Paris (AFP)

Who's next ? The question haunts the world of gastronomy after the Michelin, whose new Guide was unveiled on Monday, has withdrawn their three stars from large tables, like those of Marc Veyrat and Paul Bocuse.

While many expected a new salvo of downgrades, from three to two stars, the boss of the guide Gwendal Poullennec put the points on the "i" during an interview with AFP: "There is no other three-star establishments in 2019 "questioned" in the 2020 vintage ", he announced a few days after the demotion of the famous restaurant of Paul Bocuse," pope "of French gastronomy.

The red guide, who made and defeated reputations in the world of gastronomy, caused an earthquake with this decision, some seeing it as a business of "cutting heads", others an incentive to always renew themselves.

"The guide has just committed suicide," reacted the critic Périco Légasse (Marianne), denouncing "a communication blow".

It's "a bit like a second funeral for + Monsieur Paul +", said critic François-Régis Gaudry (France Inter). "At the same time, it's only a half-surprise," he said, while some guides classified, well before the chef's death at 91 in 2018, the Auberge du Pont de Collonges in the category "institution", failing to note it.

- No exceptions -

Arrived at this position in September 2018 after fifteen years of house, Gwendal Poullennec does not cease reminding that one does not inherit stars but that they "are earned every year", to the merit.

"We obviously understand the emotion that the loss of a star can cause, but there is no exceptional treatment. All establishments are assessed each year anonymously by our inspectors," he insists. of AFP. "Whether you are an iconic chef or a young chef who takes the risk of opening a restaurant by going into debt".

The criteria on which the inspectors rely? "The choice of products, the mastery of cooking, the harmony of flavors, the personality of the chef who makes the table unique and finally, consistency" throughout the year, he lists.

In almost a year, the guide was illustrated by the demotion of several famous big tables: the legendary Auberge de l'Ill, in Alsace, which had held three stars for 51 years, L'Astrance by Pascal Barbot in Paris, after 11 years at the summit and finally, La Maison des bois by Marc Veyrat in Haute-Savoie.

"The time for inertia is over, in one direction as in the other", commented recently the specialized site Atabula, seeing in these decisions "a palace revolution" ... which sometimes goes very badly with the chiefs, like the Veyrat case illustrates this.

- When justice gets involved -

Declassified in January 2019, barely a year after being crowned, the "chef in the black hat" is said to be depressed and went to court to obtain evidence of the guide's inspections and the skills of his inspectors. He lost his trial at the end of 2019 but does not intend to stop there. He always asks to be removed from the guide.

These controversies would almost forget that the Michelin rewarded in 2019 an unprecedented number of women, after years of controversy, as well as many foreign chefs including the Argentinian Mauro Colagreco, triple star for his restaurant "Mirazur", in Menton (Alps -Maritimes), and its gastronomy based on vegetables from the garden.

In total, 75 tables were promoted during the previous edition, two three stars ("Mirazur" as well as "Le clos des sens" by Laurent Petit, near Lake Annecy), five two stars and 68 primo-stars. A record figure.

"2020 promises to be a very good year because our inspectors really enjoyed themselves all year round with many projects. Many establishments also manage to push ever further towards excellence," said Mr. Poullennec.

As every year, names circulate like that of the Parisian Jean-François Piège ("Le Grand Restaurant") to win a third badge. Verdict Monday from 4 p.m.

© 2020 AFP