Estonians have overtaken again: is Lithuania worth Michelin stars?
Estonia has overtaken Lithuania again – two restaurants in Tallinn received prestigious Michelin stars and entered the world of restaurants. Why there is no conversation in Lithuania among the restaurants with the highest ratings, a conversation with the chef, the owner of the restaurant Liutauras Čeprackas.
– Where is the secret of Estonian success?
– The secret of their success is their authorities and officials who think of food as part of the country’s culture and that it is very important.
– Is it not the fault of restaurants and their associations that they are unable to call Michelin? How does the evaluation work?
– Only public authorities may be invited. Private initiative cannot lead to a Michelin guide being called. No one knows how the assessment will go. In 2019, when we organized the Culinary Forum, a dialogue began with the authorities, as if they had invited Michelin to talk about a less prestigious yellow book. When the pandemic started, I asked the question – is the dialogue continuing? It was answered that the pandemic is not the time, we will end and talk, we will consult with Latvians, Estonians, because it is very expensive, etc. The amount of money is 400 thousand. of course, a contract of 3 to 4 years is required. Understandably, what I don’t like most is that I can’t control the estimate of how many restaurants there will be. There are more than 30 guided restaurants in Estonia, two of which have Michelin stars, five are gourmet, and two are eco-friendly. People often don’t even understand if a restaurant has been awarded a star, they just see a red sticker with a Michelin sign and thought they were eating at a restaurant like that, and we’re really just marking the guide. The fact that the cost of gastronomic tourism is high allows thousands every day.
Full LNK report – in the video:
– What is a guide worth buying? How objective is it and what does it give the restaurant?
– It’s not for sale. If a private business could do that, maybe we would have done it in the past. But it must initiate a government that thinks the resemblance to the world’s culinary map is what it has declared and done.
– What makes Estonian-awarded restaurants special and why is it important for restaurants to be rated stars?
– Distinctiveness is always good. It should be borne in mind that evaluation reflects an approach to quality and standard. You don’t know when the value. People show their certificates, walk around the kitchen and go out. Not sure how it will be, after half a year you suddenly get a call and say hello.
– Does it matter to local guests that a restaurant has such stars as much as the cost of the dish?
– We can not say how much the dish costs, because it depends on the restaurant. There is a menu of one-star Michelin-starred restaurants for € 50 and $ 200 for other meals, depending on location. I think that there are gastronomic tourists in Lithuania who go abroad and choose restaurants under the stars.
It’s not that simple, it’s aspiration. It takes a lot of effort.
– Are there restaurants in Lithuania that could receive stars?
– I think there is. It is also an incentive to strive, to improve, to think. Improve by watching what others are doing and striving for it. It’s not that simple, it’s aspiration. It takes a lot of effort. Today it is the most prestigious guide.
– we will have it nice in Lithuania as well.
– We will have a condition when the officials finally realize that culinary, however, is one of the cornerstones of culture and reflects the development of the country. This is important for our distressed tourism.