How does the Michelin Guide work? Get to know its history, 3-star system
MANILA, Philippines — There has been so much talk ever since word got out that the Michelin Guide is finally here in the Philippines.
People, particularly those in the food industry and restaurant business, are excited about it.
There are endless discussions about how important it is that the Philippines is now included in the Michelin Guide, that finally Filipino cuisine will be rated using the same set of standards used to rate the restaurants in France, Spain, Italy, Japan and other culinary capitals of the world.
What pride, what prestige it would bring to have Filipino chefs stand side by side with the best in the world in recognition of the quality of their work.
Gourmets, gourmands and even plain foodies who want to enjoy the best dining experiences when they travel choose to dine in restaurants with Michelin stars. In most cases, Michelin-starred restaurants turn out to be resounding successes with long queues for dining slots.
But have you ever wondered how the Michelin Guide actually works?
The Michelin Guide, which diners use as a standard for judging which restaurants are the best in certain geographic areas in the world, is a guide book published by the French tire company Michelin annually since 1900.
Initially aimed at increasing the demand for cars — and tires, of course! — car tire manufacturers and brothers Édouard and André Michelin published the first Michelin Guide for French motorists. They printed some 35,000 copies of this first edition and distributed them for free. The Guide provided motorists with pertinent information, including maps, tire repair and replacement instructions, hotels, lists of car mechanics throughout France.
In the next few years, the Michelin brothers would also publish Guides for Belgium, Algeria, Northern Italy, Switzerland, Bavaria, The Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the British Isles, among others. They stopped publication of the Michelin Guide during World War I, though, and resumed free distribution of revised editions of the Guide until 1920. The brothers started charging for copies of the Guide in 1922 and made major changes on it, such as listing restaurants by specific categories.
Noticing how popular the restaurant section was getting, the brothers decided to put together a team of anonymous inspectors to visit and review restaurants at about this time. And, so, in 1926, the Michelin Guide started awarding stars —j ust one star for each deserving restaurant — but quickly transitioned this into a hierarchy of one to three stars in 1931.
Restaurants were awarded one to three stars, with three stars being the ultimate, based on this criteria:
- 1 Michelin Star – “A very good restaurant in its category” (now “High-quality cooking, worth a stop”)
- 2 Michelin Stars – “Excellent cooking, worth a detour”
- 3 Michelin Stars – “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”
Publication of the Guide again drew to a halt during World War II, but resumed subsequently and through the years expanded to include more countries.
Due to the development in technology, the Michelin Guide ended printed copies in 2021 and transitioned to digital publication, which can be accessed via a proprietary app. Only a few popular regions, such as France, Italy, Spain and Japan, still print copies of the Guide until now.
The recent entry of the Michelin Guide to the Philippines, thus means that a team of anonymous inspectors are now in the country to visit and review restaurants, particularly in Manila and its environs, as well as Cebu in the Visayas.
The Michelin Guide pays for the meals of its inspectors, who take great care in maintaining their anonymity, and their ratings for the Philippine restaurants they have handpicked to try will be based on the same Michelin Stars system. The list shall be released in 2026, which is considered as the Philippines’ debut with the Michelin Guide.
So, what can we expect in 2026? How many restaurants will earn Michelin stars in the Philippines? Will any establishment hit the ultimate “three Michelin Stars”? Right now, it is a waiting game.
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