French chef Alleno earns sixth Michelin star
February 9, 2017
The latest additions to France's prestigious Michelin Guide were revealed Thursday in Paris. Only one restaurant was added to the three-star list: Le 1947 in the exclusive ski resort of Courchevel.
Head chef Yannick Alleno reacted to the award by tweeting that he was "beyond happiness," and congratulated his teams both at Le 1947 and at his Paris restaurant Le Pavillon Ledoyen, which already holds three Michelin stars.
Michael Ellis, the American-French head of the Michelin Guide, called the cuisine at Le 1947 "extremely technical, creative and tasty." Menus there range from 127 to 450 euros ($135-480), not including wine, and feature dishes such as steamed scallops with celery extract and caviar.
While Alleno's house was the only restaurant in France to receive a third star this year, 12 were added to the two-star list and 57 to the one-star list. In total, France now has 27 one-star restaurants, 86 with two stars and 503 one-star locations.
The Paris hotel Le George V was already home to a three-star restaurant, but won stars for two others within its house, making it the first hotel in Europe to boast three Michelin-starred restaurants.
While dining at Le 1947 or one of the Le George V locations may be out of reach for most customers, Ellis pointed out that there are several eateries in the 2017 Michelin Guide that won't break the bank. Lunch is available for 25 euros at the one-star Auberge Tiegezh in Guer, while Paris' one-star Restaurant H offers 30-euro lunches and 50-euro dinners.
"There has been a trend among chefs to favor uncomplicated dishes with often simple ingredients, local and in season, with short menus that change frequently," noted Ellis. "It's both ecological and economical."
Tire maker Michelin started publishing its restaurant guides over a century ago in a bid to encourage travel by car - and thus more tire sales. The guides have since established a market of their own and are available not only in France but in 28 countries worldwide.
kbm/eg (AFP, dpa)