Michelin stars are the dream of any chef – a cook, but did you know that they are distributing them to the company that makes tires? Yes – yes, the same “Michelen” with a chubby man bibendum! IA EAOMEDIA tells how it is generally connected.
It all started in 1900, when the Michelen, Andre and Eduar brothers, decided to raise sales of their tires. Then there were few cars, and the people did not really ride around the country. To motivate people to ride more, they released a free Michelin guide – a book with cards, gas stations and places where you can eat or spend the night. The idea was simple: you travel more – you wear tires faster.
By 1926, the guide became so popular that Michelin began to celebrate the best restaurants by stars. At first there was one star – like, “call, here is delicious.” Then they added two and three, where three stars are already “take a vacation and come specifically for dinner.” Stars are awarded by anonymous inspectors who evaluate food, service and atmosphere.
Today, the Michelin guide is like an Oscar for chefs. One star – and the restaurant is already scored for months in advance. But the stars do not give forever: every year they can be taken away if the quality falls. This is a huge stress for cooks, but this is how the highest level is maintained.
And what about the tires? Michelin still makes them billions of dollars, and Bibentud, invented in 1898, remains their talisman. The guide became a separate legend, which in 2025 covers 44 countries, including Russia.
