In chef circles, it’s long been known that winning a Michelin star — once considered the ultimate accolade — can also be the kiss of death for a restaurant. Higher expectations from diners, increased pressure on chefs, and the poaching of workers and suppliers hiking up costs are the dark side of the prestigious spotlight.
A recently released study by University College London (UCL) has borne out the assumption, at least statistically, after tracking the success or failure of hundreds of highly rated New York City restaurants between 2000 and 2019. It found that 40% of the restaurants had closed by 2019, while only one out of every five highly rated but non-Michelin restaurants had closed over the same time period.
“While restaurateurs frequently reflected on a feeling of achievement after receiving a Michelin star and highlighted that this led to a heightened focus on their restaurant, their staffs, and themselves, the consequences of Michelin stars were not all necessarily favorable,” said author Daniel B. Sands in the report, released in September.
Public notice of the 124-year-old French arbiter of outstanding cooking remains highly coveted in the restaurant world. However, nearly a dozen Michelin-starred Wine Country restaurants have closed or significantly changed their format since receiving the award.
The former K&L Bistro in Sebastopol and Mirepoix in Windsor, for example, both struggled to meet customers’ exacting demands after receiving Michelin stars. Mirepoix closed just a year after winning a Michelin star in 2012. Other restaurants, including Applewood (Guerneville), Redd (Yountville), Ubuntu (Napa), Etoile (Yountville) and Martini House (St. Helena), have also closed despite critical acclaim.
After receiving its first Michelin star in 2021, Barndiva abandoned its complex, multicourse menu in early 2024, replacing it with a more casual, community-minded focus. Michelin two-star winner Cyrus closed in Healdsburg in 2012 following a lease dispute. The new Cyrus, which opened a decade later in Geyserville, received a Michelin star just months after opening in 2022.
According to the exhaustive UCL study, restaurateurs “at risk” of receiving a Michelin star should plan for the inevitable disruptions.
“Not all the effects of Michelin stars are bad,” author Sands said. “Some (restaurants) perform fine and are successful post-Michelin star, but in the end, sometimes these stressors are too much for a restaurant to withstand.”
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.