Michelin Myths and Legends in Beijing

The words “Michelin star” are becoming more and more prevalent around Beijing’s dining scene. Not that the city has any Michelin-starred restaurants – we’ll need a Beijing Michelin Guide before that’s a possibility. With Michelin Guides available for Hong Kong and Macau, a mainland edition might not be too far off, but for now it’s an increasingly regular stream of visiting Michelin-starred chefs who are bringing star power to Beijing dining.

Of course, the term “Michelin-starred chef” is somewhat misleading. Remember that the stars themselves are awarded to restaurants rather than individual chefs. Take Claudio Sadler, for example. Sadler’s Milan restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars. Beijing’s Sadler Ristorante, high quality as it is, is not a Michelin-starred restaurant. However, because Claudio Sadler is frequently referred to as “Michelin-starred chef Claudio Sadler,” some people assume that means all his restaurants are therefore “Michelin-starred.” Some chefs have even been referred to as “Michelin-starred” on the basis of them having previously served as a junior chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant. All this confusion is handy for marketing and PR people – just keep your wits about you and always ask whether a Michelin star is what it seems.

Anyway, we’re going to be hearing a lot more from Michelin-starred chefs in Beijing, and that’s probably for the best. Spain’s Carles Tejedor (one star), the new guru of molecular cuisine, brought the “Darlalata” concept – food cooked fresh inside and directly eaten from tins – to Migas last week. Tejedor’s cooking combines the richness of Mediterranean gastronomy with the innovative culinary techniques he developed for Harvard University to showcase Spanish olive oil. Claudio Sadler (two star) was in town last week to present a feast accented by high-quality Italian olive oils. See our recent interview (http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2011/05/07/Enjoy-Olive-Oil-With-Claudio-Sadler) with Mr. Sadler for more on that.

Now, a couple of events coming your way over the next few months:

Eros Picco, Italy （May 11-22）
One-starred Eros Picco is visiting the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel’s Fratelli Freshto present a Michelin-inspired gala wine dinner (May 20) and an exclusive cooking class (May 18). We followed him to two local markets yesterday（Jing Shen seafood market and Xin Fa Di vegetable wholesale market） and were impressed by his improvised creations from Dalian King scallops and Gansu purple potatoes. Picco’s a la carte menu is on offer from today, featuring soft marinated cod and roasted pork filet with balsamic vinegar peaches.

Igor Macchia, Italy (Jun 23-30)
Starting with an exclusive wine dinner on June 23, Igor Macchia presents a week of set lunches and top-end a la carte dinners at China World Hotel’s Aria.

Yannick Alleno, French (from September）
S.T.A.Y by three Michelin-starred French chef Yannick Alléno will open its doors at Shangri-La Hotel, taking the place of Blu Lobster. The name stands for “Simple Table Alléno Yannick,” and the restaurant aims to provide diners with a consummate dining experience through the reinterpretation of traditions and the exploration of French cuisine in a fun and interactive setting. Alleno will not be in the Shangri-La kitchen as a resident chef, but will have a key role similar to those of Daniel Boulud at Maison Boulud and Claudio Sadler at Sadler Ristorante.

In the end, is it really important if the “name” chef is in the kitchen? As Jean-Luc Naret, the director of the Michelin bible once said, "We do not judge the chef, we judge only what's on the plate."