Is Michelin withering the green stars?

The Michelin Guide has changed the presentation of the green star. With the publication of the Michelin Guide for the Netherlands and now last Monday in Switzerland, communication about the green star has been scaled back. Neither in the press release nor in the lists of awards do the restaurants with a green star appear. In addition, it is no longer possible to search the Michelin Guide website to find out which restaurants have a Green Star.

Following this, there were increasing speculations in several specialised media and social media posts that the Michelin Guide was letting the Green Star die. However, when asked by Restaurant-Ranglisten.de, the Michelin Guide explained: "The MICHELIN Guide is more committed than ever to promoting a community of committed chefs who are facing up to the challenges of tomorrow's gastronomy. The Green Star continues to exist: it is a complementary recognition to the culinary awards (Red Stars). During the ceremony in Switzerland, we explicitly reaffirmed its principles and its aim of highlighting the most committed restaurants. The Green Star is neither a label nor a certification." The Green Stars for Switzerland are currently only reported in the editorial section of the Michelin Guide website. Regarding the current inability to search for restaurants with a green star, a Michelin spokesperson explained in response to a query from Restaurant-Ranglisten.de: "At the same time, several functions are being redesigned to continuously improve the user experience - as is the case with any evolving digital product. In the near future, the website and mobile app will further emphasise this community of chefs and their engagement, continuing the Guide MICHELIN's momentum in driving gastronomic change." Meanwhile, on the detail pages of each restaurant, there is a box highlighted in green containing a quote from the chef in question, where the green star can also be (re)recognised.

At the beginning of the ceremony for the publication of the Michelin Guide for Switzerland, the restaurants that had received a green star were presented. In this context, the presenter made a similar comment to the statement now being circulated: the Green Star should not be understood as a rating like the Red Star, it is neither a label nor an environmental certification. It should serve as an encouragement to strengthen the dialogue between chefs, to inspire and to define the role of restaurants and the industry as a whole in the future. As a result, the presenter said, nine more restaurants would be added to the existing 31 restaurants with a Green Star. The names of the following restaurants were then shown, confirming the green star:

• Memories in Bad Ragaz
• Roots in Basel
• ZOE in Bern
• Elisa - Bistro & Terrace in Brienz
• La Pinte des Mossettes in Cerniat
• Osteria Del Centro in Comano
• Auberge de l'Abbaye de Montheron in Cugy
• Casa Caminada in Fürstenau
• OZ in Fürstenau
• Schauenstein Castle in Fürstenau
• Radius by Stefan Beer in Interlaken
• Scalottas - Terroir in Lenzerheide
• Bistro by Regina Montium in Rigi Kaltbad
• Regina Montium in Rigi Kaltbad
• Wiesner Mysterion - Workshop food in Romoos
• Wiesner Mysterion - Magic in Romoos
• Wartegg Castle in Rorschacherberg
• Helvetia in Sankt Gallen
• Gilles Varone in Saviese
• Bären in Schwarzenburg
• Magdalena in Schwyz
• Gasthof zur Sonne in Stäfa
• Eder's Eichmühle in Wädenswil
• Brasserie Uno in Zermatt
• DAR in Zurich
• elmira in Zurich
• EquiTable in Zurich
• KLE in Zurich
• Marktküche in Zurich
• Rechberg 1837 in Zurich
• Silex in Zurich

The following nine restaurants received a green star for the first time:

• Ô Bois Sauvage in Hérémence
• Luciole Restaurant in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• L'Appart in Lausanne
• Auberge Communale Le Mont in Le Mont-sur-Lausanne
• Bayts in Lucerne
• Lucide in Lucerne
• Corso in St. Gallen
• Paradiesli in Weesen
• Restaurant in the FRANZ in Zurich

The Green Star was introduced by the Michelin Guide in 2020. There are currently 659 restaurants worldwide with a Green Star. It was already communicated at the time of its introduction that it was not a kitchen award, but that it was intended to recognise commitment to sustainable gastronomy. From the outset, there was criticism of its significance. Billy Wagner from Nobelhart & Schmutzig spoke of a lack of transparency - a state of affairs for which there is no room when it comes to sustainability. The Berlin restaurateur explained in March 2020 that the guide cannot know what goes on behind the scenes. International chefs expressed similar views.

The Michelin Guide had already failed to communicate clear criteria when it was launched. In response, the International Director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, explained:
"The new symbol is just the first step for us, and we will continue to work intensively on the topic of sustainability in the future. In recent years, there has been a massive increase in interest in sustainability among both diners and chefs, and we recognise that many aspects of gastronomy are linked to this topic. With the new emblem, we are highlighting restaurants that place a special emphasis on sustainability."