PARIS (AFP) – The Michelin Guide announced on Monday the shock decision to knock a star off the Paris restaurant of Guy Savoy, frequently named the best chef in the world.
The 69-year-old has held Michelin’s top three-star status since 2002 for his Monnaie de Paris restaurant overlooking the Seine, which has a sister version in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
In November he was named best chef in the world for the sixth year running by La Liste, which aggregates thousands of reviews from around the world.
Savoy’s fame goes beyond the kitchen as an ambassador for the French “art de vivre” – he has pointedly rejected the fad for non-alcoholic drinks, for instance – and he lent his voice to the French version of Pixar film Ratatouille.
But that has not stopped Michelin downgrading his establishment to two stars in its latest edition. It did the same for the seafood eatery of Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle.
“These are exceptional restaurants, so you can imagine that these decisions are carefully considered, supported by visits from our inspectors throughout the year,” head of the guide Gwendal Poullennec told AFP.
