The 2008 guide marks the third year the Michelin Guide has rated restaurants in New York, and second year in San Francisco, after more than a century of critiquing only European establishments.
Ramsay’s year-old restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at The London, won praise for “consistency in cuisine and service,” said Michelin Guide director Jean-Luc Naret .
“Gordon Ramsay deserved two stars, not because of his name and TV fame, but because of the consistency of the multiple visits by inspectors throughout the year,” Naret said.
British chef Ramsay gained renown with his television series Hell’s Kitchen and his frequent use of the f-word. His midtown Manhattan restaurant is styled on his flagship restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the only London restaurant given top marks of three stars by the Michelin guide.
The 2008 guide praised Ramsay’s $120, seven-course Menu Prestige, saying, “You’ll find yourself sampling everything from velvety foie gras and striped bass with caviar veloute to a fluffy apricot soufflè.”
One star means “a very good restaurant in its category.” Two stars signify “excellent cuisine, worth a detour” and three stars tout “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
The stars weren’t aligned for another high-profiled chef.
Colicchio, who is perhaps best known as the head judge of Top Chef, lost his one-star rating at Craft. “It doesn’t mean that the chef has less talent. It’s just that the consistency was not there,” Naret said.