19 replies to this topic

[oakapple]

But I always thought that most sales of the Guides were to visitors, not the indigenous population. I suspect that Londoners, like New Yorkers, never depended on a book published by Frenchmen to decide where to eat.

And it's interesting that the number of two and three-star restaurants in NYC is growing. They started in 2006 with ADNY, JG, LeB, and Per Se. Masa was added in 2009, Daniel in 2010, Brooklyn Fare and EMP in 2012. They have never demoted a three-star restaurant in NYC. (ADNY closed, obviously.)

The two-star ranks have also been growing. They started with just four (Bouley, Daniel, Danube, Masa), and there are now nine. There has been quite a bit more churn at that level: five restaurants had two stars at some point, before being demoted to one (Adour, Bouley, Danube, Picholine, Del Posto).

[Anthony Bonner]

The UK guide has been established for years, and I believe that's an unusually low number of 3* awards. So they didn't launch the guide by telling Londoners high end dining was crap.

I also suspect the dynamics of appealing to the English are different from appealing to Americans.

Also they sort of did do that.

In 1974, the first year Michelin Guide published its guide in Britain under its current format, there were just 25 stars in total, compared with this year's 143.

link

[Anthony Bonner]

I wish we had a few of those European restaurants.

As I keep saying, every time I go to Europe I get Really Bummed Out upon return.

the problem is that what passes for a new 1* in much of Europe - which matters a lot when it comes to better restaurants higher up the scale - would not work in the US. A plain small room with a small brigade and a small service staff at a relatively high price point. NYers don't view that as "fine dining" they want grandness.

ETA and if its a plain room they expect burgers and meatballs

[mitchells]

For anyone who has a British Airways Chase Card, there is a current promotion on which you get a $50 statement credit for dining in a Michelin starred restaurant. Good for up to 2 visits and a $100 total credit thru July 2012.

[Anthony Bonner]

For anyone who has a British Airways Chase Card, there is a current promotion on which you get a $50 statement credit for dining in a Michelin starred restaurant. Good for up to 2 visits and a $100 total credit thru July 2012.

Always run this. BTW - 100k mile sign on bonus for it at the moment. Of course you have to spend 30k on it to get that, and BA miles blow unless you use them to go somewhere other than 'yurp.