MICHELIN GUIDE, THANET. Let's see where the rabbit hole can go.

The Isle of Thanet has been home to some excellent places to eat, but none have made the standard of a Michelin accolade. That is, up until now.

There are new kids on the block, a changing of the guard, out with the old, in with the new.

It is these pioneers of food that have expanded our gastronomic boundaries more in the last 5 years than the predecessors had in the last 100.

It is 2023 and we now have 6 Restaurants which have made the legendary Michelin Guide, the pinnacle of gastronomic accolades, and one of the 6 have attained an enviable Michelin Star!

Before I get on with revealing the who, what and wheres, lets start with an obvious question:

What is a Michelin Star?

"A Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. We take into account five universal criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and, just as importantly, consistency both across the entire menu and over time."

Source: Michelin.

Origins

Michelin Stars originated in a country best known for its passion for cuisine – France. Originally they were a feature of the Michelin guide books published in 1900 by Andre and Edourd Michelin - the founders of the Michelin tyre company.

Having started the company in 1889 the brothers were looking for a method to compel the then limited number of drivers to make more journeys and by extension, buy more tyres. The guide listed a wealth of information for motorists which included where to find the best meals and accommodation whilst touring in their cars.

As the business grew, so did the guide, becoming so popular that a charge was introduced in 1920.

By then, the dining element was in such high demand that Michelin decided to set up a team of inspectors whose job it was to visit – anonymously - and rate restaurants on a 3-category basis. The rating systems – still in place today and with more than a passing nod to its motoring roots - was referred to as ‘Michelin Stars’. 3 stars being ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’, 2 stars ‘excellent cooking, worth a detour and 1 star, a very good restaurant in its category’

The reality

The sub categories and stars are far harder to achieve than their scoring system may suggest.

The devil is in the detail, Michelin are looking for quality, precision and constancy to a level of detail and scrutiny that most restaurants can only dream.

Some will try to be the best, but if you are trying then you have missed the point. Michelin catches the ones that are consistently amazing.

The thing about being reviewed anonymously is that they are more likely to catch you when you are not at your best. This is why it is so hard to get into the Michelin guide.

Can you imagine being a restaurant and forever wondering if they have been visited, let alone been reviewed and not made the guide. Michelin do not give feedback.

But can you then imagine receiving a phone call that goes a bit like this: “Bonjour, this is [name] with Le Guide Michelin. We’re calling to tell you that your restaurant will be included as a Bib Gourmand, Rising Star, One Star, Two Star, Three Star in the next Michelin Guide for your city.”

Although the exact criteria are kept low-key in order to avoid chefs embarking on a tick boxing exercise, it is widely known that inspectors base their selections on the quality of ingredients, culinary techniques, taste, consistency and value for money.

Crucially the anonymous judges are instructed to take no notice of a restaurant’s décor or the service they receive when deciding the star rating. Your restaurant may be stunningly fitted and your wait staff meticulously trained, but if the food isn’t up to scratch it won’t be receiving a star. Likewise, a restaurant with understated settings but exceptional food may still be eligible for the full trio of stars.

I have created this website to review Pubs, Hotels and Restaurants in Thanet to provide an alternative insight from the normal food reviews, and general back slapping.

I look at the whole picture, I ask the question of purpose, it is the purpose that defines you.

I cannot judge the purpose of a restaurant that has made the Michelin guide, for it has already achieved it.

I have given this some thought, obviously.

Although the parameters of my reviews are different, ultimately they are geared toward identifying the key indicators for success or improvement.

The best possible White Rabbit review is 10 stars. Most restaurants do not even manage the 5 base stars. A five star review is a fantastic review.

See The White Rabbit Review scoring criteria.

There is then a maximum 5 additional stars for each category where excellence is proved. Even a full 10 stars would not indicate a potential listing in the Michelin guide, but I do not think The White Rabbit would be too far away.

I have chosen not to re-review the places which have made the guide, but have created an introduction to them so you may better understand who what and where they are.

I will leave you with this, how would you know if you had unwittingly sat yourself in a restaurant with intention? Well, one sign is those that go the extra mile to keep your culinary senses hightend, possibly with an amuse bouch.

I'm not sure about you, but I love a amuse bouche (which is french for mouth pleaser, or happy mouth.)

What is it? Sometimes you are lucky you get one between courses, if thats not going to make you smile, nothing is.

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