was the youngest 3 stared chef, does anyone know if that's true or not. They both received it at age 33, just wondering if anyone knows who got it earlier). Don't get me wrong, I am not saying he needed Michelin or any rating to make him what he is today, just playing the devil's advocate. Another thing is at least in Europe and NYC, etc., you have Michelin, even with all their shortcomings and starfucking they do have some knowledge of food and great service. I am a chef in Pittsburgh, last year I won best restaurant, and best Mediterranean restaurant in Pittsburgh which in any other city I would be proud of those awards, but here it's like being the valedictorian of the special ed. class. Food critics here are so ridiculously unqualified it makes me want to vomit (just read a recent review in one of the biggest papers here and they didn't know what buerre rouge was ). I can sympathize with his disdain of Michelin, but at the same time I would still give anything to have that level of expertise critique me. It would be like going from Mickey Mouse to James Beard.

[onocoffee]

Sounds like Saul Restaurant in Brooklyn.

But isn't the claim of Michelin that it's the food that's important and not necessarily the environs? Certainly there is a different standard for one star than there is for three.