In the captivating realm of Michelin dining, anonymous assessors traverse the culinary landscape, concealing their identities while holding the ultimate authority over the fate of restaurants and chefs.

The Michelin tire company, founded by the Michelin brothers André and Edouard in France in 1889, entered the culinary world by introducing the Michelin Guide in 1900. This guide aimed to assist early motorists on their travels by providing information on lodging, parking, and repair shops. In 1926, the Guide introduced the concept of Michelin Stars, initially with a single Star, which later expanded to one, two, and three Michelin Stars in 1931, along with established criteria for inspectors.

While it may be surprising that a tire company impacted the culinary world, the Michelin Guide’s influence cannot be underestimated. Its reach is extensive, with over 30 million guides distributed in 24 countries. This underscores the significance of inspector anonymity, adding a mystery to their lifestyles and backgrounds, especially their origins. An anonymous chief inspector* has been with Michelin for about 15 years and is based in the United States.

“I’ve always loved the hospitality industry. I studied it in college and worked in various positions for over 10 years before I became a Michelin inspector. Becoming an inspector was a fantastic opportunity and a step in my career evolution that I had to take, and still to this day, I am so happy I did,” the inspector said.

Notably, many of the inspector’s colleagues also have roots in the hospitality sector.