When Michelin first established its dining guide back in 1889, it hadn’t set out to become the most well-known dining rating in the world. Rather, it was trying to increase the demand for its tires by compiling a list of restaurants people could get to with the help of a car — and a set of Michelin tires. (If you’re just learning now that the two Michelin brands are related, it’s alright if your mind is blown.)
Today, the who’s-who of the restaurant industry can be determined by one classification: whether or not they have any Michelin stars under their belts. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is known as one of the most famous Michelin Star holders; he’s earned 17 stars throughout his career (stars can come and go, though). The highest-rated Michelin Star chef of all time, however, isn’t Ramsay: it’s the late French chef Joël Robuchon, who earned a whopping 31 Michelin stars during his career. But it turns out the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree — when Ramsay was an up-and-coming chef, he actually trained under Robuchon.
Joël Robuchon mentored Gordon Ramsay
Joël Robuchon, who was born and raised in France, was just 36 when he opened his first restaurant, Jamin. That same year, it earned its first Michelin star, and by its third year in business, it had earned the coveted three-Michelin star rating — the highest possible dining accolade. Although Robuchon announced his retirement when he was 50, he continued opening restaurants globally, including in the United States, with restaurants in Las Vegas, New York City, and Miami. His stars grew as his restaurant portfolio did, totaling to 31 stars at the height of his career.
Of course, working under someone as knowledgeable as Robuchon was an accolade in itself. Gordon Ramsay, who has made a name for himself not only through his restaurants but also through an array of TV shows, learned from the best; Robuchon tutored Ramsay in Paris when Ramsay’s career was just getting started. Robuchon and Ramsay respected one another incredibly, and Ramsay posted a heartfelt tribute to Robuchon after his death from cancer in 2018, calling him “the God Father of Michelin” in a tweet.
Jöel Robuchon once admitted to throwing a plate at Gordon Ramsay
Despite the mutual respect, the two chefs got under one another’s skin during the mentorship. In 2013, Jöel Robuchon said in an interview with The Telegraph that he’s only ever thrown one plate in his career — and it was at Gordon Ramsay. Robuchon said it was “a dish of langoustine ravioli” and that Ramsay’s “arrogant manner” caused Robuchon to lash out; he also called Ramsay “talented” yet “difficult.”
“At the end of every service, he used to fling his pan down on the stove and threaten to resign because I was so demanding … This time, it really got on my nerves and so I threw a plate at him,” Robuchon said.
It’s the only time Robuchon had ever acted out in such a way, but Ramsay’s time with Robuchon clearly helped him develop into the chef he is today. Ramsay has earned 17 total Michelin stars in his career, although he holds seven today, making him the third-highest-earning Michelin star holder of all time.
