The Monegasque version of Michelin 2026
The 2026 ceremony of the Michelin Guide ceremony was held in Monaco to celebrate its history once again, with a prelude that was as mundane as it was gourmet. On the eve of the awards ceremony, a dinner designed by Alain Ducasse at theHôtel de Paris brought together nearly 400 guests. Chefs from all over France, leading figures in the profession and friends of the house all came together to enjoy seasonal dishes featuring early vegetables and black truffles, before moving on to more daring dishes, such as roasted artichoke stew with cocoa nibs and cedar pine nuts.
A symbol of excellence
The next day, the scale changes. At the Grimaldi Forum, some 1,200 guests took their seats for what has become, year after year, the grand mass of French gastronomy. All the country’s chefs, craftsmen and enthusiasts gathered under the Monegasque sky. Among them, a guest dressed in black catches the eye: Ferran Adrià, the soul of El Bulli, who has come to attend this celebration of taste.
Tuxedo required, Gwendal Poullennec opens the ceremony with a reminder of what a star represents: a marker, a symbol of excellence. He also spoke of the tremendous diversity of terroirs and culinary cultures that make up the French scene today. A landscape supported by inspectors of some thirty different nationalities, who – he reminds us – are the guarantors of Michelin’s independence.
62 new Michelin-starred restaurants
For this Monegasque vintage, the guide now lists 668 starred restaurants in France, including 62 newcomers. Behind these figures, one reality stands out: a generation of young chefs is settling in, daring, undertaking and persevering, despite a sometimes delicate economic context.
As for the first stars, 54 new addresses join the constellation. Among them, the restaurant Prévelle by Romain Meder – long Alain Ducasse’s right-hand man at the Plaza Athénée – as well as Zostera by chef Julien Dumas, and Maison Ruggieriwhich is back in the spotlight after a few trips back and forth between France and Italy.
The ceremony also puts the spotlight on those who accompany cuisine on a daily basis. The prize for Sommelier of the Year goes to Edmond Gasser, among others. He’s a familiar face on the French-speaking world scene, having worked in Anne-Sophie Pic’s restaurant.Anne-Sophie Pic s restaurant in Lausanne, he now works at Maison Pic’s head office in Valence, where he has developed a particular expertise in non-alcoholic pairings.
A mentor chef and a three-star
Between two sequences and a few videos from sponsors – always in more or less happy dialogue with haute gastronomie – the ceremony continues its rhythm. A service award goes to Marco Toignon for his restaurant Les Ambassadeurs in Monaco. Then came the moment we’d all been waiting for: the two stars. Seven new addresses join this demanding circle. In Paris, Virtus makes its mark with a contemporary cuisine of great finesse. In Paris, the Hakuba at Cheval Blanc in Paris, led by Arnaud Donckele and chef Takuya Watanabe, elegantly combines Japanese traditions and French gastronomic culture. Burgundy also sees Frédéric Doucet and other establishments – from Reims to the Paris region – complete this new generation of double-starred restaurants.
The moment was then suspended when Pierre Gagnaire received the Chef Mentor Award. In an emotional speech, he recalls the highs and lows of a chef’s life, the loss of an establishment, the need to pick oneself up, and the transmission that gives meaning to a career. A major figure in French cuisine hailed by an entire profession. And then, almost to everyone’s surprise, the third star was announced. It now shines at the restaurant Les Morainières in Jongieux, the restaurant of chef Mickaël Arnoult. An address located barely an hour from Geneva, and which should soon find its place in our next gourmet stories.
