The world-famous Michelin Guide, like other discoveries that changed the course of human history, did not initially stand out like it is today. The Michelin Guide, also known as the Red Guide, is currently the most prestigious rating system in the restaurant business. Michelin's leadership has an almost century-old history. It was launched in 1900.

Its roots were much more modest. From the very beginning, the goal of the guide was to encourage no more drivers on the road.

It all started in Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 1889, when the brothers Andre and Edward Michelin founded a tire company named after them. To meet the growing demand for cars and tyres among the population, the brothers began to issue Michelin brochures for a smaller number of drivers in the country. At that time in France, there were only about 3,000 cars.

To increase the demand for cars and tyre sales among the population, the Michelin brothers began to publish small brochures containing brief written information specifically for drivers, for example, maps on how to change car tyres, on the road where you could refuel or on the route where drivers could stop for dinner or for the night.

The Michelin Guidebook has been free for almost two decades since the release of the Michelin Guide. Until Andre Michelin once accidentally became a witness in a tyre store that his favourite guides are used to create a desktop. Based on the principle that “a person respects only what he pays for”, the new issue of the Michelin Guidebook, released in 1920, was sold for seven francs.

For the first time, it contained lists of Parisian hotels and restaurants in a special category, and there was no paid advertising in the guidebook.

Given the growing influence of the Michelin leadership on the restaurant business, the Michelin brothers also hired a special secret group to visit restaurants. Today they are known as inspectors who anonymously visit restaurants and evaluate the quality of restaurant services on site.

In 1926, the guide began to award stars with gourmet restaurants; initially, only one star was awarded. Then in 1931 a hierarchy of zero, one, two and three stars was introduced. Since 1936, the standards of the star system were published.


The Michelin star system is defined as follows:

• One Star: The restaurant is considered very good in its category, but in some respects it is limited. The restaurant has a high-quality menu and cuisine. Dishes are constantly made to high standards, but these star restaurants have no unique element that will appeal to people again and again.

• Two stars: The restaurant has excellent cuisine, which is served uniquely. This restaurant has something unique and worth visiting while travelling.

• Three stars: The restaurant has exceptional cuisine and is worth a visit, especially for visiting. This restaurant is not just a stopover on the way to your destination. This restaurant offers excellent dishes that are executed to perfection.

Michelin Inspectors are completely anonymous. They are forbidden to communicate with journalists, and they are ordered to keep their work confidential, even among family members.

When the inspector visits the restaurant, he writes an exhaustive report on the dinner, taking into account factors such as food quality, food presentation and culinary skills (ignoring elements such as decor, table design and quality of service). Then there is a meeting of inspectors who are already discussing reports that determine which restaurants should be awarded stars and how many stars.

In the second half of the 20th century, thanks to its serious and unique approach, MICHELIN Guides became a bestseller without equal.

Currently, management evaluates more than 30,000 establishments on three continents in more than 30 regions and has already sold more than 30 million MICHELIN travel guides around the world. These days, the Michelin star rating system and restaurant and travel ratings are just as important as they were in the 1900s.