Beijing Foodies Weigh in With Their Michelin Predictions
If the weather stays this way, tomorrow night will be starry for more than one reason, with Michelin set to launch its first-ever Beijing guide. Speculation is rife about which restaurants will earn Michelin's coveted stars, especially after the Michelin's Bib Gourmand selections last week arrived with less of a bang than a "huh?", as people questioned some of the restaurants included, as well as some of the ones that weren't (Baoyuan Dumplings over Xian Lao Man? Blasphemy if you ask me).
Ahead of the official announcement, I asked a couple of people from the Beijing food scene to weigh in with their opinions – and also couldn't resist throwing in a few of my own.
Chinese restaurants will lead the pack
"I think the first Michelin guide for Beijing is going to be very heavy on Chinese cuisine and restaurants," says Preston Thomas, president of Chi Fan for Charity and veritable Dazhong Dianping KOL, "You can see from the Bib Gourmand that all the listed restaurants were all different types of Chinese cuisine, with the exception of one Thai restaurant. This is going to be a statement to the world, 'come to Beijing we have great traditional food from all parts of China.'"
Jessie Zhang, founder of F&B branding and communications agency StarGourmet Communications, agrees: "Since Michelin first came to Shanghai in 2016, it's clear that they have adapted and gotten to know the Chinese market better. That being said, I think the Beijing guide will be pretty conservative." For Zhang, Xin Rongji, Horizon (Kerry Hotel, Beijing), and Sheng Yong Xing are all venues to watch.
Hotel restaurants will also be big winners
Speaking of conservative, Zhang, Thomas, and I all agree that hotel restaurants are likely to be awarded stars. "Considering the kind of standards for food and service that Michelin applies to venues, I think restaurants like Mio [Four Seasons, Beijing], Country Kitchen [Rosewood Beijing], and Jing [The Peninsula Beijing] all have a chance of winning," Zhang predicts. Thomas also named Mio, especially considering that the award ceremony is being held at the Four Seasons. Continuing the Italian theme, il Ristorante Niko Romito in the Bulgari Hotel could also be in with a chance.
Look to guides in other cities for clues
While Michelin is generally considered unbiased, it is nevertheless true that restaurants and/or chains that have been awarded stars in one city tend to receive them elsewhere. In Beijing, that means that local favorite Da Dong is almost guaranteed a star, considering two of its branches in Shanghai have been awarded one Michelin star. I would think Cantonese favorite Lei Garden is also in the running, having been awarded stars in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.
Restaurants that have a connection to a chef with Michelin stars in other cities also have a good chance. For example, Opera Bombana's titular chef Umberto Bombana holds two Michelin stars in Shanghai and three in Hong Kong.
What does all of this mean for restaurants?
Catalin Ichim, founder of Transit Restaurant, says that while being awarded a star would be an honor it also creates both challenges and opportunities for restaurants. "Getting a star would make it easier for us to find and keep staff, which as we all know, can be a challenge in Beijing," he says. "It may also make it easier for us to organize things and predict our customer volume, as people tend to book far in advance for Michelin-starred restaurants. We would maybe even be able to stop taking walk-in bookings." Ichim also points out that for Transit to win a star would represent recognition of Sichuan cuisine as a legitimate fine dining option on an international level, something that I think will also ring true for any Peking duck restaurants that are awarded stars.
Not everyone is going to be happy
"It's important to remember that Michelin is primarily a travel guide, its goal is to recommend restaurants to people visiting Beijing," Zhang points out. "As a result, I'm sure that many local diners or media may be surprised by the results." Thomas also commented that many of Beijing's Western restaurants may be left disappointed by this year's guide, although considering TRB Hutong was just named the best fine dining restaurant in the world by TripAdvisor, we anticipate it to make the list.
2019 is Michelin's first year in Beijing and whatever the results might be, it's safe to say that we can expect to see the guide here for many years to come, changing and developing as it goes along as it has in other cities like Shanghai. After all, as Zhang reminds us, "Michelin is really just a reference; if you like a restaurant that doesn't get a star, don't stop going to it but take this as an opportunity to try somewhere new."
READ: The Michelin Guide Just Named its 15 Best Value Beijing Restaurants
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Image: Shutterstock, Xin Rongji, Lei Garden, TRB
