L’Etoile de Paul Bocuse
And there you have it… It was to be expected! The Michelin guide withdraws its third star from Paul Bocuse’s restaurant in Collonges. An earthquake in the world of French and international haute gastronomy. The red guide had announced it: there would be no more acts of complacency! This highly symbolic gesture clearly demonstrates the change of direction made by the culinary Bible under the leadership of Gwendal Poullenec. No one is immune from punishment, even institutions.
What can we say about such a gesture when the restaurant is in the midst of renovation work? Once again, the guide is at the center of attention, just a few days before the official award ceremony in Paris. After the Marc Veyrat affair, the loss of a star by the Haeberlin family in Alsace, the categorical refusal to accept the Brasse family’s request to leave the guide in Laguiole and the surprising and troubling association with TripAdvisor… Michelin dares and is definitely not afraid!
Should Paul Bocuse’s restaurant be considered a special case, given its history and privileged relationship with the guide for a quarter of a century? Whether it’s the chef who invented the Soupe VGE or the red guide, they were both built together, but it’s Paul Bocuse alone who deserves the credit for making French cuisine shine around the world, propelling chefs into the limelight long before reality TV shows, and elevating artisans to star status. It’s true that, even if the cuisine of the Lyon master has recently been “slightly” updated by the “meilleurs ouvriers de France” working for him, it has nevertheless lacked innovation for decades. Wouldn’t it be a good idea – especially with the talents of an exceptional brigade – to create a menu that combines tradition and innovation?
Of course, a decision of this magnitude will have repercussions, and is not universally approved. Gastronomic critic Périco Légasse denounced “an absurd and unworthy decision”. He even accuses “the people at the Michelin Guide of no longer knowing how to eat”. Philippe Chevrier, contacted by telephone, remains a fervent fan of the Saône-side establishment, adding: “The cuisine of all of us is that of Paul Bocuse. Even if cuisine has evolved, that’s no reason to deny it. All this history doesn’t change a thing for me. Paul Bocuse remains a legendary restaurant and the cradle of cuisine. Benjamin Breton, head chef of FiskeBar at the Hôtel Ritz-Carlton, agrees, finding the decision logical. “The restaurant has failed to keep pace with the evolution of cuisine. It’s a house that has remained frozen in time, and I’m not shocked by this decision. All this history in no way detracts from the respect I have for the man and what he has done for the profession”.
Once again, the world of gastronomy has been shaken by the evolution and change of customs that are essential to progress. However, Paul Bocuse remains an institution, a temple of haute gastronomy, and will remain so until the end of time. And no guidebook can change that!
