Today’s blog was going to be about new restaurants opening in Edinburgh but yesterday’s launch of the new Michelin Guide in the UK has prompted a change of plans.
To be honest, there is little in it which is hugely newsworthy for the Scottish restaurant scene. No Scottish restaurants gained a star or lost one. The star awarded to Sangster’s in Elie is gone because the restaurant closed.
Scotland still has twelve restaurants with one Michelin star and one, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, which has two.
Bib Gourmand for Scran and Scallie
The only real change is that the Scran and Scallie, the Edinburgh gastro-bar run by Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack, has gained a Bib Gourmand. The Bib is awarded for serving good food at affordable prices.
You can see the full run down here.
As always, assorted chefs and newspapers have expressed, surprise, anger and outrage at the fact that Scotland has no new stars.
It will be even more of a surprise if, in the next few days, there isn’t a newspaper think piece asking ‘Why, oh why does Glasgow not have a star?’
Against all this is a rumbling background noise of people asking who cares about Michelin anymore anyway?
For many commentators, Michelin stars have little bearing on the restaurants that most people eat at.
Out of touch
The Guide is accused of being out of touch, elitist and, perhaps worst of all, more interested in the depth of a restaurant’s upholstery than its culinary skills. An accusation which is hotly denied by the Guide.
There is certainly an argument to be made that the Guide is out of touch.
Among the dining public, there has been a strong move away from formal, three course dining with linen tablecloths, candles and extensive wine lists in recent years.
Places like The Gannet, Ox & Finch, Stravaigin and Cail Bruich in Glasgow plus Norn in Edinburgh all offer exciting, innovative food without any flim flam.
They feel younger, nimbler and, crucially, more accessible than some of their Michelin-starred peers.
Waste of time?
Does this mean that the Michelin Guide is a waste of time?
To my mind, the answer is no. Many, although certainly not all, chefs still aspire to be awarded a star.
It remains the only globally recognised award that really counts and the appearance of a Michelin star in your restaurant’s marketing is a sure fire way of seeing your bookings go from ‘Meh’ to ‘Wowser!’
It is true that only a tiny fraction of the population will ever visit – perhaps want to visit – a Michelin-starred restaurant but their existence has a knock-on effect on the restaurant scene in their vicinity.
The chefs who pass through their kitchens go on to open their own places. And while they may not have their sights set on a star, that same dedication, application and drive will still shine through.
Demanding Michelin-starred chefs make suppliers up their game.
They also attract gastro-tourists who may eat dinner at Martin Wishart’s or number one but will eat lunch at the quirky wee bistro that is way off the Michelin inspectors’ radar.
5pm Dining
If the Michelin Guide ever closes, and I don’t think it will for quite some time, it won’t be because of the complaints outlined above.
Increasingly, diners place their trust in review sites which aggregate the experiences and scores of multiple restaurant customers. These rate restaurants over multiple visits by hundreds of people over extensive periods of time.
Many think they are a more reliable guide to a restaurant than a rating based on one or two annual reviews by an anonymous inspector.
5pm Dining ratings come from customers who have booked into the restaurants via 5pm. Not surprisingly, the restaurants with the highest ratings tend to get the most bookings.
If someone is looking for a reliable neighbourhood bistro for a casual midweek catch-up with a friend, 5pm Dining is rather more useful than the latest Michelin Guide.