You know it does not take too long on twitter and the such to see how valued the Michelin awards mean to chefs and restaurateurs. I've already seen a chef amend his email signature to add his star.

How much intrinsic value is there in an Oscar statue or whatever. It's what people put into to it. For instance, a lot of people around care about the GNRs, so for them, the award is vital and important regardless what others think. It seems that the Michelin designations are more than just signifiers to the "international tourists." They seem something that people care about. They care about the recognition. Recognition from Michelin. It matters to them. Regardless of whether it matters to you or you think the results were off*, you have to concede that it's made some people very happy this week.

*Big Jones, where's the award for Big Jones? And I'd call Vie a 2 Star personally.

Vital Information wrote:It seems that the Michelin designations are more than just signifiers to the "international tourists." They seem something that people care about. They care about the recognition. Recognition from Michelin. It matters to them. Regardless of whether it matters to you or you think the results were off*, you have to concede that it's made some people very happy this week.

Very well put. The one thing Michelin does is bestow an international significance on local chefs. They are certainly achievements for the chef, as well as the staff of the restaurants that made it happen. No list is airtight, and it's certainly shortsighted for us to snort at the Michelins either because we (as in LTH) don't care about them, or because the list is imperfect. I saw some feed (I think, via Twitter) of Jared Wentworth, as well as Curtis Duffy, not to mention Grant Achatz, after they were bestowed their star(s), and you can't help but feel happy for their achievements.

aschie30 wrote: I saw some feed (I think, via Twitter) of Jared Wentworth, as well as Curtis Duffy, not to mention Grant Achatz, after they were bestowed their star(s), and you can't help but feel happy for their achievements.

I was able to help it. These are not "achievements." Thai Village did not "achieve" a Bib Gourmand. Crofton on Wells did not "achieve" a star. Neither did Alinea, for that matter. Some unknown number of random dudes and/or dudettes that nobody knows gave them a rating. For this, we rejoice?

Kennyz wrote:For this, we rejoice

Whoa..visions of Hebrew school.

Darren72 wrote:

Kennyz wrote:For this, we rejoice

Whoa..visions of Hebrew school.

This is true and unlikely to surprise anyone here: I was expelled from Hebrew School.

Kennyz wrote:

aschie30 wrote: I saw some feed (I think, via Twitter) of Jared Wentworth, as well as Curtis Duffy, not to mention Grant Achatz, after they were bestowed their star(s), and you can't help but feel happy for their achievements.

I was able to help it. These are not "achievements." Thai Village did not "achieve" a Bib Gourmand. Crofton on Wells did not "achieve" a star. Neither did Alinea, for that matter. Some unknown number of random dudes and/or dudettes that nobody knows gave them a rating. For this, we rejoice?

Splitting hairs, maybe, but in that sense, few awards are achievements. Are Oscars achievements? People think so, for sure, and yet many hundreds of people in "the Academy" would probably qualify as people "nobody knows."

Kennyz wrote:This is true and unlikely to surprise anyone here: I was expelled from Hebrew School.

I'm surprised you were able to be consumed and digested.

Darren72 wrote:I haven't seen the Chicago book, but the France books indicate up-and-coming restaurants. So in principle you could have one star and be up and coming, or not up and coming.

I thought these designations were more about places that were especially favored but I may be remembering it wrong. In any case, there are definitely designations in the Paris book beyond the number of stars awarded.

=R=

David Hammond wrote:... in that sense, few awards are achievements. Are Oscars achievements? People think so, for sure, and yet many hundreds of people in "the Academy" would probably qualify as people "nobody knows."

At least I'm consistent: I enjoy movies quite a bit, and I enjoy discussing them with other people too. But I've never watched the Oscars and I couldn't care less who wins one.

Kennyz wrote:

David Hammond wrote:... in that sense, few awards are achievements. Are Oscars achievements? People think so, for sure, and yet many hundreds of people in "the Academy" would probably qualify as people "nobody knows."

At least I'm consistent: I enjoy movies quite a bit, and I enjoy discussing them with other people too. But I've never watched the Oscars and I couldn't care less who wins one.

Kenny - Who knew you were so Marxist?

David Hammond wrote:Are Oscars achievements?

No.

cilantro wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Are Oscars achievements?

No.

Unless you're a PR rep, then I think you could claim it as an achievement.

I think " vital information" said it to the point, people who received recognition from Michelin very happy and that is all it matters. Rest of us can give our own stars to our favorite restaurants and that makes our favorites very happy because they too receive recognition from their customers and that is the best star of all to all to those who run and cook at these restaurants.

jesteinf wrote:

JohnH wrote:Josh
I will state now that Alinea will get 2 stars and the Everest Room will get 3.

Hmmm, I smell a wager.

Let it be known that Johnh pays all debts mr. jesteinf!!! I am sorry that I have been away for a while as work has taken a toll on my blogosphere but have been lurking for short times to keep up with all that is good on this site.

jesteinf- I owe you one Hot Doug's sausage for the Michelin star prediction and plan to pay up as promised. In time, please PM me to arrange the payout!

Cheers on your right and I being wrong !
Johnh

Forgive me if it's been posted, but what are your predictions or thoughts on the upcoming chicago michelin guide?

Didn't it already come out, this past summer? How often to the revise it?
We did discuss it, a lot, primarily in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=29110

Updated annually...and it's that time again (last one came out in November 2010). NYC came out last week.

Supposedly, the Chicago guide will be announced November 15th. I'm interested in seeing what new additions we might have.

The Chicago Michelin Guide sent out a tweet yesterday which I found rather ominous


Foreshadowing, perhaps? Or simply stirring the pot...

Can't imagine it's NOT foreshadowing, there having been a few very public chef departures at starred restaurants

leek wrote:Can't imagine it's NOT foreshadowing, there having been a few very public chef departures at starred restaurants

Also one of the two-starred restaurants (Avenues) has closed (at least temporarily), and another winner (NoMI) has re-concepted.

I'm just going to throw this stream of consciousness thought out there; Is it possible that Alinea doesn't retain 3 stars? I haven't been this year but with the opening of Next and a lot of attention being paid to it by The Chef and Owner, could it be possible for Alinea to slip from 3 to 2 stars? With the above tweet and Mr. Achatz's tweet about "the rules being thrown out" from a week or so ago, maybe it's all foreshadowing?

Honestly though I'm more curious to see changes in the Bib Gourmand ratings.

JLenart wrote:Is it possible that Alinea doesn't retain 3 stars?

No.

So, now that Avec has been open for the entirety of the review period (as opposed to last go-around, when it was shuttered due to a fire for a fair chunk of the review period), what does it get? One star or a Bib Gourmand? Or neither?

It'll get a star. I'm thinking Tru will be promoted and Trotter will be demoted.

What about Ria and L2O? Those are the ones I'm most curious about.

I wonder about Longman & Eagle and whether they will retain their star. It occasionally comes up in conversation as the example of how wrong Michelin got it here in Chicago. More than a few industry folks I've talked to find it astonishing that they received a star in the first place.

=R=

gleam wrote:What about Ria and L2O? Those are the ones I'm most curious about.

If I were judging, L2O would hold and Ria would be downgraded. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see L2O downgraded and Ria held where it is.

It would be nice for either Vie or Blackbird to get a second star, although both upgrades are a bit long-shots. Maybe Tru, if it is as good as claimed.

I would HOPE they would add a lot more names to the list. Not just places that have opened/reconcepted in the past year or two (Perennial Virant) but also places that have been around for a while. If San Francisco can have 44 restaurants with stars, Chicago should have twice as many, not half as many (currently 23).

ronnie_suburban wrote:I wonder about Longman & Eagle and whether they will retain their star. It occasionally comes up in conversation as the example of how wrong Michelin got it here in Chicago. More than a few industry folks I've talked to find it astonishing that they received a star in the first place.

I agree, as noted here.

nsxtasy wrote:I would HOPE they would add a lot more names to the list. Not just places that have opened/reconcepted in the past year or two (Perennial Virant) but also places that have been around for a while. If San Francisco can have 44 restaurants with stars, Chicago should have twice as many, not half as many (currently 23).

I agree that Chicago should have more restaurants with stars than it has, but having spent a year in the Bay Area, I note that SF has a much stronger "restaurant culture" than does Chicago (going out to eat seems more common) and also SF and the Wine Country is a tourist destination in the way that Chicago is not. So even though Chicago is a larger city, it is not likely to have more starred restaurants.