Celeb chef in attack on Michelin guide

The Michelin restaurant guide, which lists one Shropshire restaurant and is known as the Bible of gastronomy, has come under attack from some of the world’s leading chefs and restaurateurs.

The 108-year-old “red book” is out of touch with modern cooking trends, a number of chefs claim in next month’s edition of Waitrose Food Illustrated.

The Michelin guide helped Ludlow earn its reputation as gourmetville at the start of the decade when four of the town’s restaurants were included in it.

Ludlow presently has just one Michelin-starred restaurant Mr Underhills at Dinham Weir.

However, Marco Pierre White, who in 1999 renounced the three Michelin stars he had won by the age of 33, has led the broadside. He claims Michelin fails to apply a uniform standard across the world.

“I’ve dined in Michelin-starred places in New York and I’m confused,” he tells the magazine.

“There are at least 50 restaurants in England as good as the two-star restaurants over there - rather than the paltry 10 that currently hold that number.”

Yves Camdeborde, restaurateur of the Parisian bistro Le Comptoir, tells the magazine his restaurant has been unfairly ignored.

“What we represent is popular culture, not cuisine de snob,” he says.

“But despite our high standards and 12-month waiting list, we’re of no interest to Michelin.”

Toshiya Kadowaki, owner of the restaurant Azabu Kadowaki, who turned down the chance to appear in Michelin’s inaugural Tokyo guide, says: “Imagine if I went to Paris and started pronouncing upon the food served in French restaurants. The French either wouldn’t take me very seriously or they wouldn’t be very happy.”

Michelin director Jean-Luc Naret tells the magazine: “Let the readers be the judges - if they are buying, we are happy.

“Chefs are, broadly speaking, supportive of our judgments even though they may not always be happy with them. But they respect us.”

William Sitwell, editor of Waitrose Food Illustrated, said: “The fact some of the best-known chefs in the world have poured such derision on Michelin is extraordinary.”