Michelin launch its first guide to Hong Kong and Macau.
The edition is Michelin's first foray into China, the second Asian country it has featured since Japan.
World-renowned good food guide Michelin has given its coveted three-star rating (its top recognition meaning "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey") to a Chinese chef for the first time. Chef Chan Yan-tak from Cantonese cuisine restaurant Lun King Heen (“View of the dragon”) in the Four Seasons Hotel was honored in Michelin's first-ever guide to Hong Kong and Macau.
Renowned French chef Joel Robuchon's restaurant Robuchon a Galera, in Macau's Grand Lisboa casino resort, was awarded the only other three stars in the guide.
The review also recommends restaurants in the "Bib Gourmand" section, which highlights establishments offering value for money. But it has also stirred controversy. Michelin executives revealed that only two of the 12 inspectors who had visited more than 1,000 restaurants anonymously since last November were Chinese. Jean-Luc Naret, director, Michelin guide, said: "You do not have to be French to understand French cuisine and you do not have to be Chinese to understand Chinese cuisine."
The Michelin guide originated in France more than 100 years ago and has become the "bible" for food connoisseurs.
Good to know:
- "Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2009" is the first bilingual Michelin guide. It includes 251 establishments (202 restaurants) with a total of 22 starred-restaurants in Hong Kong and 6 in Macau. (2 three-starred, 8 two-starred; and 18 one-starred)
- Michelin publishes 26 guides covering 23 countries in Europe, the USA and Asia.
- Tokyo retained its crown as the world’s most Michelin-starred city (227 stars to the 173 restaurants), with more starred establishments than Paris (96), London (52) and New York (56) combined.
- There are currently only 75 restaurants in the world with a 3 star attached.
- French chef Joel Robuchon holds 24 Michelin stars, more than any other chef in the world. His nearest rivals are fellow Frenchman Alain Ducasse who has 16, Britain's Gordon Ramsay with 12 and the US's Thomas Keller with seven.
- 6 out of 28 rated restaurants were French cuisine (1 three-star; 3 two-star and 2 one-star) the others were mostly Cantonese with some Shanghainese and Beijingnese (just saying....!!)
 |
| Another Little Red Book!!! |
(source: Channel News Asia, Caterer Search, RFI)
