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French chef given back Michelin honours he once refused

French chef Sebastien Bras, who previously turned down the maximum three stars he was awarded by the celebrated Michelin guide for his restaurant Le Suquet, in south-central France, explaining that it caused him too much stress, has been given a new two-star ranking in its 2019 edition.

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A French chef is "surprised" to find he is back in this year's Michelin guide, despite requesting to be taken out, reports BBC News.

Sebastien Bras' restaurant Le Suquet returns to the directory with just two stars, having previously been awarded three.

The chef's concerns over the possible inspection of every meal prompted the decision to be removed in 2017.

Le Suquet's reinstatement in the 2019 Michelin guide "left us with doubts", he said.

The restaurant guide, originally designed for motorists finding places to stop off en route, says two stars shows "excellent cooking, worth a detour", while three means it is "worth a special journey".

Based in the Aubrac region, Mr Bras took over Le Suquet from his father in 2009 and prides himself on sourcing natural, local ingredients, often from the family garden.

In 2017 he told AFP that the three star rating had given him "a lot of satisfaction," but he dreaded knowing inspectors could appear at any time.

Michelin agreed to remove Le Suquet because it was difficult "to have a restaurant in the guide which does not wish to be in it".

Read more of this report from BBC News.