The MICHELIN Guide inspectors are shrouded in mystery – anonymity is in their DNA. But from time to time, they like to give us an insight into their world. Here, one the Belgian inspectors shares a touching Valentine’s Day memory...
I take you back to a restaurant in Wallonia, a few years ago, on February 14th. That afternoon, the restaurant was full of couples who were celebrating their love over good plate of food. On occasions like this, eating by myself gets a bit lonely for me, as I think of my wife at home… although often the serving team pamper you a little more on days like this.
That afternoon, I was sat by myself, just like the elderly lady next to me. The tables were close together and we started chatting away. We went from one story to another, until the lady told me that she had cancer. It was terminal. That was precisely why she wanted to live life to the fullest and why she had come here to enjoy lunch on this day.
Our meeting seemed like it was meant to be. She told me about her love for restaurants and about the MICHELIN Stars she often visited, both here and in France. At the end of our tête-à-tête, I decided to tell her that I was one of the MICHELIN inspectors. A confession that visibly touched her. She had tears in her eyes. For years, as a loyal restaurant guest, she had developed a certain bond with MICHELIN, and now here I was, an inspector as her Valentine.
I do not need to emphasize that this was a very special Valentine's Day for me. A memory I cherish – a memory that still makes me emotional to this day. For the inspectors, it is the food on the plate and only the food that counts… but, sometimes, going to a restaurant is about more than good food.
