Why a tire company is the judge of fine dining

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"The Michelin Men: Driving an Empire," Herbert R. Lottman, 2003 (English version): books.google.com/books?id=g6S...
"Marketing Michelin: Advertising and Cultural Identity in Twentieth-Century France," Stephen L. Harp, 2001: www.google.com/books/edition/...

[@jaolo968]

I often use the Michelin recommendation (no stars) to choose a restaurant when I am in vacation. In my experience, these restaurants are reasonably priced and they offer menus that go beyond the “mainstream” local food. For example, if you go to Rome, you’ll find hundreds really great restaurants cooking local dishes, but they all have more or less the same menus. The restaurant with the Michelin recommendation usually has a special dish, which you cannot find that easily in other ones.

[@stinkytoy]

Thank you for this tip :) I have never wanted to go to any particular restaurant because of its Michelin star(s), but I think I'll take a gander at their recommendations and see if there are any near me!

[@SomeGuys31415]

100%. Also, dining at newly Michelin rated (not starred) restaurants let’s you get a possible early look at a future Michelin starred restaurant. Note that not all Michelin starred restaurants are overly expensive. Casa Enrique (in Long Island City, NY [in Queens]), is one of only 6 Michelin starred Mexican restaurants in the US (5 are one star and 1 is two starred), is reasonably priced. 4 starters are under $30 and the single most expensive item on the menu is $36 (a delicious braised lamb shank). Since COVID they also stopped taking reservations and permit takeout orders.

[@SomeGuys31415]

Correction, I meant 4 entrees are under $30, not 4 starters.

[@illogicalgarage8641]

You accomplish the same thing just googling "restaurants near me"

[@ElectraFlarefire]

@@SomeGuys31415 Entrées are starters/appetizer there. Entrées, mains(Sometimes more than one) then dessert. Classic three course meal. (And as this is all about the French, we should use their meanings. :)

[@MedalionDS9]

A fine upper scale dining experience... one never tires of

[@rollonfood]

Truer words have never been spokes 😶

[@brianarters8638]

Did you wheely just say that

[@SadMarinersFan]

I hate you. Take my like.

[@Name-iq8te]

💜💜 biblical profile picture mate

[@amyoung101]

Hilarious 😂

[@CompletelyLawless]

I think one of the most interesting facts about the Michelin stars are what they meant back then. One star was for a restaurant you should stop for if you pass it, two for restaurants that were a detour on your trip and three stars meant the restaurant was worthy of a trip all its own.

[@theotherjared9824]

And now getting a single star is a herculean effort and a badge of honor for those that have it.

[@quentinpuyjalinet1468]

French here. There happens to be a misinterpretation at 7:48. You point at the last phrase of the paragraph saying that restaurants are judged by "European standards" (probably because you translated "European level" from the last sentence). However in the context, the word "niveau", or "level", isn't a reference of quality, but rather a reference of the frame of the discussion. So an accurate way to translate it, in context, would be: "(...) awards are granted at the end of a debate held by an assembly of European experts" Again, the phrase doesn't actually say that, but this translation is much more accurate to the context

[@post_low]

Yeah that makes more sense. it felt like it was a bit much. especially since he felt out that japan has the same number of 3 stared restaurants as France does. I feel like he just kind of took a point and ran with it.

[@SirBojo4]

The idea of a stereotypical French snobbishness likely influenced his interpretation of "European standards" My guess atleast

[@haaxeu6501]

Yea this guy was really trying to push the imperialism narative that he purposefully misrepresented that sentence. (or maybe it wastn't on purpose but I doubt it) Here's an actually decent translation of that sentence : "The decisions are discussed collegially by the inspecteurs and the chief editors, and the highest distictions are object to a debate at the european scale."

[@jamesjameson4137]

@@haaxeu6501 That sounds pretty much exactly as he presented in the video. Also, either way he's still right that they are very specific in telling us that it is judged by European standards

[@haaxeu6501]

@@jamesjameson4137 It's definitely not exactly as he presented, the way they use the word "niveau" is to mean "scale/level", not "standards", if they wanted to mean standards they would have used that word, since it exists in both languages. Translating it with "standards" makes it sound much different. I'll agree that even then you can assume from that phrase that they'll naturally have a European bias for their ratings, as it's impossible not to have one when judging such a subjective thing (quality of dining and cooking). It's quite obvious that Adam "'bent" some things to fit his point in this video, that isn't the only thing. He also somehow missed the very relevant fact that Japan has an enormous amount of Michelin stars, almost as many as France.

[@vmd4350]

I’ve had the privilege of eating at a couple of starred restaurants- a few were super fancy. A few were mom and pop hole in the walls with a hand written menu. All of them were delicious meals but I must say the mom and pop places had meals that brought me to tears from triggering by gone memories.

[@punie6456]

That's some Ratatouille stuff right there.

[@HelloOnepiece]

Mom and Pop one dish/menu restaurants are usually the best, but they are neither the fanciest, or the most hygenic places

[@78deathface]

I’ve eaten the best food in my life squatting on a tiny plastic stool on the side of the road in Vietnam. I wouldn’t trade that to eat at every Michelin starred restaurant in the world. Just me and an elderly woman, sitting and smiling, watching the morning

[@aragusea]

I just love this.

[@flamingpi2245]

@@aragusea Hey Adam A lot of people have been complaining how you made no mention of the many Michelin starred restaurants in Japan

[@flybeare1360]

I'm in my second semester of culinary school and I still can't believe that the biggest prestige I can aspire to achiebe is getting acknowledged by a tire company Edit: I'm leaving the spelling and grammar mistakes in idk

[@tp33333]

Achiebe 🙏

[@NateCummings]

a c h i e b e

[@THEFIRE360]

This comment is hilarious 😂

[@timbrumaghin]

I’d start with grammar.

[@rickeys]

A decent culinary school will explain it to you. If you can't grasp it, you don't belong in the business.

[@alexanderlehane3459]

Hey Adam, maybe we could see a video on how the same people who make Guinness beer are also connected to the Guinness World Records?

[@legendarygary2744]

What?! I never knew that!

[@HydraulicDesign]

Now it's owned by a Canadian consortium that's mostly in auto dealerships.

[@ImNeoFr]

@@HydraulicDesign your joke isn’t funny since it’s actually not obvious. Guinness is a common German name and many people don’t know the correlation.

[@sebastianpeheim8851]

@@ImNeoFr Guinness is a german name??

[@SylviaRustyFae]

Its also worth bringing up whenever GWR is mentioned that a very large amount of their yearly profits comes from dictators payin them to create some obscure world record as part of their PR campaign towards the public. They also outright lie about many records and refuse to update them when new information is available or when a record is debunked or when new record holders wud exist but those ppl arent willin to pay GWRs fees to authenticate their world record. So for example, if you try to find out what the widest canal in the world is... Guiness will confidently tell you that it is Cape Cod Canal which hasnt been the widest in nearly three decades at least. And notably, cuz of this... Most other sources also claim Cape Cod canal is the widest canal with many linking back to the GWR record books as proof of the claim. In actuality the Suez Canal is far wider, but they arent gonna pay GWR to authenticate that record so folks are wrongly told the lie that a 505 ft wide canal is wider than a 738 ft wide canal. And thats just one of countless examples.

[@andrewlipnick8131]

1:25 as someone who grew up and lives in the NYC metropolitan area, your description of who uses cars and who uses public transport is really incorrect. Sure, plenty of wealthy people live downtown and take public transit, but many also have a car to drive to their weekend house upstate. Furthermore, there are wealthy people that live in the suburbs, drive their cars to the train to commute in as well as drive their car on the weekends. The less well off in the city don't have cars, they live in the more remote areas of the city, the outskirts of the subway or bus lines, and commute via public transportation. The people in the NYC area that commute by car are the wealthy and the "normals" use public transportation, the exact opposite of what you describe.

[@kyleguske4124]

As someone who lives in NYC too, I agree. While perhaps the modestly rich(your average yuppy) may take public transit in NYC, the "super rich" as he describes are certainly not. Besides, the super rich in the US are not exclusively living in Manhattan. Most cities in the US are sprawling with awful public transit and many super rich live in those too (obvious example is LA).

[@elizabeth8720]

I don’t think he was suggesting that poorer people in Manhattan own cars, but rather that poorer people tend not to live in Manhattan at all. However even that is not really true when you compare the median income of the US to the median income of Manhattan. And I agree, the ultra wealthy are not relying on public transportation.

[@WaluTime]

I figuredthat was referring to the time period when the michelin guide was starting. back then good public transport would be preferable to managing horses and a carriage

[@sirdickkickerthefirst9611]

Look at the tyre man, you KNOW that his status as the judge of restaurants was gained and is maintained by strength of Arms and strength of Arms alone.

[@DeltaAssaultGaming]

Tire

[@TheMimiSard]

Arms made of tires.

[@freeman10000]

Fucken oath!

[@sirdickkickerthefirst9611]

@@DeltaAssaultGaming I tire of your spelling of tyre.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

But it makes it a lot harder for him to stay anonymous as a food critic.

[@hippo92210b]

Hey Adam! When you translated the preface from the Michelin guide, you made an unfortunate translation error. "débat au niveau européen" -> "european level debate". That doesn't mean that the "European level" is the standard the restaurants are judged on. It means that the decision-making process is decentralized throughout Europe. This little paragraph means to say, "our decision-making process tries to avoid one inspector from one culture deciding what is good and bad."

[@crazydragy4233]

:00 That seems like an important thingy!

[@minasgeorgopoulos7508]

Yeah please make this a pinned comment

[@Gyzome]

@Thor the Norwegian It has to be emphasized that only far-right nationalist groups use "European culture" as something that is automatically better than the rest of the world. If you hear an average European talk about things that aren't quite up to the "European level", you're probably listening in on a very technical conversation about regulatory standards. Global cuisines are very popular in Europe, and if you implied they need to meet some European standard you would get ridiculed.

[@Checkmate1138]

Ironically, though, that is European centric and by default the standard by which you judge food. Sure, within Europe, everyone's supposed to be equal (but obviously French is king), but Europe takes precedent over, say, Asian cuisine.

[@hippo92210b]

Let's not make this political. I don't mean to say that the Michelin guide does or doesn't put European culture above others (although I believe they don't). I'm just pointing out that the translation is wrong and that the book's preface doesn't say what Adam says it does. It logically follows that the argumentation based on that erroneous translation doesn't hold.

[@Christian.h.]

Michelin stars may be awarded to the restaurant, but lets be honest. In reality they get awarded to the head chefs of those restaurants. Restaurants lose stars all the time when there is a change of head chefs.

[@vincevvn]

Lose*

[@TheMArtagnan]

The stars are only an excuse to raise prices

[@saladspoonami4563]

They gave (then took away) a star to a local stall selling soya sauce chicken and rice for two bucks

[@rin_etoware_2989]

this applies to a lot of stuff. everyone loves Studio Ghibli films, unless Miyazaki Gorou made them.

[@johnmarstall]

Saw Ratatouille, can confirm

[@Nossimid]

You compared the number of 3 Michelin star restaurants in France (30ish), US (13), and China (3) when stating the the food is measured on a European scale. But Japan has 29 three star Michelin restaurants, which rivals France. Not saying the scale isn't Euro-centric, but that could've been interesting to explored

[@Snakke40]

It is Euro-centric in the sense that it started as a perfect example of French Chauvinism. Nowadays, their stance is more like: We're very familiar with European and Japanese (Michelin is surprisingly big in Japan, as you noticed) food, so we can judge those restaurants fairly. If you aren't doing French/Japanese cuisine, you need to be really really really good to even be mentioned, because that's not what we are used to critiqueing. How much actual chauvinism is still present and how many experts of different cultures their tasters have is something I think only Michelin itself truly knows.

[@andybaldman]

He’s American. You expect him to be unbiased?

[@pokefantrent2065]

@@andybaldman you say that like every country isn't biased in some way

[@lettuce1626]

Yeah I was thinking too. I heard Japan has a lot of Michelin star restaurants Maybe Japan scale is just way higher than Europe lol

[@frankieh]

Japan embraced French cuisine more than any other Asian country so big shock that Michelin goes hard there.

[@ricardocorreia7962]

My man really described Peugout as a fancy car

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

My personal theory is that one day a disappointed guest at a restaurant told the cook that he has seen less chewy products leaving the Michelin factory than his kitchen. The cook then went to Michelin for expert advice on his steaks.

[@sammy8749]

goodness how I love these history/journalistic type videos! Always so interesting and varied. I’m glad you make them Adam :)

[@DallMyD3lvis]

how old r u

[@Superbassi0]

1:06 It never ceases to amaze me how separate the European and American car industries are. Like, in what world is a Peugeot considered a high-class car? America, apparently.

[@madsharpse3201]

ye i thought the exact same

[@JonathanRiverafrickinnice555]

I don't even know what a Peugot is.

[@samuelmahoney6878]

I've literally never seen an expensive Peugeot. I guess they have a sports car, but I didn't know that until I looked it up. I'm guessing he used it because they are just not very available in the US and is French.

[@samuelmahoney6878]

@@sunnypalm7648 Weird. I am sure there are, but I have never run into one or heard of one. I mean, early 2000's there was a bit of mainstream anti-French sentiment though it was pretty damn stupid.

[@poisonpotato1]

So its not pronounced "Poo - got"

[@Speckadactyl]

As someone who works in the automotive industry, I can assure you Michelin tires are far from lower grade lol. There’s very few companies who make a tire that’s anywhere near their league. When Bugatti was looking for a tire that could safety go 250+mph it was Michelin they gave the job to, they’re an equally upscale “snobby” company in the car world too. I find it interesting when companies have huge stakes in two completely different industries, Yamaha is another good example

[@CyphrSonic]

If this is in relation to the "lower status" comment near the start of the video, I interpreted it to mean that tire companies have low social status, not that Michelin tires aren't high quality.

[@The_Jazziest_Coffee]

mitsubishi is sort of a close second too (idk i know about their air conditioners and pens)

[@Speckadactyl]

@@The_Jazziest_Coffee yeah they do make everything, they’re used to be big in the shipping industry. They make TVs and a bunch of electronics, used to do aircraft. They’re way bigger than a tiny car company

[@skittlez0fd00m5]

The man providing answers to the questions we’ve always had

[@ThingsandStuffchannel]

Sorry Adam, but the bourgeois don't drive Peugots haha fascinating and informative as always nonetheless!

[@JETZcorp]

Right? They're like a French Fiat.

[@edcrichton9457]

In early decades of automobiles even a Peugeot was a rich man's toy.

[@antoniocampen]

very true they are getting more expensive but they are still a middle class family car brand

[@barvdw]

@@antoniocampen honestly, most known French car brands are considered middle class nowadays, even DS is just an over-priced Citroën, they haven't managed to change the perception like Audi managed to do. Bugatti is often thought of as Italian, the rest is insignificant. Still pretty decent cars, though.

[@dogcatdogable]

that was the best bit. just imagining a French aristocrat in a 206.

[@DariatheDaring]

Its always so cool seeing other's footage of my hometown

[@alexanderklenk2195]

You can tell Adam isn't a car guy when he says he imagines the upper class Michelin diners in Peugeots

[@Althom1990]

Even I spotted that. Weird pronunciation, as well.

[@CardoDoza]

As someone who loves cooking and cars, this video is truly creative and dare I say innovative. KZbin is becoming a copy and paste of ideas but this is something that is a breath of fresh air. Thanks Adam! Hope all is well!

[@hcs8789]

This is great. I appreciate how you reference your sources - makes it really easy to follow up anything if I want to find out more details

[@brandonchavez6315]

Your videos usually come during my lunch break, and I always appreciate seeing the notification lol.

[@complainer406]

I thought the stars were meant to encourage road trips? 1 = worth an extra stop, 2 = worth a detour, 3 = worth planning an entire trip

[@freezysyahz]

Really? Sounds like something I can definitely get behind!

[@Gyzome]

My man made an entire video about how Michelin stars come from a trip guide, but manages to omit what the stars actually mean. While mistranslating an fragment of the guide to fit his woke take, lol.

[@haaxeu6501]

@@Gyzome Also fails to mention that Japan has almost as many 3 michelin starred restaurant as France does. But I guess anything that doesn't fit the narrative isn't worth going into. I also laughed at his attempt to make Peugeot seem like a ellitist car brand lmao, this guy has no idea.

[@graendread1704]

There's also the point that in early auto times, many rich frenchmen were just unsure WHERE to drive. So the more they drove, the more tires Michelin could sell.

[@evelineeveline6106]

Hi Adam. I've watched similar video on Michelin restaurant rating and tyre manufacturers connections before.. But I still clicked your video and it definitely didn't disappoint.. Your depth of research and your way of storytelling are very very pleasing.. 😍😍😍😍

[@joshdaymusiced]

This popped up as I was waiting to get Michelin tires installed. Your timing is impeccable.

[@erikwerner9284]

i have been asking myself this question all last week... great timing on putting this video out. the universe works in strange ways

[@rebeccasunflower]

So was I! Very serendipitous!

[@thomasma1872]

"The inedible rubber cousin of the Pillsbury doughboy" had me dying

[@narfharder]

"I hate to complain, but this steak is _really_ tough. And maybe a little burnt?"

[@christianosanjo]

I was thinking about this the other day! This video was dropped at the perfect time!

[@mousanaonymous1037]

Your sense of humor is one of the best I've come across. Subtle but effective

[@erikharrison]

Come to DC sometime, Adam. While I still think that the rarefied air of 3 star restaurants is mostly about status symbols, there is some remarkable food in the 1 star category, and a lot of it is very accessible here. If you want a "high end" experience that is genuinely tasty and doesn't make you feel like an asshole, they exist

[@veraducks]

There's a lot of talk within the business about what exactly a star means. 1 star tends to indeed simply be "extremely good, high quality food". But it's murmured that going above 1 star tends to involve a lot of ephemeral details, like wine list and how nice your tablecloths are, that earned them the hoity toity reputation they have.

[@ColonizerChan]

He could just go to Leesburg and find the delirium Cafe. It is the only expansion of it in the states so far. Obligatory for the sake of being a Virginian: the capital should have been in Philly so we wouldn't have to deal with DC.

[@DavidHarrisonRand]

Michelin starred restaurants don’t have to be expensive, or snooty. Come over to Hong Kong where you can dine at Tim Ho Wan and leave, stuffed to the gills, for about US$30.

[@alanc4091]

Went to Tim Ho Wan in NYC and it was pretty solid too and not too pricy.

[@matthewbrotman2907]

The cheapest Michelin-starred establishment in the world is a hawker stand in Singapore, which sells $2 noodle bowls.

[@da_pikmin_coder8367]

This whole time I've known about the Michelin guide but just thought to myself "well obviously it's not *that* Michelin." But no it *was* that Michelin. Mind blowing.

[@wormitha]

I love your channel so much, always learning.

[@robertbain5186]

When mentioning their european focus, it feels like you should probably mention the country with the most 3 star restaurants is in fact Japan.

[@TheGroceryman2]

goes against then anti-european narrative, that's no good.

[@01chohan]

Yeah he very conveniently forgot Japan.

[@turkeysgotmorecloutthanyou]

Like watching the guy but it’s not hard to find biases against European culture a lot when discussing these types of topics

[@leonardo9259]

@@turkeysgotmorecloutthanyou I think the Euro culture has had the bias in it's favor for centuries for now, I don't think a 10 min video not focusing on the good parts of it won't hurt

[@ladyilex]

It's almost like Japan is a tremendously westernized country in the first place...

[@JohnHausser]

Hey Adam ! Interesting subject! Another suggestion for your channel: Gravlax vs smoked salmon Cheers from San Diego California🏄‍♂️

[@ragnkja]

The only thing those have in common is that they’re salmon that has been preserved in a way that doesn’t involve heat.

[@kingtut4734]

I love your videos! You answer questions I've always had about food in an entertaining fashion.

[@TheOmninovoi]

Thank you for stating clearly what your sources are -- so much information online isn't cited and here you're citing actual academic monographs by experts. Thanks!

[@Odinshi]

I've never went to a Michelin star restaurant and thought "wow I have no idea how this restaurant managed to get their star(s)". Say what you will about French nationalism and internalized European standards, they are great at what they do, which is guide people to really extraordinary restaurants.

[@Purplesquigglystripe]

I went to a one star restaurant in Paris and ordered this orange and endive dish that was honestly, pretty gross. Other Michelin star restaurants were pretty good though. There are also a lot of great restaurants that aren’t rated. Maybe it’s our fault though for acting like it’s the definitive rating for all restaurants when they only look at certain areas.

[@ChronoTata]

@@Purplesquigglystripe Yeah, no one would look at a single review of a movie, regardless of how well-regarded the reviewer is, when making a decision whether to see one, so I don't see why some people think the Michelin guide should be regarded as the be-all-end-all for restaurant reviews. I don't think even the Michelin guide themselves claim that. The anti-Michelin star movement just seems to be some sort of reverse-snobbishness that is just as annoying as French food elitists.

[@Armateras]

Pretty sure the issue is the practically xenophobic intolerance of any even slightly non-euro-centric deviation and not of the quality control...

[@wezzuh2482]

@@Armateras To be fair, michelin has started to realize this. It has awarded stars to Street food stalls in Bangkok and Singapore for example (under the realization that street food is simply how food works in that part of the world), and has even awarded one to a Pub in England.

[@seta_samuli2759]

@@Armateras there are just as many three starred michelin restaurants in japan as there are in france, which suggests that the euro-centricism is more or less a myth

[@Fhyzix]

I worked at one of the 13 3 michelin starred restaurants in the US. The level of detail for food does really create a whole new appreciation for what chef’s do to pursue their craft.

[@samuelmahoney6878]

Its an amazing experience, and believe me, its appreciated by folks who are not 10 percenters or whatever it is. I went to my first michelin starred restaurant (2 star) and it was incredibly relaxed and the food and presentation were incredible! I was out of place wearing a suit and tie, haha. Most other male patrons were in slacks and sport coats.

[@poisonpotato1]

All for it to be gone in a half second

[@ilyesjebalia9757]

I love the wind patterns on your globe!

[@Rocketsong]

i love these history/connections/deep-dive videos much more than actual cooking videos.

[@katcarp3346]

I literally live next door to a Michelin star restaurant. Their food is amazing and they do a lot of creative things. I've only been there when we celebrate something, like graduation or a new job. The prizes are hilarious... It located in the old part of town though, cobblestones and narrow streets. You can't even drive there. There is another Michelin star restaurant in town, they use local ingredients and focus on being closer to what you eat. For example: they will serve several samples of sour cream, made from the milk of different cows, which are pictured on the wall where you eat. You can really taste the differences in flavor, richness and texture, and while you eat they tell you about the cows name, age and personality. They also invite primary school classes during the day for educational purposes. Really neat concept.

[@baylinkdashyt]

I don't know Adam... my experience of buying - and paying for - Michelin tires for all my cars and trucks for the last 35 years is that they aren't all that low-status. :-)

[@bduffy1215]

Fascinating and wonderful. Thank you Adam...

[@SicopawEfeyester]

I've heard this story elsewhere, well rather I read a decently long article about it. but im still gonna watch this video because its a great story :)

[@donaldlee8249]

Michelin is starting to review non-French/European cuisines in recent years, namely in Asian cities like HK and Singapore. And some of them are indeed very awesome.

[@udishomer5852]

Michelin Guide also works in Japan, Thailand and China.

[@aerob1033]

Small nitpick, Adam: The whole "cars are for the working class" thing is only really true in the US and Canada. And even then, the poorest can't afford 'em and have to spend 2 hours riding the bus because of our messed-up priorities around here. In most of the world, access to walkability and public transportation is much more egalitarian. /end nitpick. Great explainer!

[@waheeddoesstuff]

Not Just Bikes!

[@HydraulicDesign]

Yes that's the stereotype everyone knows, it's not 'news.' It's also not nearly as close to true as you think, not once you leave the touristy downtowns.

[@leetri]

That only applies to the larger cities. If you live out in the countryside like me you NEED a car or you can't even get a job because it takes 2-3 hours to walk to your workplace and there's only 1 bus per day (and it doesn't coincide with your work hours).

[@waheeddoesstuff]

@@leetri yes in these situations a car or train is needed but in less country side like places like a small city walking to places like a grocery store should be possible

[@amyoung101]

That’s crazy! Thanks for the education. Very much appreciated 🥰

[@saraatppkdotpt8140]

Love these informative videos!

[@Flappayy]

The emphasis of the french adlibs are absolutely hilarious

[@lowercasevisor594]

"i collect vintage globes btw" have literally never been less surprised by anything in my life

[@minuteman4199]

I knew that story, but interesting non the less. You're a good story teller Mr Ragusea.

[@laxplaya5602]

Love that you chose to film this while sitting against your car. Very cool!

[@rossk7927]

Got treated to a meal from a One Michelin Star restaurant and it was amazing. If you get the opportunity, it's an experience worth having, even if you aren't very into food. Just ask the server what the chef recommends today and go from there.

[@wb5531]

You hinted at this in the video, but would love to hear about how human dining patterns have varied over time and by culture. When were restaurants 'invented'? What percentage of meals were made by someone outside of the immediate family, and how did that vary over time? How did sit-down vs. counter-based restaurants developed, and is there a historical notion of a 'waiter'? I know that Pompeii and Herculaneum have helped reveal that many Romans would eat their lunch from an early equivalent of today's fast casual restaurants, but digging into this topic would be extremely interesting. Maybe even warranting multiple videos for notable regions / cultures. Anyways, thanks for the great video Adam.

[@cindyhammond5573]

Love the relaxed vibe of sitting in the driveway telling a story about how the tires on my car behind me are related to my foodie passion.

[@sabar4473]

Finally, someone answers this question for me. Thanks Adam.

[@GiuseppePipia]

Actually I ate at a two Michelin stars restaurant and I'm not that rich nor snobby. But I have to say: the service is truly impeccable, way beyond any regular restaurant. You do feel well treated. The food is also good: you don't go there to eat, although a 5-course meal is already pushing one's limits on how much you can actually eat. An experience to have every once in a while.

[@bluejayway1219]

Yeah I thought his attitude was a bit harsh here. I've been to a couple as well and the attitude of the staff and other guests from start to finish was amazing. I'm sure it varies place to place but this felt a bit condescending

[@Snakke40]

Yes, most Michelin starred restaurants (even three stars) are very expensive for food. But people think this means thousands of bucks per person. Which isn't true. It's still a hundred to hundreds of dollars/euros per person (also depending on the wine/alcohol you take with it, of course). And let's be clear here, that's absolutely ridiculous if you don't think that spending that amount of money on food is worth it. However, it is attainable for a lot of middle class families to do rarely, as an experience. And it is an experience. But if you do it a lot? Like, weekly to multiple times a week? You can only do that if you're actually upper class. It's a bit like going to Disneyland/world. You wouldn't call a family that goes to disneyland loaded and part of the bourgeoisie. However, if you spend 6 months a year in disneyworld you're definitely loaded. And still, some people think it's ridiculous to even spend that amount of money on the first place for a theme park, when they just have way more fun playing video games!

[@skeltonslay8er781]

Apparently, if a Michelin judge (which there’s only like 100) is believed to be discovered, they have to leave the country they’re in for like 10 years. Not sure if it’s true, but I remember hearing that.

[@Square1production]

Surely, suddenly leaving like that is almost a confirmation that they were an inspector?

[@krankarvolund7771]

They're not judges but inspetors. And no, it's not that drastic, simply they'll indicate in their report "I've been recognized" and the report is therefore unusable.

[@skeltonslay8er781]

@@krankarvolund7771 I like my version better. More dramatic

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

No, no, no... you're thinking of SECRET SHOPPERS that check customer service at walmart. If the cashier figures out what's going on, the secret shopper is trespassed from the store.

[@JasonMemeoa]

Another amazingly done video

[@wescador]

THANK YOU i've been wondering why for ages now

[@pjacobsen1000]

Nice overview of the Michelin guides. In Europe, where the guides are respected, they are also sources of controversy. Big fights over the appropriateness of some ratings; a couple of French chefs have committed suicide after being demoted from 3 to 2 stars. I'm now in Asia where the controversy is even bigger. Many Asians take food very seriously, and the Michelin guides are often perceived as not really understanding Asian food, leading to wildly undeserved stars in some cases. There are also accusations of corruption in ratings. Nevertheless, I will regularly consult the Guide as a, erh, guide, but not the final judge.

[@grantwilliams93]

I know it doesn't fit the narrative of the video, but wasn't Japan ahead of France in total stars and 3 stars for multiple years? It might still be in regards to Tokyo vs Paris. Either way, its close. Why skip over Japan and mention just china? Cause it kind of gives off a vibe of trying to push a narrative while ignoring a counter argument. Which feels off for this channel, imo. And tbh, I'm sure there is potentially a more "interesting" reason for Japan doing so well anyway that you could still tie in to the clear theme here if that was important to you. . Edit: Tokyo is ahead of Paris in stars and Japan has more 3 stars according to a commenter below. France is ahead in total stars as a country. Thanks for the info. I think my original comment is valid, given this info

[@caiobotelho8528]

Because its convenient and goes against the narrative, ofc

[@freaki0734]

well to be fair japan seems like the exception to the rule whilst most other big countries seem to support it. feels a bit like asking why do you mention one of the hundred examples for but not the one out of three big examples against

[@isnotaddicted]

France is still ahead in total since far more of their restaurants are visited, but Japan is ahead in 3 stars and Tokyo has more stars than Paris. A lot of it likely is also very cultural. I won't claim to be an expert on Chinese cooking and I'm sure it's exceptionally good, but there's more to fine dining than exceptionally good food. Japan, on the other hand, is very famous for putting the fine in fine dining.

[@grantwilliams93]

@@freaki0734 I don't disagree. But it seems a bit weird not to mention considering the strong tone of European superiority he set in this video. I thinks its a more complex issue than he let on. Imperialism is one aspect, but not the whole story.

[@freaki0734]

@@isnotaddicted also it is worth noting that japan also has about 2 times the people in it.

[@amycrawley2142]

Thanks for the drive by Adam love the Brits

[@Patterrz]

I had no idea they review so few restaurants, I’ll have to look at the non star recommendations around where I live though

[@theholycow6150]

Imagine your life work being summed up by a French tire company

[@rickeys]

Imagine being clueless about the relationship.

[@FutureCommentary1]

Imagine your life work being completely forgotten: There's was this great mechanic guy, I forgot his name. Yeah my first assistant, nice lady. What was her name again?

[@abellia]

"Great public transportation" Everything else here is fine. But no, rich people living in urban supercenters still own cars because of how terminally automobile-brained city planning is and how inefficient the current implementations of public transportation are in most cities.

[@TheRealHelvetica]

Keep telling yourself that You know deep down rich people still drive cars cause public transport is used as a public restroom

[@abellia]

@@TheRealHelvetica source: am poor, public transport sucks, cities are 100% carbrained. Will admit that it smells like the toilet sometimes though.

[@DaDARKPass]

"WAAA! MODERN STUFF IS BAD! WAA! FUCK CARS" Stop complaining, cars will always be better than public transport no matter what.

[@PasCorrect]

@@DaDARKPass What an odd reaction. Why do you want more cars in your traffic jam?

[@DaDARKPass]

@@PasCorrectYou can't make a city without accounting for cars, unless your plan is to isolate your city from the rest of the world for most people.

[@DavidXanitos]

That last line was fire, I ask my self that question too.

[@ethanc722]

Great video! Love from Oak Ridge.

[@danrichards9516]

At the 1 minute spot when you make the “rich people get closest to a tire when they reach out their window to…” It shouldn’t have been “tip the valet”. It shoulda been “borrow some Grey Poupon”. So close Adam, so close.

[@otsokivivuori7726]

Also aren't peugeots kinda low end cars

[@ferdinandfoch7816]

@@otsokivivuori7726 Yeah, when I lived in the UK Peugeot and Renault cars were everywhere.

[@otsokivivuori7726]

@@ferdinandfoch7816 same all over europe, they are cheap and are seen as "lesser" than german cars

[@tenns]

@@ferdinandfoch7816 ye adam doesnt know shit about the culture, and portrays himself like a knowledgeable person after reading 2 books

[@jessepatterson8897]

Lmao, Adam, you have been in the suburbs too long. - love the middle class “aristocrat” New Yorker.

[@j3fr0uk]

Never bothered to look this up but I thank you for doin it for us/me... I used to collect Michelin 'I spy' books, my favs were nature based ones but I remember I had a resturant one too...

[@MarkMarxonsBassChannel]

Great video!! Thanks 🙏

[@giantpinkcat]

I thought it was two separate things. I didn't even know that it was ACTUALLY the Tire company at work.

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

Eh, this is one of those things that we all know, but forget about after a few weeks, and 'rediscover' again in a few years. It's just that exciting.

[@vertdragoon]

Adam, the text you cited as proof of Michelin’s outlook just said that some discussions on awards extend beyond Michelin’s French team to their broader associates across Europe. Also, Tokyo ranks first in the world for most stars, by a wide margin.

[@Checkmate1138]

So one city in all of giant-ass Asia? Lol, seems it's a little biased, no? They really should expand out of these limited places.

[@vertdragoon]

​@@Checkmate1138 You are absolutely right. But we can also agree that 1. the guide is not the supreme authority on all things restaurants and 2. they can't be everywhere and still be a respectable, credible organization which takes extremely seriously the business of "inspection," as they call it.

[@mabhatti4]

This man has answers to questions I didn't know I had..

[@bleutitanium6513]

Wow.. Great Video ! Educational ! Love it !!

[@TheJoJo572]

For the first time since being a huge Adam fan I mainly disagree with him in a topic. I don't really share the view that Michelin star ratings are all about the fanciness, the pompousness of restaurants and French cuisine. Especially talking about the 1-star-ratings: This is all about the kitchen itself and more importantly what comes out of those kitchens. Not about their guests' paychecks or status. Michelin ratings have had a massive impact on the development of European cuisines, have been a huge motivation for chefs all around the world and professional cooking. And that's where we should see the difference: The world of professional cooking and the world of private cooking are not even in the same universe. Private cooking is about a family's survival or at least making the best of what's in the fridge - professional cooking has to be irrational, sometimes crazy. We should not worry about that Michelin ratings seem unfair or irrational and that they don't consider the majority of regions in the world. I'm sure those regions have enough to offer so they're not dependent on Michelin star ratings.

[@kueapel911]

As far as I care, michelin can do whatever they want with their guide. Judge the culinary world with whatever standard they want. They're there to promote, and it's up to them who they want to promote. If a japanese electric company would make a guide using japanese standard, they're free to do whatever they want and judge using whatever standard they want too.

[@kueapel911]

@@tredegar1861 7:47 - 8:00 the implication there is very very negative. Although, I could say the same with your comment. I never said adam couldn't do that, read my comment carefully, it's not edited. It's ironic that you accuse me of contrarianism while you *yourself* is doing it. So, using your own words, *"give it a rest, please. You’re not impressing anyone."*

[@kueapel911]

@@tredegar1861 could say the same with yours. You make no sense at all, other than being salty.

[@haaxeu6501]

I absolutely agree with your point, people like every place in the world is entitled to get the Michelin guide's attention, and god forbid if their standards are biased due to them being French (it's quite literally impossible to never be biased when it comes to something as subjective as cuisine, there doesn't exist some kind of objective truth of restaurant rating). The entire video is misleading and dishonest in order to push his narrative.

[@runalapatel]

This video made me realize that the restaurant I’m going to tonight for happy hour has a Michelin star haha (it was the first restaurant on the website screenshot you used)

[@crizerene5958]

As a frenchie, tire engineer and food passionnate, I've learnt quite a lot here ! And for the parts I already knew, it was incredibly accurate. Bisous !

[@tenns]

il dit pleins de bêtises aussi!

[@haaxeu6501]

Cette vidéo raconte plein de bétises, enfin le gars a quand même essayer de faire passer Peugeot pour une marque de voiture élitiste. Il n'y connait rien du tout.

[@samuelmahoney6878]

Fine dining can be really fun to experience, regardless of socioeconomic background. Yes, there are issues with the michelin rating system. But I think its a bit tongue in cheek to say "the kind of people" who eat there are out of touch blue collar living. I am certainly not very well off, but have been to various fine dining establishments, including some with michelin stars. It is just like saving up to go to a concert or any other form of entertainment. I know I'd rather enjoy a few hours of fine dining rather than at most concerts.

[@mrs.w5539]

Listen, if you're well off enough to be able to spend that much money on food and entertainment... you're well off. Not saying it's a bad thing. It's good you're in a good financial situation. But dont kid your self. You're well off.

[@samuelmahoney6878]

@@mrs.w5539 I am not saying I am not, but even when I was earning less than minimum wage and supporting myself, I was still able to save up for stuff like this. I used to be able to save more then because I had fewer expenses.

[@michaelmichaelson2014]

@@mrs.w5539 It's pretty easy to afford a few Michelin star restaurants a year on a lower middle class salary, and even a couple if you earn lower than that. It depends on what you mean by "well off", but I don't think most people would think of lower middle class as out of touch or particularly white collar.

[@sailingsinbad7899]

@@mrs.w5539 you don't need to be well off to spend 50 to 60 bucks on a meal once or twice a year. That's achievable on most salaries. Unless you mean "literally anything that is not poverty" when you say well off.

[@DFPercush]

Just want to say, I've been riding motorcycles for 23 years, sold parts (aka spares) for 5 of those years, and Michelin is still the best tire.

[@mariaconsuelothomen]

Michelin also has tourist guides. I have used them and they're very good.

[@ClassMammalia]

I must now know more about the vintage globes.

[@merrittanimation7721]

I don't understand what the confusion is. Tires are the most delicious food out there, of course they'd have the know how to judge lesser foods

[@od1401]

Someone's gotta' be the judge, at least they have the infrastructure and expertise at this point to curate fine food. I've only ever had one 3 star restaurant meal (a london ramsay restaurant) and it was paid for by my company, it was good, but to be honest in terms of satisfaction I've had better. Then again I am a relative (though office working) peasant so take from that what you will.

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

In the end, it's just a frivolous way to turn fistfuls of hundred dollar bills into something that you flush down the toilet. Usually within a few hours, or by the next morning.

[@od1401]

@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 I get where you're coming from but to he honest you could say that almost like anything. Imho if you can afford it there's nothing wrong with flashing the cash and enjoying a culinary experience at the highest level as a treat. At that level you can almost consider the food art, you're not eating to fill up but to experience masterly crafted food. I just think, based on my one single experience, it's overrated, and you can get just as good if not better dopamine hits from much cheaper places than 3 star joints. So not exactly an informed opinion.

[@DJstarrfish]

The "infrastructure"? I'll let the "expertise" thing slide, (that seems totally subjective but I can't say I appeciate the fine arts enough to verifiably say that) but the fuck is that supposed to mean? That their roads are designed well enough to judge whether or not a dish is good? Is the key to having good taste in food just dumping a fuckton of roundabouts everywhere, even in places that they're less efficient?

[@od1401]

@@DJstarrfish Damn dude you totally misunderstood, I'm speaking figuratively. By infrastructure I mean they're set up, they have the resources (for the travel and food costs), the people (the informed food reviewers who go out and do the testing), the printer contracts for the book, and the established reputation. In other words the components, (the infrastructure), is there to run a food quality arbitration gig. It's just a figure of speech. Hopefully that clarifies, I get that sometimes things can be misread over written communication.

[@amarug]

very interesting video! i am not a fan of fancy food and more of a simple-hearthy cooked to perfection kinda guy, but my wife loves fancy and i had to eat in a few michelin restaurants and i must say, i would not go there out of my own impulse, but the foods were really amazing and something else that i have seen so far

[@ahadmrauf]

Vintage globes are an interesting collectible. All the more power to you.

[@skywanderer]

This is why I sometimes love the internet, just an American man teaching me things about my own country sounds hilarious, thanks for that.

[@id10t98]

Fun fact: The Vietnam War was actually about securing the Michelin Family's rubber tree plantations from falling into the hands of the North Vietnamese "communists" and given the country of France wasnt willing to send millions of their own people to die in the quest to secure the plantations, they convinced the powers in charge of the USA at the time to send Americans and naturally the Military Industrial Complex was more than willing to take the money and draft as many poor people into the ranks as they could. Nice to see you mention their Vietnam plantations @5:42.

[@Stezachuda]

Very interesting stuff Adam once again. What happened to you at the end 🤣

[@FrankCostanza456]

Very informative as always!

[@katelensworld]

Heyyy Adam and fellow food nerds Can someone tell me what the difference is between Neapolitan pizza and Margarita pizza? My friend and I were debating this earlier this week

[@isviewer]

Neapolitan pizza is a style of pizza originating from Naples, and Margherita (not margarita, that's a cocktail) is a type of Neapolitan pizza. There are other types of Neapolitan pizza too such as Marinara.

[@PilsnerGrip]

"You can be rich and live in dense centers like Manhattan where you have great public transport so you don't have to drive" yeah, or you can live in Europe

[@TheHidalgo99]

There are villages and rural areas in europe too. If you've ever benn to such places you will soon realize that you need a car there to go anywhere.

[@PilsnerGrip]

@@TheHidalgo99 Ur absolutely right and I am well aware of Europe not being all milk and honey, I just wanted to take a jab at an American flaw that seems to be a big problem there

[@x64hitcombo]

The only Michelin ranked restaurant I've ever been in was a tiny ramen shop in Shinjuku Gyomae called Konjiki. Stumbled into it on Google maps and didn't realize it had a star until we saw the sticker in the window. Real quick and cheap service but the noodles were wonderful. I'll never need anything fancier

[@Alliien34]

I've lived in the city where Michelin was founded, there's a whole building called "the Michelin adventure" that you can visit, there are statues of the bibendum (the tire guy) on the outside which are very creepy and look into your soul