Michelin star restaurants must meet the organization's 5 rigorous criteria and pass the assessment of the appraisers.
Information about the criteria was shared by a Michelin representative during a seminar after the Michelin star awarding ceremony for restaurants in Singapore 2018.
Chef Alvin Leung (centre) talks about the criteria a restaurant needs to get a Michelin star during a conference in Singapore, organized by Michelin Guide, 2018. Photo: Michelin guide
Using quality ingredients
Chefs in Singapore cannot afford to use seasonal ingredients that are locally grown. But this doesn't stop them from looking for the best of the best to cook with.
Tan Ken Loon, the chef of Nake Finn seafood restaurant, accepts to go further to cities such as Hokkaido (Japan), Brussels (Belgium) and Hong Kong (China) to actively source goods directly, instead because it depends on the supplier. Tan has imported more than 200 kinds of seafood to serve his restaurant.
While using fresh produce is essential, restaurants don't have to use expensive, high-end items such as loquats and foie gras to be appreciated by appraisers. “Making simple things sublime will attract our attention more,” said a Michelin Guide representative.
Mastering flavors and cooking techniques
Alvin Leung, owner of the three-Michelin-star Bo Innovation restaurant in Hong Kong, says restaurants that only use luxurious ingredients will only create luxury. A Michelin-starred restaurant must strike a balance between designing outstanding dishes and its identity and business sustainability.
Besides the quality of the food, cooking technique is also very important. “As a diner, my expectations of a restaurant depend on how much I pay for the meal. With a Michelin-starred restaurant, attention has to be paid to every detail like the time it takes to get from the kitchen to the table so that the food doesn't get cold when it's served," Leung said.
The personality of the chef is reflected in the food
Leung is considered as one of the chefs with personality and has the nickname "devil chef". Leuing said the food he serves is how people see his personality. “I had to change the nature of the food to cater to the guests I was cooking for,” he said.
Philipp Blaser, who oversaw more than 100 dining establishments in the Four Seasons hotel group in 2018, says promoting a culture of experimentation is also a way for chefs to express their individuality. "We need to create a safe culture where it's okay to make mistakes or experiment with food and service styles," Blaser said.
Worth the money spent
Culinary expert Yeo See Kiat explains a good value meal as “going out of the restaurant with a memorable experience”. The phrase “good value for money” encompasses a whole range of experiences, from the attentiveness of the wait staff to the surroundings where the guests sit and eat.
Beppe de Vito, chef and CEO of a group that operates restaurants ranging from budget to Michelin-starred, believes that eateries, whatever their target audience, should focus on satisfy customers and treat them equally.
Consistency of dishes
A Michelin Guide representative said the main reason behind the restaurant's Michelin star removal was the lack of food consistency. A restaurant cannot because of the lack of service staff, the lack of delivery by the supplier, but the quality of the food is not up to the standard, goes down or makes diners unhappy.
In case the main chef is away, the dishes still have to keep the original taste. To achieve this, chefs must spend time training their staff.
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