I have a long bucket list. Most of the items are about dining in a certain restaurant and then I’m not talking about Izakaya (wonderful place), which is around the corner from me, but preferably somewhere further away with at least one Michelin star. These restaurants are so expensive, not to mention that you usually can’t even get a reservation. La Chevre d’Or in Eze on the Côte d’Azur, eating at Anne-Sophie Pic or Noma in Copenhagen, yep, they’re all on my list.

Today I’m going to chat with you about Michelin stars. Because it’s a pretty big deal.

How do you get a star?

The first star is all about the kitchen. According to Michelin, they are an eating guide and not a fun guide. That is also why they only judge on what is on your plate. I would imagine that they would also look at service with a big smile, in a gorgeous space with lovely set tables, clean and shiny glassware and cutlery instead of only a boring dude chucking down the food, but that aside.

Who decides?

The company Michelin have a few inspectors that judge and decide who gets a star. If you get a star (or lose one) the chief inspector comes by for a visit. It often happens that the restaurant is visited more than three times before a final decision is made. And a restaurant with three stars might well have eight inspectors at any given time.

The inspectors are anonymous, but if a Belgian comes to eat alone, most chefs get a little nervous.

Also important

You get a star when the kitchen serves outstanding quality. Continuity is also very important. They always want to be extremely sure when they hand out stars, and also to make sure the quality is consistent. The waiting staff need to have great knowledge of the restaurant, the kitchen and the menu so that the Michelin-inspector is assured of a fabulous night. Furthermore the quality of the products is super important and that several techniques are used in the preparation of the dishes. The toilets need to be picobello, and the entrance and reception obviously need to work like clockwork.

Okay, now on to ‘how to behave in such a restaurant.’ First and foremost, you need to wear something nice. You’ll still be served if you turn up in your All Stars, it’s not considered very appropriate. You can’t really be too overdressed in a restaurant like this. Do I really need to explain it all again? Napkin on your lap, knife on the right, fork on the left and please don’t blow your nose in the linen.