This year, the MICHELIN Guide presents the first Michelin pictogram which highlights chefs committed to preserving the environment. Available to chefs whose establishment is awarded a Plate, Bib Gourmand, one, two or three stars, this symbol completes these distinctions and highlights their courage and ingenuity in the daily practice of their profession, and therefore allows diners to better identify the restaurants which suit their needs.
The sustainable initiatives of the first chefs with this distinction will be detailed and highlighted on the various platforms of the MICHELIN Guide throughout the year, through the creation of various content.
Commenting on this new initiative, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides, says: “The ambition of our approach is to amplify the scope of the good and ingenious practices of chefs by putting them in the spotlight. The ideas, methods and know-how developed by these chefs will thus help raise awareness of an entire sector to its customers and the general population.”
Michelin continues to promote the restaurant industry through two special awards. Eric Beaumard receives the MICHELIN Sommelier Award for his remarkable work. An outstanding trainer, this enthusiast is a mentor for the younger generation whom he takes pleasure in supporting. As impressive in his charisma as in his humility, Eric Beaumard manages to establish privileged relationships with his clients at every service.
Marie-Aude Vieira works with passion in partnership with her husband, the chef Serge Vieira, at the Château du Couffour in Chaudes-Aigues. During the subtle and elegant service, she weaves unique links with her customers and guides them through the the gastronomic seasons. Always keen to share her knowledge with her team and to cultivate the attention paid to their clients, this year she receives the MICHELIN Service Award.
The new stars in the MICHELIN Guide France 2020 testify to the excitement that animates the French culinary scene. Three establishments are awarded a third star, revealing something that these exceptional kitchens have in common: transforming a spark of emotion into exceptional and memorable gastronomy.
“In cities, in the mountains, in the countryside or by the sea, France is full of amazing culinary talents and the MICHELIN Guide is delighted to once again accompany diners in their discovery of these local culinary treasures. Driven by an unrivaled freedom to create, many chefs set out to showcase their own identity by opening new establishments or brilliantly appropriating the skills developed by their predecessors. Tradition, creativity, sharing and freedom are thus the watchwords of this selection, which promises great moments of pleasure to those who renew their confidence in the choices of our inspectors each year,” continues Gwendal Poullennec.
Lulled by the rhythmic sound of the waves, the cuisine of Christopher Coutanceau is distinguished with three stars in his restaurant of the same name in La Rochelle. Committed to the preservation of marine species, and a chef and keen fisherman, sublime seafood is offered with the greatest respect for the cycles of the oceans and its resources. The advice of his partner and sommelier Nicolas Brossard makes Christopher Coutanceau's dishes sail from the kitchen to the guest with vigor and passion. The harmony between the chef's delicious creations and the depth of the aromas in the wines that accompany them is evident. A gastronomic getaway where land and sea are not simply in harmony, but in perfect symbiosis, and where the dishes celebrate the power and the fragility of the ocean.
In the lair of Rue du Coq Héron, located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, Kei receives its third star. Having studied with pillars of French gastronomy like Gilles Goujon and Alain Ducasse, it is in an intimate atmosphere that chef Kobayashi, a true virtuoso of flavors, demonstrates the maturity of his talent. Precision, thoroughness and aesthetics punctuate the creativity of the chef, who draws on the traditions of his native Japan to develop a resolutely modern and accomplished cuisine. Like his garden of crunchy vegetables, smoked salmon, arugula mousse and lemon emulsion, his creative brilliance associated with the solidity of his technique, is expressed in all his dishes and ensures guests an extraordinary gastronomic experience.
Under the Provence sun, L’Oustau de Baumanière this year receives the highest accolade from the MICHELIN Guide. Located in a hotel in the town of Baux-de-Provence, this legendary establishment once orchestrated by Jean-André Charial is part of the history of French gastronomy. Led by Breton chef Glenn Viel, the cuisine of Oustau de Baumanière gives another dimension to the restaurant’s traditional dishes. The chef's genius is expressed in the ease with which he transforms the superb products he works with to the rank of exceptional dishes. Organic vegetables from the garden of Baumanière, along with lamb, chicken and pork, each ingredient of the rich local produce finds its meaning and its true flavors in the hands of the chef.
This year, a wonderful selection of 11 establishments are distinguished with a second star.
In the heart of Toulouse, chef Pierre Lambinon, a local with a personality overflowing with creativity, has been creating daring and inventive cuisine inspired by the memories of his grandmother's cooking and adapted according to the daily offerings of mother nature for six years, in his restaurant PY-R. In Narbonne, the inventive chef Lionel Giraud from Maison Saint Crescent is currently preparing a new setting for his kitchen. In this old oratory dating from the Middle Ages, diners can taste gourmet and generous cuisine based on the rhythm of the local market produce.
In his kitchen at La Voile at Ramatuelle, Éric Canino composes tastes as a homage to his Var homeland. Olive oil, tomatoes, eggplant and fresh herbs from his vegetable garden are worked with talent for light and balanced dishes expressing the flavors of the Mediterranean with finesse. Moored at the Skiff Club on the Arcachon basin, chef Stéphane Carrade, infuses his dishes with the riches of the Aquitaine region. Roasted lobster or Pyrenean lamb, the scent of each sublimely worked product intoxicates the room of this charming 1930s Basque hotel, before satisfying the taste buds of guests.
In the heart of the Mont-Blanc massif in Megève, Anthony Bisquerra, the chef of La Table de l'Alpaga, gives mountain cuisine its acclaim. The chef works closely with artisans from the region and guarantees each of his guests an unforgettable experience. The attention paid to the choice of each ingredient is found with delicacy at Racine in Reims, the Franco-Japanese gourmet restaurant of chef Kazuyuki Tanaka. The surprises multiply during the meal and the dishes using vegetables and aromatic herbs are remarkable.
On the snow-covered slopes of Courchevel, Sarkara at the K2 hotel is awarded a second star, just one year after being awarded its first. The first gourmet dessert restaurant, it is in an intimate setting facing the mountains that you can taste Sébastien Vauxion's unique culinary combinations. The chef shakes up the rules and transforms vegetables, fruit and other ingredients into incredibly light and sweet dishes. The experience is overwhelming and brings gluttony to the top of its game.
In Paris, Stéphanie Le Quellec opened La Scène at 32 Rue de l'Avenue Matignon, a gourmet restaurant where noble and forgotten products find their place in delicious dishes. The menu, made up like acts in a play, reflects cuisine delicately orchestrated by a heroine of immense talent. At L’Abysse in the Pavilion Ledoyen, the Japanese cuisine of Yannick Alléno and his chef Yasunari Okazaki instantly transports diners to the other side of the globe. At this superb sushi counter, you can taste nigiri or omakase, and sake is given pride of place on the menu to superbly complement the flavors of the dishes.
Le Taillevent, a legendary restaurant located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, gains its second star under the leadership of chef David Bizet. In partnership with sommelier Antoine Petrus, the chef has subtly reinvented the menus and one of the most beautiful wine cellars in Paris enhances these delicious dishes, which are executed with accuracy. Atelier Joël Robuchon Étoile sparkles thanks to the work of chef Thierry Karakachian and his team. Offering around 60 references to Joël Robuchon's recipes, the chef and his troupe shine in the kitchen. The dishes, served in small or large portions, are created according to seasonality and with infinite precision.
This year, no fewer than 49 restaurants have been awarded a first star. Scattered throughout France, these establishments are a symbol of the talent of chefs who embark on their new adventures with passion. In two years, France’s culinary landscape has been enriched by 117 restaurants awarded one star by MICHELIN inspectors—a figure that testifies to the health and dynamism of French gastronomy.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’azur region appeals to chefs with no less than three new restaurants appearing in the MICHELIN Guide this year. Christopher Hache, former chef of Hotel Crillon, settled with his partner Delphine in Eygalières to write their gastronomic story at Maison Hache. Here, the personal and daring cuisine promises guests a timeless moment where flavors tantalize the palate. Installed in the Port of Lavandou, chef Yorann Vandriessche composes his own score. After having been the chef at l’Arbre à Gruson in the north for 20 years, he opened L’Arbre au Soleil in 2019 with his wife Bénédicte. A traditional restaurant, the recipes express the chef's sensitivity and navigate between produce from the land and the sea. La Flibuste-Martin's located at the entrance to the port of Marine sur la Baies des Anges offers the thunderous cuisine of chef Eugénie Beizat and where the treasures of the catch of the day become accomplices of the local produce. Captain of her kitchen, the chef navigates between a thousand inspirations to delight diners with her exceptional dishes.
The restaurant of the Paul Bocuse Institute, Saisons shines under the direction of chef David Tissot, who with his highly motivated and promising young team, creates a harmonious cuisine that makes the Lyon region dance through its refined menus.
It is in the heart of Auvergne, in his restaurant Origines in Broc, not far from Issoire, that the magic of young chef Adrien Descouls can be experienced. The panoramic view from the restaurant exudes a unique atmosphere, at the heart of which guests are invited to taste beautiful dishes punctuated by the seasons. Brittany also holds a special place in the hearts of chefs looking to write their own story. At the Hôtel de Carantec, chef Nicolas Carro in his eponymous restaurant has taken over the kitchens previously run by Patrick Jeffroy. Maintaining the continuity of this emblematic house, the chef has designed a gourmet menu inspired by the ocean and the excellent ingredients of local producers. In Trébeurden, on the pink granite coast, magic happens at the Manoir de Lan-Kerellec. Steeped in the sea-spray of this superb environment, the gourmet cuisine of young chef Anthony Avoine is a Breton gem with a keen sense of balance and harmony.
Back to basics for chef Jérôme Dallet, who opens his own restaurant Le Dallaison in Saintes. A sweet mix in the kitchen where local flavors and childhood memories come together for a more than delicious offering. In Salignac-Eyvignes, in a charming Dordogne farmhouse, chef Adrien Soro, trained by Joël Robuchon, creates fine cuisine overflowing with flavors at La Meynardie. Near to Buxy in Burgundy, chef Maxime Kowalczyk works at L’Empreinte with a keen eye for the detail in his creations.
In the heart of Sologne, Le Grand Hôtel du Lion d'Or in Romorantin-Lanthenay has one star. From his kitchen, chef Didier Clément transports his terroir to the plate: game, including deer or even black hare, deliciously mix with vegetables and other seasonal ingredients.
It is in the Corsican region of Lumio, that the young chef Romain Rolan was able to boldly create his own signature at the restaurant A casa di Ma in the Hotel Chez Charles, revealing cuisine with a thousand Mediterranean flavors developed using a rich variety of products from the island and the sea.
In Bordeaux, three establishments are awarded a star for the first time. Chef Victor Ostronzec makes the dishes sing and dance at the tables of Solena. A passionate chef, he composes each of his creations while respecting the environment. A culinary symphony without a false note at l'Oiseau Bleu, where owner Frédéric Lafont and chef François Sauvetre offer contemporary southwestern gastronomy highlighting the best local products. Poultry and vegetables are magnified for a culinary odyssey with accuracy. In the heart of the city of Bordeaux, Giovanni Pireddu delivers the culinary treasures of Italy at his restaurant Tentazioni. Rich in flavor, the dishes are prepared every day according to what’s available in the markets of Bordeaux.
Two numbers apart in Rue de la Tour d´Auvergne, in Paris’ 9th arrondissement, there are two restaurants with stars. The first, ASPIC, the restaurant of young chef Quentin Giroud offers diners a great experience. Throughout the unique menu, the dishes are served by the kitchen team for a delicious moment of sharing. The second, L’Innocence, is run by a talented duo; Anne Legrand and Clio Modaffari, who offer seasonal cuisine in which each product is chosen according to moods and the markets. Finally, Jacques Faussat, chef of his eponymous restaurant nestled in the 17th arrondissement, creates cuisine where cultures blend harmoniously between local tastes and touches of modernity.
In total, this new edition brings together 934 hotels and guesthouses as well as 3,435 restaurants:
- 628 starred restaurants including:
• 513 one star restaurants, 49 of which are new
• 86 two star restaurants, including 11 new additions
• 29 three star restaurants, including 3 new additions
- 567 Bib Gourmand restaurants, including 72 new additions
- 2,240 restaurants distinguished with a MICHELIN Plate
Congratulations to all restaurants—view the full selection here.
Images from the MICHELIN 2020 Star Revelation ceremony, as well as information relating to the MICHELIN Guide France 2020, are available here.
