Smithsonian Associates Presents “Star Power: Inside the Michelin Guide”
Following the launch of this year’s Michelin Guide, Smithsonian Associates hosts a discussion about the newly selected Washington “stars” Friday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. in the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center. Michael Ellis, Michelin’s international director of the Michelin Guide, discusses the history of the venerable guide and why it is an important part of the culinary world. Then, Washington chefs Aaron Silverman (Pineapple and Pearls and Rose’s Luxury), Jeremiah Langhorne (The Dabney), Eric Ziebold (Metier and Kinship), Jorge Hernandez (Minibar), Erin Clarke (Sfoglina) and Ralf Schlagel (Plume) discuss what Michelin’s presence means to them and the local dining scene with NBC4 Washington’s Eun Yang. Guests enjoy a tasting from each of the chef’s restaurants following the conversation.
Introduced in 1900, the Michelin Guide began as a way for the French tire company to encourage people to take driving trips as the new concept of auto travel emerged. Since then, it has become a powerful arbiter of taste, and when the guide arrived in Washington in 2016, it was widely interpreted as validation of the culinary pedigree of the city. Today, the remarkable foresight of the founding Michelin brothers has given the company a vocation that is as relevant in 2018 as it was in 1900—namely, to make driving, tourism and the search for unforgettable experiences available to all.
Michelin is famously secretive about its process, which involves dispensing anonymous inspectors to cities around the world to gauge the quality of food and service at restaurants in 28 countries. Multiple inspectors dine on separate occasions. They always pay for their own meals, and they evaluate American restaurants according to the same standards they uphold worldwide, judging them on creativity, personality, ingredient quality, value and consistency, among other factors. Of all the restaurants in the United States, just 166 have achieved the coveted Michelin star recognition.
Ticket prices for the Smithsonian Associates’ presentation are $50 for general admission and $35 for members. For information, the public may call (202) 633-3030 or visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
Smithsonian Associates—the largest museum-based education program in the world—produces vibrant educational and cultural programming inspired by the Smithsonian’s research, collections and exhibitions. Each year more than 750 individual programs are presented to spark creativity and excite learning in people of all ages in the Washington, D.C., area and across the country. Smithsonian Associates brings the Smithsonian to life through seminars, performances, lectures, studio arts classes and local and regional study tours, as well as many engaging programs for children, including performances and summer day camps.
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