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Comment by Jabbles | Hacker News Reader

I am missing something. The chef believes that in order to maintain his star he must do something different to what he was doing to achieve the star in the first place?

I am not an expert on Michelin guides, but that seems unlikely.

Consider the recent news of the street hawker getting a Michelin star: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/singapore-cheapest-mi...

I wonder if his new menu will be cooked well enough to earn him a star?

He has cut his prices and is offering a more down-to-earth cuisine of stews, including the classic blanquette de veau, and serving cod instead of the more expensive sea bass.

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From what I always heard, the Michelin Guide has very very particular demands on your service. It has to be so and so. It's not only how it tastes, but also the formality with which it is served. (This has to be checked though.)

It's indeed strange about the hawking stall, but I suppose the standards are not the same abroad as domestically - or for a stall for that matter.

Having been to 1-star restaurants thrice, and to gastronomic restaurants a few more times, I have to say the distinction isn't that helpful, and didn't reflect the quality of the food or service. For contrast, Trip Advisor is a better discriminator for lower-level establishments, even if it has its faults as well.

No. While it’s impossible for imperfect humans to completely separate the meal from the overall experience, Michelin claims that its star ratings are solely based on the cuisine.

On the other hand, diners often have a certain level of expectation of the service and ambiance surrounding a meal that costs as much as is typically required to economically produce Michelin-ranked cuisine.

Did you read the article?

He believes the star hurts him because it signals high prices, which scares away potential patrons. So he asked the guide to take the star down, and is now offering more ordinary and traditional recipes.

It should also be noted that many French people are extremely conservative and dislike anything invented after 1950, so the blanquette may please them more than fancy nouvelle cuisine.

what's special about 1950? why not 1920 or 1890 or 1130?

just curious if there is something specific to 1950

They grew up in 1950, or close to then. Explains why it's not 1890.

post-WW2 era

From the article his restaurant cannot continue to afford to pay for the personnel, produce, and percision that the star requires.

So even if his new menu with economical ingredients was star worthy, it's likely that the level of service in the restaurant won't be the same. Waiters serving more tables, no dedicated sommelier, that type of thing.

Also its likely that they won't put as much effort into the visual design of the plates in the kitchen.

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