Michelin star controversy on social media, what does the director of Michelin Guide say?

As VietNamNet reported, on the evening of June 6, Michelin Guide officially announced the list of the first four Vietnamese restaurants to be awarded one Michelin star, including Anan Saigon restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City; Gia, Hibana by Koki and Tam Vi, all in Hanoi.

In addition to the four Michelin-starred restaurants, 102 restaurants and individuals in Vietnam were listed in three categories: Michelin Selected (Michelin recommended); Michelin Guide Special Awards (special awards) and Bib Gourmand (delicious eateries at affordable prices).

Before the results from Michelin, many mixed opinions appeared on social networks. Many places appeared in the categories, surprising diners, thinking that these places are not attractive to locals, the quality of food has declined. Meanwhile, many long-standing restaurants with many local customers are not on the list. In addition, "affordable" restaurants are actually affordable for international guests, but are high compared to the average spending of Vietnamese people.

Many restaurants in Michelin Guide categories cause controversy among diners

Mr. Gwendal Poullennec - International Director of Michelin Guide said: "I am very happy to receive attention from the community, from social networks related to the Michelin list. I think that people arguing and discussing around the Michelin list will contribute to raising the level of Vietnamese cuisine in particular and international cuisine in general. Whether these controversial factors affect or impact the Michelin list or not, I want to make it clear that I do not care."

Mr. Gwendal explained that the Michelin Guide has an independent evaluation process, separate from the restaurants. The appraisers work completely anonymously so that no factors affect the results. Each restaurant will have many appraisers to evaluate, however, each appraiser only visits the restaurant once, not returning to ensure the proposed process. "The final result is the result of a group of appraisers, not from any individual. We do not use opinions on social networks or the media as criteria in our evaluation process. We ensure that a Michelin star in Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo or Paris is of the same quality," Mr. Gwendal affirmed.

The Michelin Guide representative said that the team of judges comes from 20 countries and this award has been present in more than 40 countries and territories. Although it has international standards, Michelin still emphasizes the unique identity of each country. And up to now, not only in Vietnam, Michelin has faced challenges when coming to any country for the first time.

Mr. Gwendal - International Director of Michelin Guide

Regarding the fact that there are restaurants in the world that were awarded Michelin stars but then had their stars revoked, Mr. Gwendal said that this unit emphasizes stability. "It is not enough for a restaurant to be listed in the Michelin Guide once, they have to prove their quality every day, every year and ensure to bring a stable experience to diners. If that restaurant brings experiences that are no longer good, it will certainly no longer be on the Michelin Guide list," Mr. Gwendal said.

This person gave the example of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a sushi restaurant in Japan that was stripped of its three Michelin stars. Former US President Barack Obama dined there with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014. In recent years, the quality of the food at the restaurant has remained excellent, but the experience for diners has not been as good. The reason given by the Michelin Guide is that the restaurant does not accept reservations from the public and only accepts VIPs or acquaintances. This goes against the principles of the Michelin star.

Mr Gwendal said that Michelin stars are like a passport that gives a restaurant more freedom in its style, to develop its personality and to pursue its dreams. Starred restaurants attract more customers, stay longer and spend more, which helps the local tourism industry.

Chef Sam Tran, winner of the Young Talent Chef award and co-founder of GIA restaurant (Hanoi) - one of four restaurants to receive one Michelin star, said that the restaurant's star award is both an opportunity and a challenge.

"We will try our best to constantly improve to bring customers the best experience, bringing Vietnamese cuisine further. I hope international guests will have a different view of Vietnamese cuisine, traditional but more modern flavors," shared chef Sam Tran.

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