Top Chef's Tom Colicchio questions the Michelin Guide's mission in America

On Sunday, November 16, Top Chef head judge Tom Colicchio joined Houston chef and media personality Chris Shepherd for a conversation centered around Colicchio’s new book, Why I Cook. The two-plus hour conversation covered various moments in Colicchio's career, including his decision to work with restaurateur Danny Meyer on New York's legendary Gramercy Tavern and his decision to participate in Top Chef.

During the audience Q&A portion, Shepherd asked Colicchio for his take on the Michelin Guide, which just released its first Texas edition earlier this month. Although Colicchio has won eight James Beard Awards, including the ultra-prestigious Outstanding Chef award in 2010, his signature restaurant Craft hasn’t held a Michelin star since 2007. Not surprisingly, the chef has some objections to the France-based restaurant rating system.

“I grew up in New York dreaming of New York Times stars not Michelin stars,” Colicchio said. Then he continued:

“I have a hard time with it. The Michelin star restaurants in France to get three stars was a restaurant you have to go out of your way for, that was the whole idea. Two stars was really great, also,” he said.

“When you opened up, you got one star first. It didn’t matter who you are. And you had to get one before you got two before three. You couldn’t open and get three. The chefs who got two — you read Burgundy Stars, Bernard Loiseau talked about how when you worked to get to three he was terrified he was going to lose a star.”

Similarly, Colicchio said he isn’t a fan of Michelin giving stars to casual restaurants such as the four Texas barbecue joints that now hold one star each. “I have a hard time with a pizzeria getting a star," he said. "Not that it’s a bad pizzeria. It should get something, but it’s not a Michelin star. I don’t think Michelin was set up to do that, and I found it very strange.”

Colicchio also cited Michelin’s lack of transparency about its process for rating restaurants. He's skeptical about its claims to revisit restaurants on annual basis to ensure they're doing the work necessary to maintain their ratings.

"I’d love to know how many reviewers. My understanding is there’s only about three in New York. How many restaurants do we have in New York? You’re telling me they get to those restaurants once a year," he said.

"I know the write-ups that I had were the same write-ups three or four years in a row. I’d call up and say — cause you can call them up — ‘I haven’t served that dish in four years. Why is it in the write-up?’"

Although Colicchio acknowledged that Michelin coming to Texas is "great for the restaurant community,” he summed up his position succinctly:

“I’m not a big fan,” he said.