The rise of Michelin Green Stars: Fine dining that doesn’t cost the Earth

Any high-end dining experience should involve the finest ingredients prepared with masterful skill and immaculately presented, but the world’s top chefs are also increasingly equating quality with sustainability. Leila Lamnaouer caught up with four Michelin Green Star restaurants, pushing the boundaries of menu innovation by putting planet before plate 

The late great Joël Robuchon famously earned 31, Alain Ducasse has 21, and Gordon Ramsay counts a very respectable 17. Michelin Stars have long been the benchmark for excellence in the fine dining world. Attaining one requires technical mastery, innovative menus, painstaking attention to detail and can propel a chef’s career into the stratosphere – and keep tables fully booked for months ahead. 

However, environmental responsibility, such as reducing waste and using seasonal produce, is increasingly being recognised as an essential element of the haute cuisine experience.

Recognising this growing movement, in 2020, Michelin Guide launched the ‘Green Star’, an annual award recognising restaurants that integrate sustainable practices with culinary excellence. According to the guide, inspectors assess ‘the use of seasonal produce, the restaurant’s environmental footprint, food waste systems, general waste disposal and recycling, resource management and communication between the team and guests about the restaurant's sustainable approach’.

Any restaurant can apply, and the Green Star is a separate award that can be earned alongside other Michelin Guide accolades, such as a Bib Gourmand or a Red Star. There are currently 291 establishments with a Michelin Green Star around the world, spread across the United States, United Arab Emirates, Asia, Central America and Europe.