Before your Michelin-star dining experience, we’d like to share a bit about its legacy, significance, and how to make the most out of your evening. Take your time, savor each dish, and let us guide you through this journey. Thank you for dining with us.
Curated by column writers Haipei Chen & Lea Hidaka Based on the 2024 Michelin Guide
First published in 1900, the Michelin Guide was originally created by the Michelin Tyre Company to promote more motorists on the road. There, the guide was originally distributed for free and not only included recommendations for restaurants, but also tire repair instructions, hotels, and refuel stations in the area. Initially, the guide was focused on making car travel more accessible and a way to support the Michelin brand indirectly. Only later, in 1931, was the 3-star Michelin system established. Each year, the Michelin Guide curates a list of restaurants that they believe offers the best of the best cuisine around the world. New regions have been added over time, with the Michelin Guide now spanning internationally across the four continents in the world.
As of 2024, the Michelin Guide covers 47 countries, expanding its global reach to include new locations across the continents of Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Guides published are always specific to region.
Eleven Madison Park (New York, NY)
SUMMER TASTING MENU (9 Courses)
Tomato Salad
Tonburi Beet Tostada
Sunflower Butter, Bread
Sunflower Stem, Beans
Turnip, Coriander
Asparagus, Rice
Squash, Poblano Pepper Melon, Honeysuckle Strawberry, Blossom
EMP partners with Magic Farms, a small local farm in upstate New York, to source all their produce focusing on what is in season. This asparagus dish contains minimal ingredients, really letting the asparagus take center stage.
The Michelin’s legacy is built on the meticulous reviews from its inspectors and the chefs who have defined excellence in the culinary world. Let’s take a look at the people behind the stars, from the anonymous judges to the renowned chefs who made history.
Most Starred Chef (31 Stars)
Most Starred Female Chef (12 Stars)
Youngest Chef to Win a Michelin Star (22 Years Old)
Restaurants are primarily evaluated based on the taste of the food, using five key criteria as the foundation for its assessments. Let’s explore these standards through Eleven Madison Park’s unique vegan tasting menu, curated by Chef Daniel Humm. What are the qualities that make this 3-Star Michelin dining experience exceptional?
This sunflower-based course combines the stems of sunflowers with mashed beans and pickled petals. These flavors balance each other and blend into a complex, cohesive dish that highlights both earthy and savory notes.
Every course on the menu complements one another in flavor, creating a cohesive culinary experience, while maintaining the same high quality across multiple visits.
EMP staff utilizes traditional, yet complex, techniques within their dishes. In this course, the zucchini is cooked sous-vide before being smoked tableside with cherrywood, giving the vegetables new complex flavors and textures.
EMP’s creativity shines in menus driven by seasonal ingredients, showcasing Chef Humm’s fresh, plant-based vision. Within the dessert dish, Humm reimagines strawberries through mousse, sorbet, and gelée.
Contrary to popular belief, the Michelin Guide celebrates a variety of restaurants, extending beyond the typical image of white-tablecloth traditional luxury establishments. Crown Shy is the perfect example of offering an elevated yet approachable experience to fine dining.
A Neighborhood Restaurant in the Heart of Manhattan
MICHELIN STAR
CUISINE
American Contemporary 1-Star, since 2019
Crown Shy is a restaurant that aims to redefine fine dining by offering a more relaxed experience through its cuisine. Its name is inspired by “crown shyness,” a natural phenomenon where treetops form gaps instead of touching, echoing the Manhattan skyline and the restaurant’s philosophy of working together in harmony. It blends a familiar menu with fine dining techniques, served in a plating style meant to be shared. Instead of a tasting menu, customers order à la carte.
Owner & Executive Chef
8am–5:30pm
EDUCATION
Le Cordon Bleu Johnson & Wales
OTHER RESTAURANTS
Saga The Overstory
Born and raised in New York, Jamal Kent is an acclaimed American chef known for having a passion for fusion cuisine. His previous experience includes being Chef de Cuisine at the 3-star Eleven Madison Park and Executive Chef at the 1-star NoMad. At Crown Shy, Chef Kent oversees all operations, trains & supports fellow chefs & staff, and grows business within the larger Kent Hospitality Group.
The day shift at Crown Shy is the dedicated time for preparation, planning, and fine-tuning. The kitchen comes alive early in the morning as chefs and staff will organize ingredients, prepare all the various components for dishes like sauces and pastas. The goal for the Prep Team is to ensure that every detail is in place so that the evening service is able to run smoothly.
PULL APART BREAD
A complimentary Parker House Roll with mediterraneaninspired olive tapenade on top.
Garnished with parsley, lemon, & dehydrated olives.
Powder creates layers zestiness to balance out of
Fritters are made-to-order, always come to customers fresh & hot.
Morning shipments of inventory arrive and are put away and counted. The Pastry Team begins to work on doughs and batters for breads, and desserts. The Savory Team begins to start on dishes that might need longer times to prepare.
Final pre-service tasks take priority. Chefs are tasting sauces, adjusting seasonings, and cutting pasta. The Culinary Team has final meetings and runs through the
and service. By 2pm, Cooks and Sous Chefs are out on the floor
of spice & out the richness
Grilled citrus-marinated chicken that is served with a spicy habanero hot sauce.
Roasted short rib braised ends with sunchokes, and a chimi-
Potato
Short Ribs are seasoned & left in sous-vide for 48 hours before seared & served.
Sticky toffee pudding with medjool dates, rich toffee sauce, and served with tart apple sorbet.
Garnishing
5:30pm–12:00am
As evening falls, the night shift takes center stage. An average of 1,000 dishes will be served throughout the night and chefs have to execute high influx of orders while the front-of-house team ensures a warm and attentive service for the customers. The high-paced, high-pressure environment demands focus, adaptability, and precision across various teams within the kitchen and dining room.
5:30PM 10:00PM
Serving an average of 300 customers a night, the kitchen and the front-of-house teams have to move in sync with one another. Meats & pastas are being fired up, food is being plated, garnished, and checked. The servers are moving throughout the room presenting dishes and the drink program to the customers.
DINING ROOM SAVORY KITCHEN
Floor Manager
D’
10:00PM 12:00AM
Kitchen Staff meticulously clean each station, scrubbing counters, washing utensils, and organizing ingredients. Equipment is checked and leftovers are organized and labeled. Teams begin making preparations for the next day of service.
DINING ROOM SAVORY KITCHEN
Floor Manager Maître D’
Sommelier
Consultant
Chef de Cuisine Sous Chefs Prep Cooks
Cooks
Chef Tournant
Chef Entremetiers Expeditors Dishwasher
Michelin-starred restaurants are often associated with having to break the bank for a singular meal. However, by examining the make-up some of these costs might help create transparency within the system. Contrary to popular belief, the price of Michelin-starred meals can vary widely with the price being influenced by factors such as the number of stars a restaurant has, the cuisine, and the location. What are the expectations of these restaurants? Does the experience justify the high costs? Let’s take a closer look into the price trends. 1, 2, & 3-Star Restaurants Price Trends
Here’s a price breakdown for dining at every Michelin-starred restaurant in the United States. The average price reflects either the cost of their most popular tasting menu or, if unavailable, the typical meal price, as well as wine pairings and gratuity/service fees. Taxes are not included in this calculation.
Menu/À La Carte Wine Pairings Tips & Fees
Omakase, Kaiseki, Robatayaki
FRENCH
Classic French, Bistronomy
AMERICAN
Californian, Cajun/Creole, New American
MODERN
Contemporary, Fusion
ASIAN
Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian
EUROPEAN
Italian, Mediterranean
OTHER
Spanish, Mexican, Seafood, Peruvian, etc.
Tasting menus consist of multiple courses showcasing the chef’s signature dishes. The prices are fixed and could range from $100$1,000+, depending on star count, location, or reputation. Some restaurants also offer à la carte options, which may be cheaper since the number of dishes is flexible.
For those who dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, they look forward to the consistent delivery of high quality meals and experiences. Every dish tells a story down to the smallest details being thoughtfully curated and executed. For many, it’s not just a meal, but a memory.
“Every. Single. Bite. Is. Heaven. Yes, it’s expensive. It is worth it. I would do it all over again. If you are ever considering treating yourself to the best sushi of your life then you must go here.”
- Priya, Bangalore
Masa Tripadvisor, 2024
“Chef Thomas Keller is out of this world. His tasting menus are worth the time to digest through, because not a scrap should be left behind. Per Se is in and of itself, singular and my favorite restaurant.”
- Tracy, San Francisco
Per Se
Yelp, 2024
“I recently dined at Atelier Crenn and opted for the wine pairing, which was absolutely spectacular and enhanced each course. The sommelier selected a wide range of wines that were nuanced and perfectly matched Chef Crenn’s intricate dishes.”
- Thomas, London
Atelier Crenn Google Reviews, 2024
“The service and the servers themselves were half the reason the meal was so good and so memorable. This was not just a dinner, but an emotional experience. We will remember these dishes vividly for years to come and the laughter that ensued our entire meal.”
- Jessica, Shanghai
Alinea
Tripadvisor, 2024
It’s been a pleasure to introduce you to the world of Michelin Stars. Thank you for sharing this special moment with us. We hope this guide will accompany you on your future restaurant adventures.