What price a Michelin star?

Dear Editor,

The return of the Michelin Guide to the Philippines is certainly cause for celebration. Nonetheless, we should pause amid the excitement and ask ourselves a more important question: Are we celebrating culinary excellence, or the arrival of another arbiter of prestige?

Stephanie Mayo’s article, “The Michelin Docuseries You Should Stream,” offers a fascinating glimpse into the anxiety, sacrifices and financial uncertainties behind the pursuit of Michelin stars. It also reveals something less flattering about the industry: how much of its existence revolves around the judgment of a handful of anonymous inspectors.

There is no denying that recognition can open doors, attract tourists and put a country’s culinary traditions on the international map. But a star is still an assessment by an institution, not a definitive measure of a cuisine’s worth.

A restaurant that serves an unforgettable meal without a Michelin star is no less deserving of appreciation. Neither is a roadside carinderia whose cooking has sustained generations of families.

This is particularly worth remembering in a country like ours, where food is as much about memory, community and identity as it is about technique and presentation. Filipino cuisine did not need Michelin to establish its character.

Our adobo, sinigang, kare-kare and countless regional specialties have survived and evolved without the imprimatur of an international guide.

The story of Filipino chef Patrick Gabon and Restaurant Naides in San Francisco is nevertheless encouraging. It demonstrates that Filipino flavors can hold their own on the global stage without surrendering their cultural roots. That, perhaps, is a more meaningful achievement than the prospect of another star.

There is also a cautionary tale in the docuseries’ portrayal of chefs struggling to balance culinary ambition with financial survival.

If earning or retaining a star means subjecting an entire kitchen brigade to relentless pressure, compromising profitability or turning dining into an exercise in exclusivity, we should at least question what we are rewarding.

Michelin recognition can be a wonderful thing. But it should be a consequence of excellence, not the definition of it.

The real measure of a country’s culinary achievement is not how many stars it collects, but how well it preserves, celebrates and shares the food that makes it distinctly its own.

Yours truly,

Arnulfo Rondez

Imus, Cavite