In the year 1900, brothers Andre & Edouard Michelin (founders of Michelin Tyres) produced a little red book to help chauffeurs service and repair their cars while at the same time locating hotels and restaurants for their owners to sample as they travelled around France. Little did they know that more than 112 years and 30 million copies later, the Guide they introduced back in 1900 would become not only the best known but also the most well respected guide in Europe, simply known to us all as The Michelin Guide.
It started as a free of charge Guide, offered to individuals who were brave enough to set off on un-paved, un-marked roads, in a car that was less than reliable! – For them the Guide was simply a must – like a modern day sat nav!
As cars became more popular and widespread so did the Guide. It evolved with time; introducing maps in 1910, and introducing the first UK edition in 1911. It remained free of charge until 1920 when it then became available for 7 francs. A ‘recommended hotel and restaurants’ section was added in 1923, when a ‘star-rating’ also came into practise for outstanding eateries. It is those very stars that are currently the most definitive way of measuring whether a chef has reached the pinnacle of their culinary practise.
Even during the war years of the 1940’s, the Guide was still discovering and rewarding top class French restaurants with stars to help them better their competition. By the 1960’s it had positioned itself as a true promoter of fine dining, and it was then that it was gradually introduced into even more European countries.
It continued to evolve and innovate, dropping the need to contain any automotive related material, focusing primarily on fine dining. It needed to adapt quickly to changes in media production, and with the introduction of the internet in the late 90’s the Guide responded to changes in customer lifestyles, helping to introduce reader feedback to confirm the validity of selections.
Currently in its 112th year, The Guide has editions in 23 countries as well as some of the world’s largest cities, however even after all the years of change and evolution of the Guide, and with a German woman now it’s chief editor, it’s motto remains the same; to make travelling easier and help readers discover a region’s unique features.
