your rating
7 March 2022 0 comments
We need our authoritative rating: how restaurateurs reacted to the freezing of the Michelin Guide in Russia
Moscow restaurants will not have to return the stars
The gastronomic Michelin Guide, less than six months after the launch of its first edition in Moscow, has announced that it will stop recommending restaurants in Russia. Recall that in October last year, 69 Moscow restaurants received high ratings, and 9 establishments - Michelin stars. It was planned to issue a guide in St. Petersburg. But gastronomic experts decided to freeze work in Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine.
- We decided not to promote the Moscow direction. In this regard, this year there will be no updates to the Moscow set, and projects for the development of the Michelin Guide in Russia are currently frozen, the Michelin Guide quotes.
The gastronomic guide decided not to publish information about Moscow restaurants, not to report news on social networks and on the website. At the same time, Michelin experts did not question the talent of the chefs and teams of 69 restaurants that received recommendations and stars.
- The decision of the Michelin Guide will not affect the work of restaurants in Moscow. I remember how the guide Gault & Millau ("Yellow Restaurant Book") came to us in 2017, but did not come the next year. And nothing: neither cold nor hot, - commented to kp.ru Igor Bukharov, President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia.
- Is the benefit during the presence of the Michelin Guide in Moscow palpable?
- Of course, after the announcement of the winners, there was a surge of attention, it was impossible to get into these restaurants. But due to covid in the world, foreigners could not come to us. And Muscovites already know good restaurants in the city. Our restaurants do not need an additional assessment, people themselves know where they can enjoy their evening.
The restaurateurs themselves say that they did not receive any notifications from the Michelin Guide and they do not need to return the stars. If the experts do not return to the capital, then, in fact, the Michelin stars of the restaurants will remain forever. According to the existing rules, the received stars must be confirmed every year after a secret check by the experts of the Michelin Guide. The Twins Garden restaurant, which received two Michelin stars, received the high All-Russian award Where to Eat Russia the day before, which confirms the quality and service.
- We didn't have a Michelin Guide and nothing bad will happen. Still can change, it's too early to make predictions. They now declare that they will not update the Moscow guide, but how it will be is still unknown. While this is some element of general hysteria. Whatever the political relations between countries, economic decisions always take precedence, - Sergey Mironov, a restaurateur, Ombudsman of the Moscow restaurant market, told kp.ru.
- Is the Michelin Guide still geared more towards foreigners?
- The Russians were also interested in who would be appreciated. There was a good influx of those restaurants that received stars. The foreigners themselves are not fixated on places with stars. How many times have I been abroad and could easily go to a Michelin-starred restaurant, having booked a table literally two hours before arrival. This is new to us and has caused a stir.
According to Sergei Mironov, Moscow can create its own authoritative gastronomic guide. Now there are many restaurant ratings, but they are all private, where there is some kind of sponsorship influence on the decisions and ratings of restaurants.
- The Moscow Federation of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs could create a Russian gastronomic guide that would also be authoritative. It would be an independent guide, which would be prestigious to get into, - restaurateur Sergey Mironov told kp.ru.
Moscow restaurants will not have to return the stars
The gastronomic Michelin Guide, less than six months after the launch of its first edition in Moscow, has announced that it will stop recommending restaurants in Russia. Recall that in October last year, 69 Moscow restaurants received high ratings, and 9 establishments - Michelin stars. It was planned to issue a guide in St. Petersburg. But gastronomic experts decided to freeze work in Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine.
- We decided not to promote the Moscow direction. In this regard, this year there will be no updates to the Moscow set, and projects for the development of the Michelin Guide in Russia are currently frozen, the Michelin Guide quotes.
The gastronomic guide decided not to publish information about Moscow restaurants, not to report news on social networks and on the website. At the same time, Michelin experts did not question the talent of the chefs and teams of 69 restaurants that received recommendations and stars.
- The decision of the Michelin Guide will not affect the work of restaurants in Moscow. I remember how the guide Gault & Millau ("Yellow Restaurant Book") came to us in 2017, but did not come the next year. And nothing: neither cold nor hot, - commented to kp.ru Igor Bukharov, President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia.
- Is the benefit during the presence of the Michelin Guide in Moscow palpable?
- Of course, after the announcement of the winners, there was a surge of attention, it was impossible to get into these restaurants. But due to covid in the world, foreigners could not come to us. And Muscovites already know good restaurants in the city. Our restaurants do not need an additional assessment, people themselves know where they can enjoy their evening.
The restaurateurs themselves say that they did not receive any notifications from the Michelin Guide and they do not need to return the stars. If the experts do not return to the capital, then, in fact, the Michelin stars of the restaurants will remain forever. According to the existing rules, the received stars must be confirmed every year after a secret check by the experts of the Michelin Guide. The Twins Garden restaurant, which received two Michelin stars, received the high All-Russian award Where to Eat Russia the day before, which confirms the quality and service.
- We didn't have a Michelin Guide and nothing bad will happen. Still can change, it's too early to make predictions. They now declare that they will not update the Moscow guide, but how it will be is still unknown. While this is some element of general hysteria. Whatever the political relations between countries, economic decisions always take precedence, - Sergey Mironov, a restaurateur, Ombudsman of the Moscow restaurant market, told kp.ru.
- Is the Michelin Guide still geared more towards foreigners?
- The Russians were also interested in who would be appreciated. There was a good influx of those restaurants that received stars. The foreigners themselves are not fixated on places with stars. How many times have I been abroad and could easily go to a Michelin-starred restaurant, having booked a table literally two hours before arrival. This is new to us and has caused a stir.
According to Sergei Mironov, Moscow can create its own authoritative gastronomic guide. Now there are many restaurant ratings, but they are all private, where there is some kind of sponsorship influence on the decisions and ratings of restaurants.
- The Moscow Federation of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs could create a Russian gastronomic guide that would also be authoritative. It would be an independent guide, which would be prestigious to get into, - restaurateur Sergey Mironov told kp.ru.