Any food rating system is controversial. The most famous is the Michelin Guide, which rates restaurants for comfort and also for food via the coveted Michelin Stars. A one star Michelin restaurant is likely to be very fine indeed, while three stars (the best) is an accolade handed out only to a few dozen restaurants in the world each year. However, this system leaves the vast majority of places untouched, and Michelin is ultra sensitive to the commercial consequences of its accolades. Hence it tends to be slow to dish out stars and even slower to take them away. This suits chefs fine (which is why chefs love the Michelin, provided they get a star of course) but makes it difficult for consumers, as it is not possible to tell whether a 1 star establishment is just on the brink of a wonderful two stars or actually should have long since lost its star.
1 / 20Catastrophically bad cooking that the kitchen should be ashamed of.
2 / 20Disastrously bad food that should never have left the kitchen
3 / 20Dismal cooking
4 / 20Extremely poor cooking
5 / 20Very weak cooking.
6 / 20Unacceptably low level of cooking; well below proper professional standard.
7 / 20Well below the level expected of a professional kitchen
8 / 20Firmly below the level expected of a professional kitchen
9 / 20Slipping below an acceptable level for a professional kitchen
10 / 20Below the level of cooking that one would hope for in a professional kitchen
11 / 20Capable cooking, with simple food combinations and clear flavours, but some inconsistencies
12 / 20Decent cooking, displaying good technical skills and interesting combinations and flavours. Occasional inconsistencies.
13 / 20Good cooking, showing sound technical skills and using quality ingredients
14 / 20Dedicated, focused approach to cooking, good classical skills and high quality ingredients
15 / 20Exact cooking techniques and a degree of ambition; showing balance and depth of flavour in dishes, while using quality ingredients. On the border of 1 Michelin star cooking.
16 / 20Exemplary cooking skills, innovative ideas, impeccable ingredients and an element of excitement. Strong one Michelin star level cooking.
17 / 20High level of ambition and individuality, attention to the smallest detail, accurate and vibrant dishes. Equivalent to two Michelin star cooking.
18 / 20A kitchen cooking at or close to the top of its game - highly individual, showing faultless technique and impressive artistry in dishes that are perfectly balanced for flavour, combination and texture. At the high end of 2 michelin star level.
19 / 20A hugely memorable experience for the diner. True 3 star michelin cooking.
20 / 20World class cooking - the pinnacle of cuisine
