A year after removing a third star from Marc Haeberlin and Marc Veyrat, the Michelin Guide confirmed this Friday that it had demoted in its 2020 edition the inn of Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, near Lyon, the legendary restaurant of Paul Bocuse.
On the banks of the Saône and throughout the Lyon region, the cradle of traditional gastronomy, the emotion is considerable. "I am sad for the team that takes up the torch at Collonges," was moved by Georges Blanc, the three-star chef whose rivalry with Paul Bocuse was however legendary. The mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb has expressed his “immense disappointment”.
VIDEO. Paul Bocuse's restaurant loses its 3rd star: "The Michelin Guide has hit too hard"
At the Auberge du Pont de Collonges, the news upset the crew of the old house engaged in a deep renovation work. The presentation of the whole lobster wanted to be more contemporary, the lighter dumpling, accompanied by a champagne sauce. Despite everything, some critics believed that the address was no longer up to its reputation.
The young boss of the Michelin guide, Gwendal Poullennec, at the helm of the famous Red Guide since September 2018, went himself to announce the bad news to the heirs of “Monsieur Paul” who died just two years ago. For him, this decision "is a reflection of the current quality of the table". He explains it.
Why did you withdraw your third star at Paul Bocuse's restaurant? Was the Auberge de Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or's kitchen no longer up to par?
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GWENDAL POULLENNEC . Our decision is based on the meals we made there in 2019. It reflects the current quality of the table. This remains a very good table since there are less than 100 two-star establishments in France. Our assessments are annual and carried out with the same kindness and the same rigor, with the sole objective of making a fair recommendation to gourmets who frequent gourmet restaurants.
What do you blame at the restaurant?
The heritage of Paul Bocuse is enormous. He influenced French gastronomy, was visionary and marked our culinary heritage with an indelible imprint. Now, you have a team that has fully taken the reins of the restaurant and wants to bring its touch, its vision of cooking. Based on the experiences of our inspectors' tables, we have unanimously decided to recommend this establishment for 2 stars.
The idea was born to award a gold star to Paul Bocuse's restaurant. Are you in favor?
Stars are not inherited, they are earned and they are earned every year. And it is not the media aura of any chef, who defines the Michelin guide rankings.
Some accuse you of unseating great French chefs to make the buzz and relaunch a losing guide. What do you say to them?
The Michelin guide, which celebrates its 120th anniversary this year, has largely contributed to promoting French cuisine and continues to do so in France and around the world. And it has never looked so good. It covers 32 countries around the world, our audience has never been so large. I would add that France has never had so many starred restaurants in its history. Last year, we promoted 75 restaurants, 68 of which received their first star. Young chefs everywhere have opened restaurants with sometimes innovative, sometimes traditional concepts and have succeeded in achieving excellence.
By removing a star from Paul Bocuse, don't you sanction an overly classic conception of great French cuisine?
The Michelin guide does not have and never will have quotas. We promote all profiles of chefs and all types of cuisine without bias. The subject is not the type of cuisine, but the quality of the table. French cuisine today is traditional cuisine, which continues to have its followers, such as innovative or international cuisine. Diversity and innovation are in the DNA of great French cuisine. When Paul Bocuse got his third star in 1965, he was 39 years old and he revolutionized cooking and transformed the role of the chef. He was the oldest of the moderns and was one of those capable of making their creations classics.