Podcast Episode
Ep 20 - unhospitality with Jeremy - It's Time to Reconsider Michelin's Impact on Hospitality

About this episode
Get ready to dive deep into the origins and influence of the Michelin Guide, uncovering how a tire company's self-appointment as culinary arbiter has shaped global food perceptions - for better or worse. We explore the cultural, technical, and ethical implications of a system that has historically favored Western standards and overlooked diverse culinary traditions. In short, it’s time to question our biases, especially as we judge where and how we travel. Among other things, we explore:The surprising origin story of the Michelin Guide starting as a marketing tool for tires in 1900 FranceHow the guide's star system was invented in 1926 and its self-appointment as an authorityThe cultural biases embedded in the French-centric aesthetic of fine dining standardsHow systems like Michelin have marginalized non-Western and traditional cuisinesThe impact of the guide's standards on global culinary diversity and authenticityQuestions about the calibration and training of inspectors and what standards they measure food againstThe risk of evaluating all food through a singular, Western lens• The need to question who defines "good food" and on what basis