The next official word from Michelin HQ should hit email in-boxes in the next few days. In spite of the maelstrom of critical (and some downright ugly) press following the Michelin NYC guide’s debut, they’ll report a smashing success and complete sell out of the first 100,000+ books, necessitating a second printing. While the media was quick to jump on the Michelin-bash bandwagon, let’s see how much press traction the super-sales release gets.
The news everyone wants is on the second city. But the powers that be claim there is no official word on venue or date of publication. My sources say ground work for the next guide, a San Francisco-Los Angeles combo, is already in progress. If I were the betting type, I’d lay odds that the California roll-out will follow the NYC paradigm. Big announcement at the beginning of the year, with book to follow in the fall. As I’ve said before before Thomas Keller’s French Laundry is a shoo-in for three stars, which will give him the first American six-star crown. (Though he’ll have to open a new place to match Ducasse’s trifecta). And who will wear the three-star crown in LA? The wolf? The orange? The big questions will be how many stars does Alice Waters get at Chez Panisse? Of course, the guide must include Berkeley and this iconic American eatery. But it’s not really a three-star, is it? Sources say anything less than two would be scandale. Then there’s the inclusion (or exclusion) of ethnic restaurants - which caused quite a ruckus in Gotham. Perhaps La Panchanguera will be the first ever Michelin rated taco truck.
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