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This article was taken from the January issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
With the publication of the annual 2011 Michelin Guide in March, top-class restaurants will be raising a glass of Champagne --or wondering where they went wrong. Derek Bulmer, editor of the British edition of this widely referenced restaurant-rating system, and consultant for MyJam Communications, explains what's required to win a star.
ASK FOR AN INSPECTION
"The simplest way is to email or write to us directly and ask for an inspection," says Bulmer. Everyone who asks is usually seen within 12 months of their request -- though they aren't told when: "We send one of our reviewers to conduct an incognito inspection, which can be at any time."
GENERATE A BUZZ
The Michelin Guide gets lots of suggestions from its readers on which restaurants to visit. However, some venues orchestrate campaigns to generate interest. "One got people to sign postcards addressed to us that already had ecstatic reviews written on them."
It didn't get a star.
THE FOOD ON THE PLATE
"You can't get a star without quality products that are fresh, seasonal and local," says Bulmer. These must be prepared with a high degree of technical skill as part of a well-balanced menu. "The starters have to be as good as the mains, the fish dishes cooked as well as the meat dishes and so on."
CONSISTENCY Your secret inspection isn't a one-off - they typically make between three and six visits, and you have to excel every time. "We sample somewhere at different times of the day using different reviewers each time," says Bulmer. "In some cases, we eat as many as ten times."
WAIT Receiving the accolade also requires a little patience - the restaurants don't know if they've been awarded a star until the book is published in March. "The only time anyone ever gets advance warning is when a restaurant is awarded two or three stars," says Bulmer, which is a rare occasion. "Or if we're withdrawing a star."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
