The moment we’ve been waiting for since February is a mere week away. On November 2nd the first Michelin Red Guide NYC 2006 will officially be released. Here’s how it’ll roll out:
If you thought the gray lady was getting an exclusive on the info, you’re wrong. The Michelin man’s decided to be trés democratic and release the information online. All the stars and complete list available for one and all at the same time. (Bien sûr it’ll post immediately on Snack. So start checking in…oh say starting next Monday morning.)
Later that night at the Guggenheim Museum, close to 1000 chefs, restaurateurs, media and other Gotham luminaries will gather to toast and get a copy of the book. Invites went out to all 50 three-star Michelin chefs worldwide, with RSVP so far from Georges Blanc, Guy Savoy, Joël Robuchon and Marc Meneau. By the time the Champagne flutes are full, chefs should know what rating they got, so no public surprises of the agony of defeat.
The books hit retail stores across the country on November 4th.
The big question is….who got three stars? Of course there are three star restaurants in NYC, or else Michelin would not have come. My sources say two, no more than three. Per Se is the favorite. Everyone I’ve heard from says it’s Per Se and… Daniel/Jean Georges/Le Bernardin. Pick one. You can make valid arguments for all. They all have four stars from the New York Times, so it makes perfect sense.
Oddly, no one mentions Alain Ducasses’s ADNY, because most assume it’s a sure thing. Ducasse is the world’s record holder for Michelin stars with two three-star restaurants. Is it possible that Michelin could deny Ducasse in NYC? I think not, especially when you consider that much of the staff cited in the restaurant’s disappointing three-star review in the Times has left the building. It’s the perfect non-four-star restaurant to make the cut. It wouldn’t be any fun if Michelin was just a truncated four-star Times list now would it?
Industry insider’s favorite topic, though, is the PR angle. For those playing along at home, Michelin hired Susan Magrino Agency in December 2004 to run the show, partly on recommendation from Ducasse, who hired the agency to represent him in 2001. Indeed the same firm and much of the same staff work on both accounts. Interesting coincidence? Consider the lesser known back-story. Jean-Luc Naret, monsieur le directeur de Michelin, had a long career in the hotel biz before coming to Michelin in 2003. Said career included time at the One&Only Resorts and Sandy Lane, represented by….Susan Magrino. Seems they’ve know each other for years.
So to recap. Three three-star joints. Per Se, ADNY and …pick your favorite. Though Naret has insisted “there will be lots of surprises” in the book. And I’m not quite sure what that means, but I can’t wait to find out.
Note: Due to technical difficulties…I’m unable to pop links in the text to enhance your reading experience. Check back later for the linkage.
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