The Michelin Guide is unveiling its annual list of the best French restaurants, with its chief praising the "cultural dynamism" of the new generation of chefs, AFP reports.
After a long period resting on the laurels of its gastronomic reputation, France has seen a boom in new establishments over the past decade that are absorbing international ideas and focusing on sustainability.
"It's no longer just about heritage," said Gwendal Poullennec, head of the Michelin Guide, ahead of the launch of the new edition.
"French gastronomy is no longer stuck in the past," he said, with the 2024 vintage marking "the emergence of a whole generation that we can feel rising up."
A total of 62 restaurants will receive a star - most of them for the first time, and including 23 that have been open for less than a year.
Details will be announced at 5 p.m. local time, including the names of the restaurants that have achieved the highest level of three stars.
Many of them place an emphasis on sustainable cuisine that is produced on site.
"The importance of 'terroirs' - the local agricultural structure - is very clearly highlighted," says Poullennec.
"Michelin announced several downgrades two weeks ago - this was done in advance to avoid the bitter taste of the annual ceremony, which this year takes place in the town of Tours, Loire Valley.
Since the start of the pandemic, Michelin has turned the presentation of the guide into a tour of France, the last two taking place in Strasbourg and Cognac.
This reflects the proliferation of the best French restaurants outside Paris, with most of the new stars being awarded to regional eateries in recent years.
Around 40 small communes and villages will get a Michelin-starred restaurant in the new edition.
Tours, known for its castles and wine, is less associated with excellent cuisine, but that's changing, Poullennec says.
"This is a region that is evolving and it's time to highlight it," he said, highlighting the tributaries of the Loire River that have become a popular source of freshwater fish.
Among top chefs, the Michelin Guide is as feared and criticized as it is respected.
Its anonymous reviewers can make or break reputations, which has a tangible impact on restaurants' fragile profits.
A total of 28 have lost a star this year, including one three-star restaurant.
Tire brothers André and Edouard Michelin launched their first guidebook in 1900 to encourage drivers to open restaurants in France.
It has since expanded to 45 destinations around the world, and will launch a similar guide for hotels this year. / BGNES
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