如果一位大厨想要获得他人对其菜肴的认可，最好的方法之一就是获得一颗 “Michelin star（米其林星）”。米其林星级是餐厅能够获得的最有名的奖项之一。虽然米其林指南公布了其评分标准，但具体的评审过程和标准依然颇为神秘。本文浅谈米其林星级神秘的餐厅评级制度。

词汇：restaurants 餐厅

1 What do rubber tyres have to do with delicious food? The answer lies in the story of the Michelin brothers. French inventors Edouard and Andre Michelin created the Michelin tyre company in 1889 and transformed the travel industry. A few decades later, they began publishing a guide to highlight food in restaurants worth travelling for, which, of course, they'd need strong Michelin tyres to reach. Nowadays, the coveted Michelin star – an award given to only the world's finest restaurants – is one of the culinary world's highest accolades. But the rating system is somewhat shrouded in mystery.

2 The Michelin Guide itself says their inspectors take into account five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and consistency both across the entire menu and over time. But the inspectors are anonymous, and chefs are always kept in the dark about when they are going to visit. "We're never aware of the inspectors' visit," said Julia Sedefdjian, who became France's youngest Michelin-starred chef at the age of 21. "If they introduce themselves, it's only after they've eaten. And often – very often – they never introduce themselves at all."

3 And how much does the overall ambience of a restaurant play into the ratings? Ideas vary. Chef Maxime Bouttier, who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across France for 15 years, thinks details like white tablecloths and background piano music can help to tick boxes for inspectors. Despite this, Bouttier's own restaurant doesn't have tablecloths, and his clientele listen to '80s rap while dining, yet his restaurant earnt a star less than a year after opening. The Michelin Guide says a Michelin star is awarded for the food on the plate, nothing else, and that the style and degree of formality have no bearing on the award whatsoever.

4 Michelin stars can make or break a chef's culinary career. Earning one gives a chef more recognition, more table bookings and can allow them to raise their prices. But there's also the risk of losing one, and with that comes a lot of pressure.

测验与练习

一、根据文章内容选出正确的段落。

Which paragraph discusses the atmosphere of a restaurant?

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. The Michelin brothers created a restaurant guide and then created a tyre business.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. Michelin stars are given to 300 restaurants per year.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. What makes the Michelin star rating system mysterious?
a. The Michelin Guide doesn't share their scoring criteria.
b. The inspectors don't say when they are going to visit the restaurant.
c. Chefs never find out who the inspectors are.

4. Chef Maxime Bouttier's restaurant has white tablecloths and piano music playing.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. What does 'one' refer to in the following sentence in paragraph 4? Earning one gives a chef more recognition, more table bookings and can allow them to raise their prices.

a. a culinary career
b. a Michelin star
c. a plate of food

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

The Michelin star is a(n) 1) _______ that many chefs desire, but how they are awarded is 2) _______. Inspectors 3) _______ factors such as the quality of ingredients and the mastery of techniques – it has nothing 4) _______ the style or degree of formality of the restaurant. If chefs want recognition for their 5) _______ skills, one way to do that is to earn a Michelin star.

culinary
ambience
take into account
to do with
accolade
mastery
shrouded in mystery

（答案见词汇表后）

词汇表

to do with 和…有关
coveted 令人向往的，梦寐以求的
culinary 烹饪的
accolade 荣誉
shrouded in mystery 笼罩在神秘之中
take (something) into account 考虑、顾及（某事）
harmony 和谐
mastery 精湛
cuisine 烹饪，菜肴
keep (someone) in the dark 对（某人）保密
ambience 环境氛围
play into 影响，对…有作用
tick boxes 打勾，勾选
clientele 顾客群体，客户群体
no bearing 没有影响或意义
make or break 影响…的成败

答案

一、根据文章内容选出正确的段落。

Which paragraph discusses the atmosphere of a restaurant?

Paragraph 3. And how much does the overall ambience of a restaurant play into the ratings?

二 、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. b. False. The Michelin brothers created a tyre business and then created a restaurant guide.

2. c. Not given. How many Michelin stars are given is not mentioned in the article.

3. b. Chefs are always kept in the dark about when they are going to visit.

4. b. False. Bouttier's own restaurant doesn't have tablecloths, and his clientele listen to '80s rap while dining.

5. b. 'One' refers to back to the previous sentence. 'Michelin stars can make or break a chef's culinary career.'

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

The Michelin star is an accolade that many chefs desire, but how they are awarded is shrouded in mystery. Inspectors take into account factors such as the quality of ingredients and the mastery of techniques – it has nothing to do with the style or degree of formality of the restaurant. If chefs want recognition for their culinary skills, one way to do that is to earn a Michelin star.