A Bib Gourmand is not "better" than a Michelin Star, but rather serves a different purpose, highlighting high-quality,,, "good value" dining (often under a set price point). While stars denote the pinnacle of fine dining, Bib Gourmand restaurants offer exceptional, often more casual meals without the premium price, making them a preferred choice for affordable, everyday, or local cuisine.
A restaurant must serve unique, innovative dishes to earn a Michelin star. In contrast, a Bib Gourmand is awarded to restaurants that serve familiar, comforting dishes made well. The Michelin Guide describes Bib Gourmand fare as simple, recognisable, and easy to eat.
The selection acknowledges restaurants worth visiting during travel. It sits below the Bib Gourmand and Michelin star categories, but it confirms that the establishment meets professional standards. Michelin inspectors visit anonymously. They assess food quality, technique, ingredient sourcing, value, and consistency.
Enter the Bib Gourmand, an award that's lesser-known but equally prestigiousfor a different reason. While Michelin stars recognize the pinnacle of fine dining, the Bib Gourmand is all about one thing: good food at a great value.
In October 2013, the Gordon Ramsay at The London restaurant in New York lost its two Michelin stars owing to issues encountered by the Michelin reviewers. The guide's director Michael Ellis stated that he was served "some very erratic meals" and also experienced "issues with consistency."
THE BIG STORY: Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand 2019 | The Straits Times
Who has 32 Michelin stars?
French chef Joël Robuchon held a record-breaking 32 Michelin stars across his global restaurants at the peak of his career, making him the most decorated chef in history, though he passed away in 2018, with his restaurants holding 31 stars at that time. He earned the title "Chef of the Century" and was known for revolutionizing French cuisine, emphasizing simplicity and perfection in his dishes.
There are two main criteria to qualify for a Bib Gourmand - the food must be delicious, and it must cost less than a set amount for three courses. As the Michelin guide is now published around the world, the ceiling price varies according to the local cost of living.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $98,500 and as low as $24,500, the majority of Michelin Inspector salaries currently range between $38,500 (25th percentile) to $63,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $92,000 annually across the United States.
There are two main criteria to qualify for a Bib Gourmand – the food must be delicious, and it must cost less than a set amount for three courses. As the Michelin guide is now published around the world, the ceiling price varies according to the local cost of living.
Gordon Ramsay has held a total of 17 Michelin stars across his career but currently holds 7 stars across his restaurants, with his flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, maintaining three stars for over two decades. While some sources mention 16 stars in total, it's the current 7 that reflects his present holdings, though he earned 17 in total throughout his career.
Since 1926, the Guide has awarded Stars to exceptional restaurants, with the prestigious Three-Star rating reserved for the most extraordinary experiences. In 1997, the Guide introduced the Bib Gourmand, a special distinction recognizing restaurants that serve high-quality food at great value.
They rate a restaurant from 0-3 stars. Michelin Green Stars are awarded to restaurants meeting high standards of sustainability. They also award Bib Gourmand and Michelin Plate to restaurants that offer fine dining experiences, but they're not great enough to receive Michelin Stars.
The term appeared due to a British journalist who had visited the hotel on a tour before it was officially opened. The journalist described Burj al Arab as "more than anything she has ever seen" and therefore referred to it as a seven-star hotel.
General Manager Martin Hyde, whom Ramsay repeatedly tells is useless, ends up walking out. Hyde later sued Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares for $1 million, stating he was humiliated and his reputation was ruined.
E.J. Lagasse, the youngest chef ever to lead a Two MICHELIN Star restaurant. 👏🇺🇸 At just 22, E.J. brings a new chapter to Emeril's in New Orleans, earning Two MICHELIN Stars and the 2025 MICHELIN Guide American South Young Chef Award.
Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver's "feud" was a public rivalry fueled by professional jealousy, differing cooking styles, and insults traded over a decade, starting around 2009 when Oliver criticized Ramsay's pig comparison to an Australian journalist, leading Ramsay to call Oliver a "one-pot wonder," but they've since reconciled, with their wives reportedly helping them bury the hatchet after a family tragedy in 2017, and they now acknowledge their past issues, reports Parade and 9Kitchen.
