MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The Michelin Guide will be able to return to Moscow if relations between Russia and the EU countries warm up, Sergey Mironov, chairman of the coordinating council of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia, public commissioner for the restaurant business in Moscow, told TASS.
"The issue is related to the general thaw of all relations, because Michelin is a commercial company and it is, in one way or another, subordinate to the position of its state. When this position changes in the state, then they will return," the expert said.
However, the restaurateur noted that today a mid-level restaurant in Moscow surpasses an establishment of the same level in Paris in terms of service and the variety of complex gastronomic dishes on the menu.
"A Moscow restaurant outranks a Parisian one primarily in the level of its dishes. Many restaurants have complex gastronomic dishes, which are not particularly used in Paris. There they are more focused on tourists. The dishes are simple, the menu is short, while in Moscow they are large, good, with multi-component dishes. And for now, we also have better service," the expert said.
Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, expressed hope for the return of Michelin stars to Moscow and noted that in terms of cuisine, Moscow can compete with any country in the world.
The Michelin Gastronomic Guide (Le Guide Michelin) has been published since 1900 and is one of the most influential in the world. To compile it, experts anonymously visit restaurants and cafes and write a detailed report on each of them. On March 4, 2022 Michelin suspended nominating Russian restaurants for its guide amid Russia’s special operation in Ukraine.