Does Michelin Guide Mean Farangs Can Judge Thai Food?

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Does Michelin Guide Mean Farangs Can Judge Thai Food?

By Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

 

  

Photo: Bo.lan / Facebook

 

BANGKOK — Top Thai chefs and those in fine dining are sounding modest, reserved yet hopeful in the run-up to the much-anticipated arrival of Michelin Guide ratings to the capital city next month.

 

Anticipating the Dec. 6 release of the first Michelin Guide book for Bangkok’s restaurants, chefs from top restaurants said they’re pushing to maintain the highest standards, telling staff to be vigilant and exercising the utmost attention to detail in case a reviewer passes through.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/food/2017/11/07/thai-chefs-starry-eyed-michelin-guide-bangkok/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-11-07

[Jingthing]

Yes. 

[overherebc]

Michelin Star.

Good excuse to double or triple your prices.

9 times out of 10 you can do the same food at home. Sometimes you might be missing one ingredient but so what.

Some of the best seafood I've ever had was in the local harbour cafes in the south of Italy where the guys who caught the stuff and the locals would eat. Sometimes even the glasses looked clean. ??Lunch time in the factory canteen with, yes with, a glass of local wine or a small beer was first class.

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Michelin Star.

Good excuse to double or triple your prices.

9 times out of 10 you can do the same food at home.

You sir, have never been to a Michelin star restaurant. 

 

Nothing to be ashamed of, just try not to talk too much about them if you have no clue what its all about.

[the guest]

I would say a Thai is more qualified to judge their own food than a foreigner.

[atyclb]

there is a dim sum chain with branches in Thailand. the original restaurant in hk got a Michelin star. the chain here dim sum is quite average and overpriced. can do better in chinatown for much less.

 

per email michelin does not impart or endorse the star for chain franchise branches yet the branches quote it.

Edited November 7, 2017 by atyclb

[overherebc]

36 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

You sir, have never been to a Michelin star restaurant. 

 

Nothing to be ashamed of, just try not to talk too much about them if you have no clue what its all about.

Nice of you to call me Sir. 

For the rest you really couldn't be more wrong.

Food is food. If spending a lot of money on food is one person's choice then I'm happy for them.

I believe one Fish and Chip shop got a star a few years ago. I won't google that for you.

Some people have different 'taste' reactions to different ingredients. I am among the small percentage that have the reaction to make fresh corriander taste like soap, fact, so if a five star restaurant served me dish with it in it would taste bad to me.

I enjoy collar and tie restaurants and can spend a long time enjoying well prepared and served food. 

I just don't see the point in spending 300 quid or more on six or seven works of art on a plate.

If a chef wins a star most likely next step is to open another restaurant in another city or town with new staff new chefs etc etc and charge the same prices as the original restaurant where the star was won because he was there and cooked the meal.

At the end of the day even if if you go back to the original place 'he/she' may not have been there for weeks because he/she is too busy making TV shows.

 

[Bob12345]

24 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Some people have different 'taste' reactions to different ingredients. I am among the small percentage that have the reaction to make fresh corriander taste like soap, fact, so if a five star restaurant served me dish with it in it would taste bad to me.

So because you are among a small percentage of people with strange reactions to certain ingredients Michelin star restaurants are not worth it?

 

And they just make some "works of art" that you can also just do at home if you have the ingredients?

[decca60]

Hi guys,

Let's stay at the initial question level: does Michelin guide mean Farangs can judge thai food?

 

I would say YES because a Thai would be able to judge any  western restaurant. Does it mean this thai is right or wrong? Well just a question of taste, open mind, experience and honesty.....same same as ourselves......

 

 

[Bob12345]

16 minutes ago, decca60 said:

Let's stay at the initial question level: does Michelin guide mean Farangs can judge thai food?

They not only are able to judge Thai food, they can even write about it and publish it in the Michelin guide.

It is a completely different question of most Thais would agree with the outcomes, but frankly that will not be their concern.

[overherebc]

30 minutes ago, decca60 said:

Hi guys,

Let's stay at the initial question level: does Michelin guide mean Farangs can judge thai food?

 

I would say YES because a Thai would be able to judge any  western restaurant. Does it mean this thai is right or wrong? Well just a question of taste, open mind, experience and honesty.....same same as ourselves......

 

 

Would the expat taster, don't like the F word, have an in depth knowledge of the history of the dish? should have in my opinion. He/she would have needed to have travelled extensively in Thailand to be aware of the dishes and their origin. If not they are just judging the food on how it tastes to them, or is that the way it should be? Maybe many Thai people wouldn't like it.

My brother was recently at a wine tasting in France, not a holiday and was amazed when before going to one of the cellars where bottles were stored in the earth at an angle to be asked if his daughter who was with him and his wife was at that time of the month as she wouldn't be allowed in if she was.

Far too many myths and ideas around good food now re' what it should be.

On topic, Thai food should be judged by Thai Chefs.

Edited November 7, 2017 by overherebc

[Jane Dough]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Would the expat taster, don't like the F word, have an in depth knowledge of the history of the dish? should have in my opinion. He/she would have needed to have travelled extensively in Thailand to be aware of the dishes and their origin. If not they are just judging the food on how it tastes to them, or is that the way it should be? Maybe many Thai people wouldn't like it.

My brother was recently at a wine tasting in France, not a holiday and was amazed when before going to one of the cellars where bottles were stored in the earth at an angle to be asked if his daughter who was with him and his wife was at that time of the month as she wouldn't be allowed in if she was.

Far too many myths and ideas around good food now re' what it should be.

On topic, Thai food should be judged by Thai Chefs.

Wasn't The F Word Gordon Ramsey's show...i quite liked it.

[isitworthit]

Funny thing is anyone can judge any food does not matter who you are 

Yes a Thai could judgre the food but what they are after is opinions from others 

so that a honest reflection is given 

[robertthesculptor]

Why not. They just want to support the Best. Of course asking that question shows a local arrogance and lack of understanding of the world outside. 

No shock there

[hansnl]

12 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

You sir, have never been to a Michelin star restaurant. 

 

Nothing to be ashamed of, just try not to talk too much about them if you have no clue what its all about.

Should one be ashamed to never having eaten in a michelin star eatery?

Because that is what any restaurant eventually boils down to, an eatery, a place where food is being served.

In my view, the star thing makes food expensive, maybe a little bit better, and the entourage not even slightly more enticing.

Snobism really is the biggest part, as your comment clearly shows.

[rkidlad]

I don't think 'farangs' should be able to give a professional opinion on Thai food. I don't think 'Mike and the boys' from Pattaya would make good critics of Thai food. 

 

But professional 'foreign' chefs of course can. They're professional. 

 

 

[wotsdermatter]

To all those who do not know about Michelin stars and the process of having them awarded.  Stars are not given just for the food but that is included in the process.  Many other factors are taken into and include such things as ambience, service, presentation, and even the appropriateness of the cutlery and plating of the food.  As for staff being on the lookout for the investigators, most of them are not known and if they are then they may be covering the back of the person doing the real probing.  Having said that, and contradictory to what many believe, no they are not looking for the opinion of other customers.  How do I know all this?  Been there, done that.  Now, retired and trying to enjoy my life without all of the pressures from others.  Incidentally, for those who think they know, Michelin stars are awarded to the restaurant, not the owner nor the chef.  However, the chef usually is regarded as the creator of the dishes and the star(s) are generally seen to belong to that person.

 

'nuf sed.  plamuk aka travellingchef

Edited November 8, 2017 by wotsdermatter
include extra material

[HerbalEd]

14 hours ago, overherebc said:

Nice of you to call me Sir. 

For the rest you really couldn't be more wrong.

Food is food. If spending a lot of money on food is one person's choice then I'm happy for them.

I believe one Fish and Chip shop got a star a few years ago. I won't google that for you.

Some people have different 'taste' reactions to different ingredients. I am among the small percentage that have the reaction to make fresh corriander taste like soap, fact, so if a five star restaurant served me dish with it in it would taste bad to me.

I enjoy collar and tie restaurants and can spend a long time enjoying well prepared and served food. 

I just don't see the point in spending 300 quid or more on six or seven works of art on a plate.

If a chef wins a star most likely next step is to open another restaurant in another city or town with new staff new chefs etc etc and charge the same prices as the original restaurant where the star was won because he was there and cooked the meal.

At the end of the day even if if you go back to the original place 'he/she' may not have been there for weeks because he/she is too busy making TV shows.

 

Food is food??? Sounds like you like anything, no matter how poor the quality. Actually your lucky -- I guess. 

[shaurene]

No. They have their own judges who travel all over the world.

[overherebc]

30 minutes ago, HerbalEd said:

Food is food??? Sounds like you like anything, no matter how poor the quality. Actually your lucky -- I guess. 

Does sound like that. ?? but I am quite picky and spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying new dishes and trying different things with older dishes. Sometimes it goes completely to plan sometimes not, hence I have two overweight dogs. ??

If I'm asked about any particular restaurant anywhere I will only go as far as saying ' I enjoyed it, but, if you try it I have no idea if you will enjoy it'.

Some people enjoy lamb cooked all the way through, almost dry, I like it looking as though a good vet' could get it back on it's feet. 

If we all liked exactly the same thing the world would have one dish and all men would want to marry the same woman.

 

[madusa]

On 11/7/2017 at 8:10 PM, the guest said:

I would say a Thai is more qualified to judge their own food than a foreigner.

It goes without saying.... the same goes with kissing a Thai gf. Ask her how her ex- Thai boyfriend kissed her and that was the right way to do it.