According to Michelin Guides, Tokyo has taken over Paris as the world’s culinary capital. Michelin’s Tokyo guide awarded 191 stars to 150 restaurants in the Japanese capital, the most number of stars awarded in any city. Previously, Paris had the most stars, at 65.
For those that are unaware, The Michelin Guide (Le Guide Michelin) is an annual guide book that give restaurant ratings using Michelin stars , the ratings are probably the most recognized and influential culinary ratings in Europe.
The guide awards one to three stars to restaurants of outstanding quality.
- One star “a very good restaurant in its category”
- Two stars “excellent cooking, worth a detour”
- Three stars “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”
A team of three undercover European and two Japanese inspectors spent a year and a half visiting 1,500 of Tokyo’s estimated 160,000 restaurants to decide on the ratings. Eight restaurants in Tokyo, including two sushi eateries, received Michelin’s highest three-star rating.
Michelin Guides Director Jean-Luc Naret declared Tokyo as “the world leader in gourmet dining” at the press conference. “We found the city’s restaurants to be excellent, featuring the best ingredients, culinary talents and a tradition passed on from generation to generation and refined by today’s chefs,” Naret said.
Seems like Tokyo is the place to live in if you enjoy gourmet food. Just thinking of all the yummy food makes me hungry. =P
