Michelin is a French tire company that created the world’s most prestigious restaurant rating system. Its iconic Michelin Guide began as a clever business strategy — not to celebrate fine dining, but to encourage people to drive more and, in turn, wear out their tires.
When the first edition of the Michelin Guide was published in 1900, it was a practical travel companion, filled with information on where to refuel, repair a car, and find places to eat and sleep. According to a 2024 CNN report, the guide was a visionary form of indirect marketing, aimed at making driving more convenient and appealing.
As cars became more affordable and road travel more accessible, the demand for the Michelin Guide grew.
The evolution of Michelin
For years, the Michelin Guide was free. But in 1920, founder André Michelin decided to start charging for it after noticing that people were using copies for trivial purposes — like propping up workbenches. He firmly believed that “man only truly respects what he pays for.” That same year, the guide began listing Parisian hotels and restaurants, marking the first step in its transformation into a definitive food and hospitality reference.
A crucial shift happened in the 1920s when Michelin stopped accepting paid advertisements, ensuring that its content remained unbiased. Around the same time, the guide introduced anonymous inspectors — “mystery diners” who evaluated restaurants discreetly to maintain objectivity.
By 1926, Michelin started awarding stars to fine dining establishments, initially using just a single-star rating system. By 1930, the star system had evolved into the now-famous three-star hierarchy. Then, in 1936, Michelin published the criteria for its rankings, giving chefs and restaurateurs insight into what it took to earn a coveted Michelin star.
Michelin’s global expansion
Fast forward nearly a century, and Michelin remains the ultimate authority in fine dining. Its arrival in a city is often seen as a mark of culinary prestige.
Now, the guide prepares to launch in the Philippines — with selections in Manila and Cebu to be published in 2026. It raises an important question: what impact will Michelin’s presence have on the country’s dining scene?
While Michelin Stars are its most coveted accolade, the guide also recognizes restaurants in other ways. The Bib Gourmand highlights eateries that offer excellent food at a good value, while the Green Star honors establishments with strong sustainability practices. Additionally, some restaurants receive a Michelin Plate, signifying good cooking that falls just short of star status. With these distinctions, Michelin’s arrival in the country could shine a spotlight not just on fine dining, but also on a broader range of culinary excellence.
The cost of prestige
Beyond culinary recognition, Michelin’s expansion often comes with financial implications. A 2024 report from Eater Houston revealed that Houston First, the city’s tourism department, is paying $90,000 per year for three years — totaling $270,000 — to bring Michelin to Houston. The rationale? Elevating Houston’s reputation as a top-tier culinary destination. With food and beverage spending playing a significant role in tourism revenue, the investment is seen as a way to attract more visitors and position the city as a global dining hotspot.
Tourism offices around the world see this as a strategic move for them to showcase their culinary excellence on a global stage. In the Philippines, while there is no official statement as of press time confirming whether the Department of Tourism pledged an amount to Michelin, its logo appeared alongside Michelin’s in the press release as a “Destination Partner.”
Gwendal Poullenec, global director of the Michelin Guide, addressed this in a 2023 interview with The Business Times, stating that while the company accepts “partnership” money to help cover review expenses, the decision to include a region is determined solely by Michelin’s inspectors. “They assess the maturity of the culinary scene as a preliminary step,” he explained.
Can Michelin stay independent?
Despite financial challenges in the past, Michelin has remained committed to unbiased restaurant assessments. The company has had to adapt to an increasingly competitive landscape, facing rivals like the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. To sustain its global reach, Michelin has explored new revenue streams, including sponsorships and high-profile culinary events.
As The Business Times put it: “So while it is still true that individual restaurants can’t buy stars, tourism boards and hotel owners can buy the possibility.”
Yet, Michelin insists that its integrity remains intact. In a 2024 interview with American food and entertaining magazine Bon Appétit, Poullenec reaffirmed that Michelin’s selection process is independent:
“So we have partnerships with what we call Destination Marketing Organizations. We are independent and we have the trust of the customer. We’ve partnered with Destination Marketing Organizations, but they have absolutely no information about the [restaurant] selection until it’s released to the press,” said Poullenec.
“We’re also doing a lot of events like the Michelin Guide reveal ceremonies, organizing private dinners and food festivals. We can do all that without compromising the independence of the Michelin selections. That revenue contributes to financial or editorial investment, which is quite huge. In terms of full-time employees, paying the bills, salaries, travel expenses and cars — my editorial expenses are bigger than some of the largest newspapers in the world.”
Why Michelin still reigns supreme
While Michelin’s financial model has evolved in the midst of a highly competitive food and beverage industry, what seemingly remains unchanged is Michelin’s reputation for meticulous, anonymous inspections and its unwavering commitment to identifying the best in fine dining.
As Bon Appétit puts it, “Michelin is arguably the most important culinary authority in the world.”
Cities may choose to invest in Michelin’s presence, but at the end of the day, stars are still earned — not bought. And for chefs and restaurants, no accolade carries quite the same weight as a Michelin star. S