At the turn of the 20th century, Édouard and André Michelin faced a dilemma. The family business, founded by the brothers in 1888, was manufacturing automobile tires. However, sales were slow. There were only a few thousand cars on the streets of France at that time, curbing the demand for replacement tires.
Realizing that they needed to give motorists an excuse to take to the roads in their cars (and burn some rubber in the process), the Michelin brothers began publishing the Guide Michelin (Michelin Guide), initially distributing 35,000 free copies of their publication across France in 1900. The first guides combined practical motoring advice (maps, instructions for replacing tires, and details on local mechanics) with listings for restaurants that the discerning motorist might consider visiting. Their purpose was clear: to increase the purchase of cars among the French population and encourage existing motorists to use their vehicles more frequently, all in an effort to increase tire sales.
Although the popularity of the guide grew steadily throughout the early 1900s, with versions of “the little red book” published for numerous European countries, it took more than three decades for the star ranking system – now the cornerstone of the guide’s global significance – to emerge. This ranking system originated in 1926 with the idea that a “very good restaurant” would be denoted in the guide by a single star. The one, two, or three-star ranking system was first used in the early 1930s, though the rationale was not made public until 1936. A restaurant receiving two Michelin stars was “worth a detour,” while three stars meant the restaurant was of such caliber that a separate journey to sample the cuisine should be considered.
These days, although elements of the ranking system have been tweaked, current editions of the guide (which rates over 40,000 establishments across four continents) continue to use the three-star system: one-star is “high quality cooking, worth a stop," two stars are "excellent cooking, worth a detour," and three stars mean "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” These ratings are a nod to the original purpose of the Michelin Guide, regardless of how the contemporary diner chooses to travel!
Hungry for a detour?
- Michelin goes to great lengths to keep the identities of the restaurant inspectors secret, as these inspectors make multiple visits per year to the top establishments. Inspectors are advised not to disclose their occupation to family members and are forbidden from speaking to journalists.
- Although the guide was distributed at no charge for over two decades, it was allegedly the sight of a copy being used to prop up a mechanic's workbench that convinced André Michelin that “a man only truly respects what he pays for.” The guide has been available at cost ever since, with over 30 million copies sold worldwide.
- The Michelin Guide has awarded the Bib Gourmand since 1997 to recognize restaurants serving “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.” In 2020, the guide introduced a green star to recognize establishments that prioritize sustainability in food and dining.
