Lots of Surprises for Michelin Star Restaurants in France
The 2019 Michelin Guide for France arrives in mid-February 2019. The complete list of Michelin star restaurants in France was just released. The venerable guide announced a record 75 restaurants arrived on the list of Michelin star Restaurants in France. The Michelin guide lists the best of French culinary stars. These restaurants earned a coveted position in the annual one-, two- or three-star rankings. Most noteworthy, however, may be the one chef on the list who did not seek the recognition.
Gaining a Spot Without Really Trying
Sebastien Bras stunned the culinary world by returning his Michelin stars in 2017. This year he found his restaurant, Le Suquet, back on the list. Free of concern about meeting Michelin’s standards, Bras and his team spent time focused on creating inventive French cuisine. The restaurant, located in Laguiole, has earned two stars in the 2019 guide without even trying.
Others were surprised to hear what might be bad news.
The restaurant Auberge de L’Ill, which held three stars for more than 50 years, lost one of its stars. Manager Danielle Baumann Haeberlin says it is a “sad day for Alsace.”
Pascal Barbot, whose Parisian restaurant l’Astrance has held three stars for 11 years, dropped down a notch to two stars. Similarly, star chef Marc Veyrat confirmed his restaurant, the Maison des Bois, lost its third star. Veyrat and his team won the third-star just last year. Known for being “modern with extreme creativity,” the restaurant is located in the Paris suburb of Plaisir.
New Entries Enter the Pantheon of Michelin Stars
This year’s Michelin guide lists the best of French culinary stars. There is excellent news for lovers of fine dining in France – the 2019 Michelin list includes two new three-star restaurants.
This year, Mirazur, chef Mauro Colagreco’s restaurant on the Riviera, gained a place among three-star Michelin Star Restaurants in France. With breathtaking views of the Mediterranean, the fine-dining destination’s focus on seasonal, locally-sourced tasting menus is driving its growing renown. The restaurant currently occupies the #3 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Entering alongside Mirazur with three stars for the first time is Le Clos des Sens in Annecy-Le-Vieux. Sitting on the shore of Lac d’Annecy the contemporary dining room is an invitation to enter a world apart. The restaurant’s menu celebrates the delicate flavours of lake fish.
Women Make Their Presence Known
Even more exciting, there are 11 new additions to the Michelin Star Restaurants in France that are helmed by women. Joining the list this year with two-stars is Paris restaurant La Scène. Helmed by chef Stéphanie Le Quellec the restaurant is located in the five-star Prince de Galles hotel
The remaining 58 new one-star restaurants include Thai restaurant L’Or Q’Idée located in Pontoise, a capital of the French Impressionism. Also, Le Sarkara, in the beautiful ski resort town of Courchevel wins a spot. It becomes the first Michelin-starred restaurant that only offers dessert (to which we say it is about time).
So it looks like another exciting year ahead for food lovers looking to explore all the exciting culinary delights available in France. The country continues to offer up a broad spectrum of dining options to suit every palette and budget. From the restaurants of Paris to the bistros of Provence, enthusiastic diners find there is no shortage of culinary adventures.