Why Don't the French Cook Like They Used To?

How the Michelin guide crippled France's restaurants.

By Mike Steinberger

"We have to cut it. We have to kill it. We have to burn it." It was nine
o'clock on a warm, hazy morning in May 2007. Paris was still half-asleep,
the café was a picture of tranquility, and Luc Dubanchet was issuing a
battle cry. The bellicose talk was directed not at another nation, nor at
international terrorists, but at an enemy that he seemed to believe was
nearly as dangerous: the Michelin Guide.

Dubanchet was the founder of a publication called Omnivore that sought to
call attention to the most innovative French chefs. To hear him tell it,
the Michelin Guide had become a dead weight for French cuisine. It
discouraged creativity, demanded a level of opulence that made fine dining
appealing and accessible only to rich fogeys, and was unacceptably opaque
about its reviewing methods. Dubanchet said that he had started Omnivore in
part to combat "the Michelin way of thinking about food, and the Michelin
way of building restaurants, and the Michelin way of not explaining." It
wouldn't be easy, he acknowledged; he and his colleagues were up against a
pillar of French cultural life. But as the slight, bespectacled
thirty-five-year-old sipped his coffee and looked out across the Place de
la Bastille, cradle of an earlier revolution, he expressed steely
confidence. "I want war," he said. "I want to tear down the Michelin
system."

(more at:

<http://www.slate.com/id/2221245/> )

also from *slate*: how mcdonald's conquered france:

<http://www.slate.com/id/2221246>

your pal,
blake

"blake murphy" > wrote in message
.. .
> Why Don't the French Cook Like They Used To?
>
> How the Michelin guide crippled France's restaurants.
>
> By Mike Steinberger
>
> "We have to cut it. We have to kill it. We have to burn it." It was nine
> o'clock on a warm, hazy morning in May 2007. Paris was still half-asleep,
> the café was a picture of tranquility, and Luc Dubanchet was issuing a
> battle cry. The bellicose talk was directed not at another nation, nor at
> international terrorists, but at an enemy that he seemed to believe was
> nearly as dangerous: the Michelin Guide.
>
> Dubanchet was the founder of a publication called Omnivore that sought to
> call attention to the most innovative French chefs. To hear him tell it,
> the Michelin Guide had become a dead weight for French cuisine. It
> discouraged creativity, demanded a level of opulence that made fine dining
> appealing and accessible only to rich fogeys, and was unacceptably opaque
> about its reviewing methods. Dubanchet said that he had started Omnivore
> in
> part to combat "the Michelin way of thinking about food, and the Michelin
> way of building restaurants, and the Michelin way of not explaining." It
> wouldn't be easy, he acknowledged; he and his colleagues were up against a
> pillar of French cultural life. But as the slight, bespectacled
> thirty-five-year-old sipped his coffee and looked out across the Place de
> la Bastille, cradle of an earlier revolution, he expressed steely
> confidence. "I want war," he said. "I want to tear down the Michelin
> system."
>
> (more at:
>
> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221245/> )
>
> also from *slate*: how mcdonald's conquered france:
>
> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221246>
>
> your pal,
> blake
>
>
Wow! In California if the Michelin Guide had been dominant Chez Panisse,
Alice Waters' restaurant probably would not have its well deserved fame -
and California Cuisine.

Ed

Theron wrote on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:56:54 -0700:


> "blake murphy" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Why Don't the French Cook Like They Used To?
>>
>> How the Michelin guide crippled France's restaurants.
>>
>> By Mike Steinberger
>>
>> "We have to cut it. We have to kill it. We have to burn it." It was
>> nine o'clock on a warm, hazy morning in May 2007.
>> Paris was still half-asleep, the café was a picture of
>> tranquility, and Luc Dubanchet was issuing a battle cry. The
>> bellicose talk was directed not at another nation, nor
>> at international terrorists, but at an enemy that he seemed
>> to believe was nearly as dangerous: the Michelin Guide.
>>
>> Dubanchet was the founder of a publication called Omnivore
>> that sought to call attention to the most innovative French
>> chefs. To hear him tell it, the Michelin Guide had become a
>> dead weight for French cuisine. It discouraged creativity,
>> demanded a level of opulence that made fine dining appealing and
>> accessible only to rich fogeys, and was unacceptably
>> opaque about its reviewing methods. Dubanchet said that he
>> had started Omnivore in part to combat "the Michelin way of
>> thinking about food, and the Michelin way of building
>> restaurants, and the Michelin way of not explaining."
>> It wouldn't be easy, he acknowledged; he and his colleagues
>> were up against a pillar of French cultural life. But as the slight,
>> bespectacled thirty-five-year-old sipped his coffee
>> and looked out across the Place de la Bastille, cradle of an earlier
>> revolution, he expressed steely confidence. "I want
>> war," he said. "I want to tear down the Michelin system."
>>
>> (more at:
>>
>> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221245/> )
>>
>> also from *slate*: how mcdonald's conquered france:
>>
>> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221246>
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>>
> Wow! In California if the Michelin Guide had been dominant
> Chez Panisse, Alice Waters' restaurant probably would not have
> its well deserved fame - and California Cuisine.

Even so, a great restaurant can live on its reputation and memories of
the past. La Tour d'Argent in Paris was once one of the greatest
restaurants in the world but now only has one star, I believe. By the
way, what they have kept is their prices! I don't have any personal
opinions on Chez Panisse of today tho' I think Michelin was wrong about
the Slanted Door in San Francisco.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> Theron wrote on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:56:54 -0700:
>
>
>> "blake murphy" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>> Why Don't the French Cook Like They Used To?
>>>
>>> How the Michelin guide crippled France's restaurants.
>>>
>>> By Mike Steinberger
>>>
>>> "We have to cut it. We have to kill it. We have to burn it." It was nine
>>> o'clock on a warm, hazy morning in May 2007.
>>> Paris was still half-asleep, the café was a picture of
>>> tranquility, and Luc Dubanchet was issuing a battle cry. The bellicose
>>> talk was directed not at another nation, nor
>>> at international terrorists, but at an enemy that he seemed
>>> to believe was nearly as dangerous: the Michelin Guide.
>>> (more at:
>>> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221245/> )
>>>
>>> also from *slate*: how mcdonald's conquered france:
>>>
>>> <http://www.slate.com/id/2221246>
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>>>
>> Wow! In California if the Michelin Guide had been dominant
>> Chez Panisse, Alice Waters' restaurant probably would not have
>> its well deserved fame - and California Cuisine.
>
> Even so, a great restaurant can live on its reputation and memories of the
> past. La Tour d'Argent in Paris was once one of the greatest restaurants
> in the world but now only has one star, I believe. By the way, what they
> have kept is their prices! I don't have any personal opinions on Chez
> Panisse of today tho' I think Michelin was wrong about the Slanted Door in
> San Francisco.
> --
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
Laperousse, another former three star near La Tour D'Argent
http://www.laperouse.fr/ we have been to has no stars, and I don't think
has since 1990. Michelin does keep tabs by going back to eat. It must be
great to be on an expense account. If you're going to Paris and have lots
of money, search out the rising two star restaurants. We ate at Taillevent
just before it received its third star.
http://www.taillevent.com/taillevent.php I wonder how it is now?

Ed