“These are exceptional restaurants, so you can imagine that these are decisions that are carefully considered, supported by numerous visits from our inspectors throughout the year,” Gwendal Poullennec told AFP. the boss of the guide.
The Restaurant Guy Savoy at the Monnaie de Paris, on the banks of the Seine, and that of Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle are concerned.
Michelin’s decision to downgrade tables was announced a week before the publication of the red guide and a ceremony in Strasbourg (east) to welcome new stars.
Three restaurants also lose their second star: the Alpaga table in Megève, in the Alps, Jean-Luc Tartarin in Le Havre (west) and the Restaurant Michel Sarran in Toulouse (south-west). On the side of the first stars, the balance sheet is heavier, with 20 tables which are demoted.
Aware of the emotional and economic impact of such an announcement, twenty years after the suicide of chef Bernard Loiseau, the Michelin boss met Christopher Coutanceau on Monday and spoke on the phone with Guy Savoy.
“The emotion was palpable. I would like to salute the elegance of the reception of this news by the leaders and the dignity. They are ready to move forward, to set out again to conquer the star”, greeted Mr. Poullennec, in this strategic position since September 2018.
The shock is particularly harsh for Guy Savoy, an internationally renowned chef, holder of three Michelin stars since 2002.
Last November, he was voted best chef in the world for the 6th time in a row, according to the La Liste ranking.
“We lost the game”
“Up until now, I had only had the best moments in my career. Tonight, I’m thinking of the teams and I’m going to talk to them tomorrow. We lost the match this year but we will win it back next year,” Guy Savoy told AFP after the announcement of his demotion.
“Nothing in the data from the List, nor the customer feedback, nor the articles, chronicles, broadcasts or comments, suggests that the quality of the Guy Savoy restaurant has dropped this year”, commented to AFP Philippe Faure , founder of the List. This aggregator compiles the 1,000 best restaurants from food guides and reviews around the world.
“On the contrary, he continues, each year more, the notoriety of Guy Savoy’s cuisine exceeds Paris and France (…)”.
The guide, which rains and shines every year in the world of gastronomy, had not announced the loss of the 3rd star since 2020 (except in the event of closure).