A screenshot of the result was leaked last week. Show that Choux and Coulisse, among others, will receive a star in Amsterdam. False news according to Michelin. what do you think?

“It’s not an inconsequential menu, so at first I assumed it was true. But if an institution like Michelin says it’s fake, it must be. Moreover, almost every year there is a leak – right or wrong – that causes the entire culinary world to speak up. about it again. It shows that Michelin is still very busy.”

Last year your prediction was pretty accurate and Zoldering and De Juwelier have already received their first star. What dare you say about this year?

Predicting is pretty easy, because the stars usually go to classically trained chefs, often involving French kitchens. Zoldering is a fairly simple business, but the team comes from the best shops — so it’s kind of a no-brainer. For the same reason, you might receive a SAAM Star this year. In any case, the chefs cook reasonably to the taste of Michelin – and this was also my point of view in my review of Proefwerk.

“The reason they haven’t been given a star yet is because they’ve only been open for a very short time, and Michelin likes stability. In that respect, Choux and Coulisse—who were also on the leaked list—make more sense.”

You’ve said before that you think it’s a pity that Michelin focus on things French and Japanese here. Is this different abroad?

“With us, the stars go almost exclusively to the chefs who themselves come from the kitchens of the stars. Shame, because that means overlooking so much. It’s different in other cities. I just got to New York where there’s also a star noodle bar. So it’s possible. I’ve I’ve said it before: Our food culture is an amazing melting pot and it’s strange that you don’t see that reflected in the Michelin Guide – it mainly has a few French restaurants and a few Japanese restaurants.”

Especially in the Bib Gourmands area, I find it incomprehensible that restaurants are so completely ignored. While: I don’t know a chef who wouldn’t rather join Riccardo than the regular Bib Gourmand. Even at a higher level, the culinary world has always been more diverse than you see in the guide. I hope that finally changes this year.”

Dining in a star tent is reserved for the happy few due to the high price tag. However, more expensive restaurants seem no less popular in these times of crisis. In Amsterdam you can’t go anywhere without a reservation during the weekend.

“Yeah, crazy, right? I get the impression that the middle class in particular is having a hard time now because more and more people are choosing extremes: either you go to a supermarket, or you join a restaurant. I even eat like that.” Regarding prices I would like to defend the hospitality sector: high-quality food is especially expensive because of the tremendous care that is put into preparation by staff and purchasing; we work with the best products and this costs money.

The image the star business has anyway exaggerated So it is often incorrect. Moreover: if you eat a dish that will stick in your head for a week, then there is rarely something so expensive.

Catch the Michelin Stars advert live on Monday morning on parool.nl. Read all of Mara Grimm’s reviews here.