Dear Michelin, Where is the Love for Black Chefs?
The three Michelin star ranking system has been criticized in the past as being exclusive and reserved for expensive, “high-end” establishments – which requires a significant amount of visibility to even be considered. (So you already know where we’re headed with this, right? Black people? Visibility? Recognition? Nooo!)
The first black man to earn a Michelin star was French chef Louis-Philippe Vigilant, who made history in 2014, at Loiseau des Ducs restaurant in Dijon, France.In 2018, the Guardian reported that throughout 165 Michelin Star restaurants in the UK, there were only two Black head chefs. In 2020,Mariya Russell, head chef atKikkō, became the first black woman in the 93-year history of the Michelin Guide to earn a star.
For Black chefs, the struggle to achieve their industry’s highest honor is real.
There are several barriers, including cuisine independence and visibility, that keep Black people from being seen, heard and included in the conversation amongst Michelin guide decision-makers. But that ain’t nothin’ new, right? Only 29 Black chefs are on the Michelin Guide – a list of recommended establishments that may or may not have a Michelin star – which doesn’t even scrape the surface of innovative Black chefs in the U.S. The list shows that inspectors continue to pigeonhole Black cooking as just Southern or Caribbean based classics.
The obsession with associating Caribbean, African and soul food exclusively with Black chefs stems from the Jim Crow era. Oftentimes, Black chefs are pressured or intimidated into providing an elaborate expression of their heritage to justify their existence in the food scene. While the restaurant industry has been a safe space for underrepresented communities by hiring felons, providing youth (often before the legal working age) a place to learn hard work, employing undocumented workers, etc., professional mobility is a privilege that Black cooks aren’t always afforded.
The COVID-19 pandemic humbled everyone, but Black-owned bars and restaurants were down bad after mandates began to close their businesses, which only further hinders their visibility in the industry. Black business owners didn’t have the same assurance as their white counterparts in securing a PPP loan to keep their businesses afloat. We already know that major banks don’t really rock with Black people –*Kanye voice* – and even when they do, many customers just couldn’t afford to eat out. The Texas Restaurant Association estimates between nine and ten thousand restaurant closures since the start of the pandemic.
Black chefs are fighting for visibility, equality and freedom – without it, it’s unrealistic to expect any momentum in securing a Michelin star. There are several organizations such as Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) that take diversity, equity and inclusion and food justice very seriously and are committed to improving the wages and working conditions in the industry. The Michelin Guide has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to diversity, but Black chefs will continue to pivot and serve amazing food with or without the recognition.
