On my honeymoon I went to Gordon Ramsay’s Three-Michelin-Star restaurant in Las Vegas. It changed my life.

Okay, not really. I went to Monterey California, where the most we spent on a single meal was $40. It was the most I’d ever spent in one place on food, and I felt like I was selling the house on a pointless splurge.

But you get my point: Michelin-starred restaurants sound quite fancy, and people talk about them like they are indeed life-altering experiences.

So what’s with all the hubbub?

Michelin stars matter because they are a reflection of an ideal—a pursuit of excellence in food, atmosphere, and service that inspires both professional chefs and home cooks to elevate their standards. While the stars themselves may seem out of reach for most people, the underlying principles of quality and dedication can inspire anyone who enjoys food, whether they're eating out or cooking in.

History of the Michelin Guide and Stars

The Michelin Guide was first published in France in 1900 by André Michelin and his brother Édouard, who ran the Michelin tire company. It started as a travel guide for motorists, providing maps, restaurant recommendations, and places to stay to encourage road trips. In the 1920s, the guide began rating restaurants, initially using a simple system of symbols. By 1926, it introduced the star system:

• One star: A "very good" restaurant in its category.
• Two stars: A "excellent" restaurant, worth a detour.
• Three stars: A "exceptional" restaurant, worth a special journey.

The star system has evolved over time but still represents the same core idea of highlighting exceptional dining experiences. By now, this is what the stars all mean:

One Star: A very good restaurant in its category. The food is high-quality, with a solid menu and attention to detail. This level is often considered a mark of excellence in the local scene. This also means that just having one Michelin star is still a big honor for a restaurant. It’s not the same as one star on Yelp.

Look at it as “I’m in town and have the money, so this is where I want to go.”

Two Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour. These restaurants often feature creative dishes, unique flavors, or a refinement that sets them apart. They offer not just a meal but an experience.

This is more like “I’m in the area and have some time and money, so I don’t mind a bit of a drive to go here.”

Three Stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey. These are considered the pinnacle of fine dining, offering extraordinary experiences in every aspect—from flavor to presentation, service, and ambiance. A 3-star restaurant is something very rare and highly coveted.

Think of these restaurants as “this is the entire reason I made the trip. I saved up for years and treated it like going to a Broadway musical in NYC.”

I’m a Home Cook… Why Should I Even Care?!

Even if you're not planning to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant, the concept of Michelin stars can still be valuable for several reasons:

1. Inspiration: Chefs and home cooks alike are inspired by the creativity and techniques used in Michelin-starred restaurants. The focus on high-quality ingredients, balanced flavors, and innovative cooking techniques can influence your own approach at home.

2. Food Quality: Michelin stars highlight the importance of quality ingredients, preparation, and presentation. Learning what a Michelin-starred chef would (or wouldn’t) cook with can improve your own pantry and appreciation for quality meals.

3. Culinary Trends: Michelin-starred restaurants are often at the forefront of culinary innovation. Understanding what makes these restaurants stand out can give a glimpse into new cooking trends, techniques, or styles to explore in your own kitchen.

4. Aesthetic and Experience: While you may never eat at a 3-star restaurant, the experience and the aesthetic of these establishments set a standard for how food can be presented and appreciated. You can use these ideas to elevate your dining at home, even if you’re preparing more casual meals.

Quick Guide: What We Can Learn from Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Despite their diversity in cuisine and style, high-performing restaurants typically share a number of key characteristics that set them apart from ordinary dining experiences:

Exceptional Quality of Ingredients
Michelin-starred restaurants prioritize sourcing the best ingredients, often locally grown or sustainably sourced. These restaurants might even go as far as developing relationships with specific farms or purveyors to ensure top-notch produce, meats, seafood, and other ingredients.

Lesson: Always prioritize the best ingredients. Whether you shop at a farmers' market or a grocery store, seek out fresh, seasonal produce and high-quality proteins. The flavor of your dish starts with the ingredients, so make sure they’re the best you can find.

I’ve had a lot of fun over the years building relationships with people in the food industry. I always chat up the local butcher because he is always passionate about his food. He loves being appreciated, and he’ll give you special deals, first-chance offers, and more.

If this all feels like a little too much to worry about, perhaps start with rice. Boot that dollar-bin bag and instead invest in some jasmine or basmati rice. You’ll become a rice snob in two, three days tops.

Mastery of Technique
Precision and technique are paramount. Michelin-starred chefs have mastered cooking methods. Each dish is executed with the utmost care to ensure perfect results.

Lesson: Master the basic techniques before attempting complex dishes. Focus on knife skills, cooking temperatures, and mastering the methods that best bring out flavor. Practice makes perfect—start with simple recipes, and as your confidence grows, experiment with more advanced techniques.

Consistency
Michelin stars are awarded for consistent excellence over time. Every dish, every service, and every visit meet the same high standards. Consistency is vital, and restaurants are often inspected multiple times to ensure that they deliver the same level of quality on every occasion.

Lesson: Strive for consistency in everything you cook. This doesn’t just mean the same recipe, but creating reliable outcomes every time. Pay attention to the details like heat control, food temperatures, and how you handle the ingredients. Take notes on what works (and what doesn’t) with each dish to make sure you can recreate your successes in the future.

A Focus on the Experience
Dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant is often about the experience as much as the food.

Grant Achatz, a famous American chef I follow online has an embroidered quote on his office wall that says “Flavor is for [Losers]” (it doesn’t actually say losers. It says something a lot more crass that I’m not comfortably writing for Cook’n). The point he’s making is that when you cook at the level he does, it shouldn’t even be a question whether the food is good. Of course it’s good! But what are you offering beyond good food?

This focus extends beyond just the meal, encompassing the service, the environment, and the emotions that the food elicits.

Lesson: Cooking is about more than just the food—it’s about creating an experience for yourself and others. Take the time to set the right atmosphere, whether that means a clean, inviting kitchen, an enjoyable playlist, or a beautiful table setting. Think about how you can enhance the enjoyment of the meal by considering the sensory elements—smell, texture, flavor, and even sound. Treat important meals as an experience rather than just sustenance.

A while back, I went through an intensive military course and grew close to my classmates. At the end of the course, I hosted a barbecue and put everything I could into making it an experience. I booked a special (free) venue, got up early to make some amazing pulled pork, and then turned the rest into an experience! This included making sure people were watching when I cut into the pork (with nothing but gloved hands) so they could eat with their eyes and see how supple the meat was. It included a fancy cake (lovingly prepared by my wife) in a glass and wood case, which stood tantalizingly where the eye could see and build anticipation. And it included planned conversations because I’m not very good at small talk. The point is yeah, the food was good. Of course it’s good, I’ve worked on my barbecue religiously. But more importantly, it was an amazing experience that brought a major milestone in my life to a close.

Value for Money
Although Michelin-starred restaurants are typically expensive, there is a general expectation that the experience should justify the price. The price reflects the level of craftsmanship, artistry, and overall experience. It’s not the same thing as melting a block of cheese onto a burger, topping it with gold leaf, and then charging you $100.

Lesson: You don’t have to spend a fortune to make a delicious meal, but aim to get the most value out of what you buy. This means understanding what ingredients are worth splurging on (e.g., quality chocolate and canned tomatoes) and where you can save (e.g., using seasonal vegetables or budget cuts of meat that you can cook well).

Anyway, that’s it. Go forth, be inspired by greatness, and cook!

    Matthew Christensen
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2023
    Email the author! matthew@dvo.com