Four years ago, chef Dani García shook the foundations of the restaurant industry by deciding to close his three-Michelin-starred restaurant. For many, that was the highest recognition in the culinary world, but for García, it represented a burden that anchored him to a terrain where he no longer wanted to be. Even today, he is asked about that decision, and he, true to his intuition, remains firm: "Perhaps in a few years," he explains at the new Leña restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Barcelona, "I will make a list of the reasons that led me to abandon haute cuisine."
Many years earlier, chef Francesc Fortí also broke with the red guide, ending a pressure he did not consider legitimate. After the publication withdrew one of his stars, he decided to reject the other. That story, that of the Racó d'en Binu restaurant, has found new life in the documentary Binu, historia de dos estrellas (Binu, story of two stars), which now returns to cinemas to show a gastronomic struggle that continues to resonate today.
Fortí is not alone in this battle against expectations. Mythical figures like Joël Robuchon, considered the chef of the century, already raised their voices against the pressure of the stars. In 1996, he declared that such a pace was too exhausting to sustain. Twenty years later, Sébastien Bras withdrew Le Suquet from the guide, prioritizing personal freedom. And inevitably, the tragic end of Bernard Loiseau comes to mind, which many associate with the anguish of meeting unattainable standards.
In Barcelona, these days, the debate about the power of the stars is more alive than ever. Two great restaurants, Moments and Xerta, have each lost one. In the case of Moments, Raül Balam has shared a deeply emotional statement that has resonated among renowned chefs, who are more aware than anyone of what this change can mean for a team. Restaurants like Nairod and Baló, the latter recognized for its exceptional midday menu, have also lost the Bib Gourmand distinction.
It is not, however, about questioning the guide's decisions, but about understanding the profound meaning they entail and the impact they can have, not only on the business but also on the soul of a restaurant. It can even be recognized, inspired by the thought of Jacques Derrida, that absence can also carry its own value. In this sense, not having a star can become as or even more relevant than possessing one.
The reflection is not limited to the red queen. Other rankings, such as The World's 50 Best Restaurants, also raise uncomfortable questions about what it means to be the best. For example, can the second best restaurant in the world be a place only accessible by private reservation? Is that title compatible with an average ticket of 500 euros? And even more, for whom is that best price intended?
In the debate, a key question arises: perhaps the problem is not the stars, but the weight we have given themOn the other hand, the proliferation of awards does not stop at haute cuisine; it extends to categories and medals for pizzas, croissants, panettones, nougats…Any product can become a headline simply by adding the label of best.But what value do these distinctions have if, too often, they are subject to criteria that we don't even know? Who really wins with this? SEO and Google? Thepanettone? Or us, as readers and diners?
This incessant parade of recognitions also leads us to reflect on our obsession with classifying and scoring everything. As in an episode of Black Mirror, we could end up in a world where the reflection of others defines us to the point of erasing us. Then a key question arises: perhaps the problem is not the stars, but the weight we have given them. When the light becomes blinding, it is time to ask ourselves if it is more valuable to shine or to be free.
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