Why Michelin Stars Came From a Tyre Company #france

Why do Michelin stars come from a tyre company? In this video, I explain the strange but true French story behind the Michelin Guide, how it began as a practical road guide for motorists, and how it slowly evolved into the world’s most famous restaurant ranking system. Michelin’s own history says the company started in Clermont-Ferrand in 1889, and Britannica notes that the first Red Guide appeared in 1900 as a travel aid meant to promote car tourism and, naturally, tyre sales.

What began as a little guidebook for drivers — where to go, where to stay, where to eat, how to keep moving — eventually became one of the most powerful names in global gastronomy. Michelin says stars were first introduced in 1926, initially as a single-star distinction, before the now-familiar hierarchy expanded in 1931.

So yes: one of the most prestigious systems in fine dining began with roads, travel, maps, practical motoring advice, and the commercial logic that more driving meant more tyres. Which is either absurd, genius, or the most French industrial side quest imaginable.

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