French chef Sebastien Bras gives up Michelin stars

[The Late Night Gourmet]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42872201

Sebastien Bras's Le Suquet restaurant in southern France held Michelin's three-star rating for 18 years.

He shocked the food world in September when he decided to give up his top rating, saying he no longer wanted to cook under the "huge pressure" of being judged by its inspectors.

It is the first time Michelin has ever allowed a restaurant to bow out.

"It is difficult for us to have a restaurant in the guide which does not wish to be in it," Michelin spokesperson Claire Dorland Clauzel told AFP news agency. She said other restaurants had dropped out when chefs retired or the concept had changed.

The gastronomic bible's decision comes after Mr Bras, 46, spoke out about no longer being able to deal with knowing that just one below-par dish could jeopardise his reputation.

"You're inspected two or three times a year, you never know when. Every meal that goes out could be inspected," he told AFP.

"That means that every day one of the 500 meals that leaves the kitchen could be judged."

Mr Bras's famed restaurant in Laguiole, which he took over from his father a decade ago, will not be featured in the 2018 edition of the Michelin guide to be published next Monday.

 

[Morning Glory]

I was reading about this recently in a magazine - he is not alone in thinking that the Michelin star is a problem for Chefs. I read that others felt the system was flawed too and the pressure too great. I'll try to find the article I read.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Part of the discussion around this suggests that the Michelin star is perhaps a bit of a dinosaur. The standards of flawlessness in a meal is at odds with a newer trend to make the dining experience fun. Chefs feel pressure with every dish they send out, because they never know when the inspection might take place. The Michelin star is still something that matters greatly to chefs, but I can understand why someone might want to stop thinking about all that and focus on just making great food.

 

[Morning Glory]

Part of the discussion around this suggests that the Michelin star is perhaps a bit of a dinosaur. The standards of flawlessness in a meal is at odds with a newer trend to make the dining experience fun. Chefs feel pressure with every dish they send out, because they never know when the inspection might take place. The Michelin star is still something that matters greatly to chefs, but I can understand why someone might want to stop thinking about all that and focus on just making great food.

And then there is the very interesting question about how a person gets to be a Michelin inspector! I don't know - but I'd like to know...

 

[classic33]

And then there is the very interesting question about how a person gets to be a Michelin inspector! I don't know - but I'd like to know...

Michelin Inspector

 

[Francesca]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42872201

Sebastien Bras's Le Suquet restaurant in southern France held Michelin's three-star rating for 18 years.

He shocked the food world in September when he decided to give up his top rating, saying he no longer wanted to cook under the "huge pressure" of being judged by its inspectors.

It is the first time Michelin has ever allowed a restaurant to bow out.

"It is difficult for us to have a restaurant in the guide which does not wish to be in it," Michelin spokesperson Claire Dorland Clauzel told AFP news agency. She said other restaurants had dropped out when chefs retired or the concept had changed.

The gastronomic bible's decision comes after Mr Bras, 46, spoke out about no longer being able to deal with knowing that just one below-par dish could jeopardise his reputation.

"You're inspected two or three times a year, you never know when. Every meal that goes out could be inspected," he told AFP.

"That means that every day one of the 500 meals that leaves the kitchen could be judged."

Mr Bras's famed restaurant in Laguiole, which he took over from his father a decade ago, will not be featured in the 2018 edition of the Michelin guide to be published next Monday.

@Late Night Gourmet ..


Yes, read about this at quite some time ago in a French Gastronomy Magazine I subscribe too and this morning at 7am it was in all languages all over Facebook .. He is stressed out ..

He did a re - think and realised, he wanted to make a transformation ..

 

[Morning Glory]

Michelin Inspector

Its ageist! And you do wonder how these people somehow have the 'knowledge'. No training is mentioned.

 

[ElizabethB]

@classic33
Very interesting. Thank you.

 

[classic33]

Its ageist! And you do wonder how these people somehow have the 'knowledge'. No training is mentioned.

Might be part of the reason it's becoming harder, and why it's seen as out of date by some.

 

[ElizabethB]

If I were seriously younger I would apply. Just for fun. I would NEVER get the job but the idea of applying would be fun.

I have never been overly impressed by stars. Some of the best food I have eaten has been in hole-in-the-wall, off the map restaurants. Places that you will never find on a Michelin Star guide or even on Yelp. Places that you find only by talking to locals.

 

[Morning Glory]

Some of the best food I have eaten has been in hole-in-the-wall, off the map restaurants. Places that you will never find on a Michelin Star guide or even on Yelp. Places that you find only by talking to locals.

So true!