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Suicide chef’s restaurant keeps Michelin stars

The l'Hotel de Ville restaurant in Crissier, outside Lausanne, has retained its three-star Michelin rating despite the shock suicide of its star chef Benoit Violier in January.

Published: 6 October 2016 08:58 CEST

Suicide chef’s restaurant keeps Michelin stars

Violier with a copy of his book. Photo: AFP, Marcel Gillieron

It was one of three restaurants in Switzerland to win the coveted three stars, the Michelin Guide said in a press release on Wednesday.

Only 100 restaurants around the world are honoured with three stars.

Violier had emerged as one of the giants of elite cuisine, steering the restaurant outside Lausanne to three-star honours just four years after taking over.

He had also been named chef-of-the-year in the prestigious Gault & Millau guide in 2013.

The culinary world was shocked when the 44-year-old chef took his own life just four months after the French-based La Liste labelled Crissier the best restaurant in the world.

Following his death, Violier's widow Brigitte vowed that Crissier would remain open, with former sous-chef Franck Giovannini taking charge of the kitchen.

“The new chef has successfully retained the highest distinction,” Michelin said.

The other Swiss restaurants given Michelin's top honour were Schauenstein in the eastern canton of Graubünden and Cheval Blanc in Basel.

With 117 establishments winning at least one Michelin star, Switzerland remains the country with the highest number of starred restaurants per inhabitant in Europe, 20 Minutes reported.

The country has risen up the rankings in the past five years “confirming the high level and extraordinary diversity in the gastronomic offer between Geneva and St Gallen, Basel and Lugano”, said Michael Ellis, international Director of the Michelin Guide.

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Michelin unveils Covid-era France picks despite criticism

Auberge du Pont de Collonges. Photo: AFP

Three-star chefs can rest easy, however, after Michelin said none will be demoted as the health crisis rages.

The industry bible's boss Gwendal Poullennec defended inspections that led to 57 new stars overall, even though restaurants remain shuttered after lockdowns imposed last spring and again since October.

“It's an important decision to support the industry, despite the current situation and perhaps even because of the situation,” Poullennec told AFP.

“All the establishments that have kept their star this year or won one are restaurants that fully deserve it,” he said.

READ MORE: Michelin calls off its 2021 France ceremony, but insists there will still be a guide

Michelin has drawn fire for bestowing its verdicts as chefs rack up losses while adapting their menus for takeaway or deliveries — and food fans have little chance of booking tables anytime soon, with or without face masks.

The rival Best 50 list, based in Britain, cancelled its 2020 ranking last year, while France's La Liste said this month that instead of rankings it would honour innovative chefs who have persevered amid the pandemic.

Michelin called off the lavish gala ceremony that was to be held in Cognac, southwest France – the first time outside Paris – and instead will announce the 2021 winners in a YouTube broadcast from the Eiffel Tower.

'Consistent quality'

But Poullennec said all three-star restaurants will keep their stars – France including Monaco counts 29 – while the handful of demotions will affect only restaurants that have closed or changed their dining concept.

He insisted that inspectors worked double duty and even cancelled their sacrosanct summer holidays to eat and drink as much as possible when restaurants were allowed to open under strict virus restrictions between France's lockdowns.

Michelin also brought in inspectors from elsewhere in Europe and even Asia to back up the French team.

“This selection has been made with the same serious attention, and inspectors were able to judge as many meals as the previous year,” he said.

“Despite the difficulties, chefs have risen to the occasion and maintained consistent quality, at times even succeeding in making further progress,” he added.

Poullennec, who took over the guide in 2018, has overseen several choices that have raised eyebrows among chefs and foodies alike.

Last year Michelin shocked industry insiders by downgrading the Auberge du Pont de Collonges — the oldest three-starred restaurant in the world — after the death of its legendary chef Paul Bocuse.

And in January 2019, Marc Veyrat became the first chef to sue the famous red guidebook after it withdrew the third star for his French Alps restaurant La Maison des Bois just a year after it was awarded.

Veyrat, who lost his case, has said he never wants to see a Michelin inspector in any of his restaurants ever again.

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