Guy Savoy's Famous Paris Restaurant Just Lost A Michelin Star
For chefs, receiving just one Michelin star is a dream. The Michelin star has become synonymous with fine dining and has the potential to boost a restaurant's reputation, clientele, and livelihood. Restaurants can earn up to three Michelin stars, depending on how they meet a few notable criteria. Namely, Michelin star inspectors look for the quality of products, mastery of flavor and technique, flavor harmony, consistency, and a chef's personality, as manifested through the overall dining experience.
Esteemed French chef Guy Savoy has met these Michelin standards not once, not twice, but three times. His Monnaie de Paris restaurant — fittingly called Restaurant Guy Savoy — has maintained three Michelin stars since 2002. Recently, however, Michelin announced its decision to backtrack on Savoy's rating. The acclaimed rating system announced that Restaurant Guy Savoy would be losing one of its Michelin stars — though Savoy remains one of the world's most lauded chefs.
The thrice-starred restaurant will keep two of its Michelin stars
Awarding a restaurant a Michelin star is not a decision that is made lightly, nor is removing one. "These are exceptional restaurants, so you can imagine that these decisions are carefully considered, supported by numerous visits from our inspectors throughout the year," said Gwendal Poullennec, head of the Michelin Guide (via Amp France 24).
The reason for Savoy's loss of its third Michelin star in the guide's latest publication remains unknown to the public as the reviewer keeps its justifications for the ears of Savoy and his team only. However, Poullennec adds that these decisions are made not just by French inspectors but also by Michelin inspectors abroad.
Likewise, Savoy is not the only French chef to receive a downgrade in the upcoming Michelin guide. Bloomberg reported that 27 French restaurants are slated to lose a star, some of the biggest being Savoy and coastal French chef Christopher Coutanceau, who are both facing a downgrade from three to two stars. Many others, however, fell from two stars to one or lost their star altogether.
Even without that third Michelin star, Savoy's restaurant remains an institution within the Paris food world and even in the sister Las Vegas restaurant in Caesars Palace. After all, two Michelin stars is two more than most restaurants can claim.