Most of us know the Michelin Guide, a little red book that has been exploring where to eat well since 1900. It started as a simple traveler’s companion and somehow grew into the most influential food guide on the planet. Today it often helps me decide where to go for a pleasant lunch. After all, the world is full of restaurants, the menus are endless and my stomach is only one.
I still remember the excitement when Michelin introduced the Green Star in 2020. A special mark for restaurants that take sustainability seriously. Places that think about where their ingredients come from and how their actions shape the world around them. Since then this small green symbol helped me choose many meals. More than once the scale tipped to the side of the Green Star when I was deciding where the two of us should go.
So you can imagine my disappointment when Michelin recently removed the option to filter restaurants by the Green Star on their website. They said it was because of a redesign of the portal. Online you will find every possible explanation. Aparently, their website is going under huge reconstruction. Howevber, some claim that the Green Star is not reliable enough because restaurants answer questions about sustainability themselves and Michelin has to trust their word. And yes, maybe that creates some grey areas.
Still, I cannot help imagining a strange little scene. A kind of green star gestapo knocking on the back door of the kitchen, surprising the dishwasher who has just stepped out for a quick cigarette during his first break. A serious voice saying, “Good day, show me where the scraps go” and “I will also need a sample of this carrot, it looks suspiciously perfect.” We probably do not need a green police force, but we do need honesty. And we definitely need to highlight the places that really work hard in this direction.
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Farm to table is, for me, one of the most beautiful things that can happen in this world of food. Nothing compares to a vegetable that comes from a garden only a few minutes away. When that vegetable is grown organically, with permaculture principles, by people who understand their soil as something alive and meaningful, it becomes more than just an ingredient. It becomes poetry on a plate.
This is why I truly hope Michelin finds a clear and fair way to keep awarding Green Stars and to present them properly. They matter. They guide us toward restaurants that respect the land, the farmers and the future. And they remind us that good food is not only about taste, but also about the story behind each ingredient. Respecting your ingredient!
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