The world of French fine dining has become embroiled in yet another ratings row due to the removal of the three-star Michelin ranking from renowned chef Paul Bocuse’s restaurant, almost two years after his death, reports The Guardian.
The Auberge du Pont de Collonges, situated near the "gastronomic capital" of Lyon in south-east France, was the oldest three-starred restaurant in the world, having held the ranking without interruption since 1965.
In a rare move, the Michelin boss, Gwendal Poullennec, visited the restaurant on Thursday to deliver the news that the rating had been lowered after 55 years. The decision prompted anger and dismay from Bocuse’s peers.
Poullennec told France Inter radio: “I understand the team’s emotion. It’s a difficult decision but for Michelin, it’s a fair decision.” Changing the ranking to two stars was based on meals eaten there in 2019, according to Poullennec, who said the decision was reached collectively by Michelin inspectors. A restaurant rating always “reflects the current value of a meal. There is no special treatment in a Michelin guide”, he added.
The Bocuse d’Or organisation, which holds the annual international cooking competition Bocuse created, greeted the announcement with sadness and expressed its “unwavering support” for the restaurant.
Bocuse’s family and kitchen team said they were upset by the decision. Celebrity chef Marc Veyrat, who recently sued the Michelin guide over a lost third star, described the move as “pathetic”.
Veyrat said he had lost faith in a new generation of Michelin editors, whom he accused of trying to make a name for themselves by taking down the giants of French cuisine.