New York (November 4, 2005) – The first ever Michelin restaurant guide for New York, going on sale today, has caused a huge disappointment among American chefs in this culirinarily and culturally most diverse city. Out of 23,000 restaurants in all five New York boroughs, only 509 were included in the guide with merely 39 were given a “star ranking”. Only 4 were awarded the top three-star ranking. Three were led by French-born chefs (Le Bernadin, Alain Ducasse, Jean Georges), only one American-born chef, Thomas Keller of Per Se was included in this exclusive group. Again, only four restaurants were awarded the second-best ranking with two-star and 31 restaurants with the consolation one-star ranking. Top Italian chef, Mario Batali of Food Network fame, received only one star for his restaurant Babbo, even below the two-star rating for the Japanese restaurant Masa. Overall, Italian restaurants in New York did not receive the proper appreciation that “they rightly deserved,” Chef Batali said. With an eye on the important Italian-American electorate, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, potential candidate for the Governor seat, has promised an immediate special investigation of the Michelin business in the US.
Friday, November 04, 2005
New Michelin guide gets New York in uproar
New York (November 4, 2005) – The first ever Michelin restaurant guide for New York, going on sale today, has caused a huge disappointment among American chefs in this culirinarily and culturally most diverse city. Out of 23,000 restaurants in all five New York boroughs, only 509 were included in the guide with merely 39 were given a “star ranking”. Only 4 were awarded the top three-star ranking. Three were led by French-born chefs (Le Bernadin, Alain Ducasse, Jean Georges), only one American-born chef, Thomas Keller of Per Se was included in this exclusive group. Again, only four restaurants were awarded the second-best ranking with two-star and 31 restaurants with the consolation one-star ranking. Top Italian chef, Mario Batali of Food Network fame, received only one star for his restaurant Babbo, even below the two-star rating for the Japanese restaurant Masa. Overall, Italian restaurants in New York did not receive the proper appreciation that “they rightly deserved,” Chef Batali said. With an eye on the important Italian-American electorate, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, potential candidate for the Governor seat, has promised an immediate special investigation of the Michelin business in the US.
