[caption id=“attachment_9012” align=“alignleft” width=“272”] A Three-Star restaurant according to the Michelin Guide[/caption]

the world famous Michelin Guide is not just about restaurants, but actually a series of guide books, published by the French tire company Michelin for more than a century. The one giving those stars for restaurants and hotels around the world is called Michelin Red Guide, but in addition to that, Michelin also publishes a series of general guides to cities, regions, and countries, called the Michelin Green Guides.

But what has this got to do with tires? Well, in 1900, there were fewer than 3000 cars on the roads of France. To increase the demand for cars and therefore tires as well, the car tire company Michelin started publishing a guide for French motorists, the Michelin Guide. And the rest is history!

This brings right off to mind this year’s Academy Awards. And the film Green Book that won the award for The Best Film - albeit widely criticized. The film was based on The Negro Motorist Green Book which was published by the New York City mailman Victor Hugo Green between 1936 and 1966. The guide was meant to make it easier for African Americans from up north to visit the southern states of the United States where racism was so much more evident and rampant. It did accomplish that, but - as the film shows - none of it was easy.

Since 1955, the Michelin Guide publishes also a list of restaurants that offer “exceptionally good food at moderate prices”. So if you see the words “Bib Gourmand” at the entrance of a restaurant, it might be worth your while to try their menu!