Michelin Tasting Menu

Michelin Tasting Menu

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

Worth A Journey

Worth A Detour

Worth A Stop

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MICHELIN TASTING MENU

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MICHELIN STAR

First Bite?

3,589

2,500+

Restaurants

47

Chefs

Countries

60+ Cities

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.

AROUND 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.

Distribution of 1, 2, & 3-Star Restaurants

0

2 Stars

1 Star

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

3 Stars

400

450

500

550

393

328

Germany Spain UK

138

Belgium

122

Netherlands Denmark

39

Portugal Sweden

22

Norway

16

Greece

12

Turkey

12

Croatia

11

Luxembourg

10

Slovenia

10

Finland

9

Malta

7

Poland

Latvia Andorra

In contrast, while the U.S., as a single country, has only about a third of Europe’s total stars, it holds an impressive diversity with 23 different types of cuisine.

6

Lithuania

Estonia

Only 8% of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe serve non-western cuisine.

9

Hungary

Czech Republic

Denmark stands out for having more 3-star restaurants than the number of 1-star and 2-star restaurants combined.

18

Austria

Iceland

59

20

Ireland

(2,469)

4

3

2 2 2

1

377

Japan China Hong Kong

51

Singapore

ASIA (775)

Taiwan

35

Thailand South Korea Macau

7

Vietnam Malaysia Dubai

NORTH AMERICA

1

16

Japan, only second to France, has the highest number of restaurants in Asia. In just Tokyo, there’s a total of 183 stars.

34

USA

26

Canada Mexico

18

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil

21

Argentina

49

78

123

5

(274)

(28)

The origin of the Michelin Guide, France, leads with a total of 629 Michelin-starred restaurants.

136

Switzerland

EUROPE

183

265

650

629

France Italy

600

7

253

2023–2024, the Michelin Guide expanded to Colorado, Georgia, and Texas, adding 30 more restaurants to the total U.S. count.

As of 2024, Africa & Australia have yet to be published in the Michelin Guide.

MICHELIN TASTING MENU

THE MICHELIN MAKERS

The Judges and the Creators — These Are the People Behind the Stars

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.

Anonymous Inspectors

150

Pioneering Chefs

Anonymous Inspectors

6 – 12

250

3–4

(Estimated)

Restaurants

Visited Annually

Joël Robuchon

Months

Most Starred Chef (31 Stars)

Training Period

Anne-Sophie Pic

Most Starred Female Chef (12 Stars) Visits

Aiden Byrne

Per Restaurant

THE 5 CRITERIA Eleven Madison Park (New York, NY)

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?

Harmony of Flavors

Consistency in Dishes & Visits

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.

SUNFLOWER STEM, BEANS Fermented Sunflower Petals, Summer Beans, Candied Sunflower Seeds

TURNIP, CORIANDER Spinach, Preserved Horseradish, Coriander Chili Crisp, Turnip Cream

Quality of Ingredients

Mastery of Techniques

Personality of the Chef

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.

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.

ASPARAGUS, RICE Black Peppercorns, Nepitella-based Broth, Ginger, Roasted Asparagus

SQUASH, POBLANO PEPPER

STRAWBERRY, BLOSSOM

Zucchini, Cilantro Blossom, Poblano Pepper wrapped in Squash Blossom, Braised Seitan

Cherry Blossom Mousse, Strawberry Mousse, Sorbet, & Gelée, Starflower

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

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4

MICHELIN TASTING MENU

The Open Kitche

A BREAKDOWN OF A 1-STA

APPETIZER

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.

PULL APART BREAD

0

A complimentary Parker House Roll with mediterraneaninspired olive tapenade on top.

CROWN SHY

Garnished with parsley, lemon, & dehydrated olives.

A Neighborhood Restaurant in the Heart of Manhattan MICHELIN STAR

1-Star, since 2019

CUISINE

American Contemporary

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.

Bread is served with a whipped labneh (strained yogurt).

GRUYÈRE FRITTERS

Savory churro filled with Gruyère cheese, sprinkled with chili cheese powder.

JAMAL JAMES KENT

Powder creates layers zestiness to balance o of the filling.

Owner & Executive Chef

EDUCATION

OTHER RESTAURANTS

Le Cordon Bleu Johnson & Wales

Saga The Overstory

Fritters are made-to-order, always come to customers fresh & hot.

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.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

8AM

8am–5:30pm

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.

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Pastry Team infuses Gruyère into the churro batter as well as the filling.

12PM

12PM

5:30PM

Morning Prep

Afternoon Prep

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 menu and service. By 2pm, Cooks and Sous Chefs are out on the floor prepping for service.

PASTRY TEAM

PREP TEAM

PASTRY TEAM

PREP TEAM

Pastry Chef Pastry Sous Chef Pastry Cook Chocolatier

Commis Chef Receiver Butcher Extern Prep Cook Bar Prep Dishwasher Porter

Pastry Chef Pastry Sous Chef Pastry Cook Chocolatier

Chef de Cuisine Sous Chefs Prep Cooks Line Cooks Fry Cook Grill Cook Barback Dishwasher

MICHELIN TASTING MENU

5

en at Crown Shy

AR MICHELIN RESTAURANT

ENTRÉE

DESSERT

CITRUS CHICKEN

STICKY TOFFEE

45

26

Sticky toffee pudding with medjool dates, rich toffee sauce, and served with tart apple sorbet.

Grilled citrus-marinated chicken that is served with a spicy habanero hot sauce.

Citrus Jus made with lemon, lime and grapefruit zest, & star anise.

Habanero sauce left to ferment for ten days before turning into a purée.

Garnishing contains pecans that have been lightly smoked.

Decadent flavor comes from using dark muscovado sugar.

salted

ROASTED SHORT RIBS

CHOCOLATE TART

59

Chocolate tart with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings served with a scoop of house-made stracciatella ice cream.

Roasted short rib braised ends with sunchokes, and a chimichurri sauce.

of spice & out the richness

16

Short Ribs are seasoned & left in sous-vide for 48 hours before seared & served.

Short Rib Bone is baked until bone is lightened & used for plating. Meat is trimmed into rectangles.

NIGHT AT THE PASS

Variety of textures from crunchy and crumbly dark chocolate crust to soft soufflé-like chocolate mousse.

5:30PM

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.

Syrup that accompanies the tart is infused with Tintilla de Rota Sherry.

Potato Espuma is a savory, aired cream consisting of potato purée mixed with horseradish.

10:00PM

10:00PM

12:00AM

Service

Cleanup

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.

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

DINING ROOM

SAVORY KITCHEN

Floor Manager Maître D’ Server Head Sommelier Barback Sommelier Bartender Drinking Consultant

Chef de Cuisine Sous Chefs Line Cooks Chef Tournant Chef Entremetiers Expeditors

Floor Manager Maître D’ Server Head Sommelier Barback Sommelier Bartender Drinking Consultant

Chef de Cuisine Sous Chefs Prep Cooks Line Cooks Chef Tournant Chef Entremetiers Expeditors Dishwasher

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MICHELIN TASTING MENU

AN ANALYSIS OF THE MICHELIN PRICETAG

Check, please!

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.

HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?

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.

1, 2, & 3-Star Restaurants Price Trends

Tasting Menu/À La Carte

Wine Pairings

Tips & Fees

USD($)

Cheapest Michelin LEROY AND LEWIS BARBECUE

JAPANESE

Omakase, Kaiseki, Robatayaki

29

(Austin, TX)

“From Food Truck to 1-Star”

Delicious and affordable dishes, from melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks to banana pudding tiramisu.

FRENCH Classic French, Bistronomy

AMERICAN Californian, Cajun/Creole, New American

$29

MODERN Contemporary, Fusion

$324

ASIAN Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian

The Only Chinese Restaurant MISTER JIU’S

EUROPEAN

145 120 54

Italian, Mediterranean

(San Francisco, CA)

“Best Chinese Fusion”

Blending traditional Chinese flavors with contemporary techniques, Mr. Jiu’s honors Chinese heritage by bringing it to a newer audience.

OTHER

Spanish, Mexican, Seafood, Peruvian, etc.

0 USD($)

100

200

300

400 1-Star Avg $321

$29 $282

MICHELIN TASTING MENU

BUDGETING YOUR MEAL What’s Included Within the Total Cost?

77.5% of the restaurants require a prepaid deposit that typically covers the full meal price before gratuity. These are fully non-refundable in case of cancellations or no-shows.

31%

51%

18%

TASTING MENU/MAIN MEAL

WINE & BEVERAGE PAIRINGS

TIPS & FEES

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.

Many restaurants offer optional wine pairings specially curated to complement the meal, which can significantly increase the total cost. Wine pairings often range from $75 to $300+ per person.

Gratuities can often range from 20-30%. Some restaurants add a service fee of around 10-15%, especially in Europe and Asia.

Bang For Your Buck

Most Expensive

PER SE

MASA

200

235

(New York, NY) 88

(New York, NY)

750

“Cheapest 3-Star Meal”

300

211

“Best Sushi Place in the U.S.”

Chef Masa’s 20-year long dedication to infusing shibui and umami into omakase, featuring the highest quality fish flown directly from Japan.

Thomas Keller’s iconic ‘Oysters and Pearls’ is the most renowned caviar dish, surprisingly even more affordable than many 2-star meals.

$528

$1,266

Atelier Crenn The French Laundry

Quince

The Inn at Little Washington

SingleThread

$1,170 Smyth

Addison

$995

Is It Worth?

Benu

BŌM 275

(New York, NY)

550

165

“The Best Korean Fine Dining”

Uni, caviar, and truffles on top of classic korean ingredients, executed in a contemporary and elegant way.

CAVIAR RUSSE

(New York, NY)

975

195

“All About Caviar”

The pinnacle of luxurious dining, serving the finest caviar and exclusive tasting menus for a high price point.

Eleven Madison Park Le Bernardin Alinea

500

600 2-Star Avg $588

700

800

900

1,200

3-Star Avg $768

1-STAR TIER

$1,170 2-STAR TIER

$528

1,000

$1,014 3-STAR TIER

$1,266

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FAVORITE MOMENT FROM THE MICHELIN EXPERIENCE

Food For Thought 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.

The Wine

The Food “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.”

“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

- Priya, Bangalore Masa

Tripadvisor, 2024

Atelier Crenn

Google Reviews, 2024

The Chef

The Service

“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.”

“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.”

- Tracy, San Francisco

Per Se

- Jessica, Shanghai Yelp, 2024

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.