November 10th 2011 – Michelin today unveiled its second edition MICHELIN guide Chicago, showcasing the finest restaurants and hotels in the city. The MICHELIN guide Chicago 2012 offers a selection of 432 restaurants – 21 earning stars – and represents 45 types of cuisine. The guide goes on sale Wednesday, Nov. 16 at $18.99 in area bookstores and online outlets.

On Nov. 9, Michelin announced the list of 56 Bib Gourmand restaurants in the Chicago selection. Bib Gourmands are restaurants which serve two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (excluding tax and gratuity). Fifty-six Chicago restaurants earned the Bib Gourmand designation. Bib Gourmand restaurants are identified in the guide by a red symbol depicting the head of Bibendum, the Michelin Man. The full list of stars and Bib Gourmands follows.

In this edition, Alinea maintained its three star rating, a global recognition of exceptional dining; only 101 restaurants worldwide currently hold three Michelin stars. Two restaurants earned two stars: Charlie Trotter’s and Ria. Eighteen restaurants earned a single star. The full list of star recipients follows.

The star ratings are as follows:

• One star indicates “a very good restaurant in its category,” a place offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard.
• Two stars (n) denote “excellent cooking, worth a detour,” skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality.
• Three stars reward “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” One always eats extremely well here, often superbly. Distinctive dishes are precisely executed, using superlative ingredients.

Starred restaurants and Bib Gourmands are only two of the multiple categories within the MICHELIN guide Chicago 2012. Others include the popular “Under $25” category, restaurants that serve brunch and those that stay open for late dining. In addition, restaurants with notable wine, sake and cocktail lists feature symbols for easy reference.

Michelin has done as much to enhance mobility as any company in the world. The company patented the pneumatic, or air-filled, automobile tire in the late 1800s. This was a milestone moment in mobility; it permitted automobile owners to travel at great length in a single journey. Then, in an effort to prompt travelers to enjoy their newfound mobility, the company created guides – and detailed maps – to steer travelers on their way. More than 1 million copies are sold each year.

Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently worldwide, the MICHELIN guide has become an international benchmark in gourmet dining. Twenty-seven MICHELIN guides cover 23 countries and three continents, and feature more than 45,000 addresses. The selection is made by anonymous, professional inspectors who are Michelin employees. Inspectors pay all their bills in full. To find out more about the MICHELIN guide inspectors and the history of the MICHELIN guide, visit www.michelinguide.com.

Michelin inspectors also share insider secrets on Twitter at @MichelinGuideCH.

Michelin Guide Chicago 2012 – The Bib Gourmands Selection

On Nov. 15, Michelin will announce the selection for its second edition of the MICHELIN Guide Chicago. Today, however, Michelin offers a sneak peek at the first collection of what’s in store from the MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2012 – the Bib Gourmand selection. Bib Gourmand selections are restaurants serving two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included). The MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2012 goes on sale Wednesday, Nov. 16, at $18.99.

56 Chicago-area restaurants have earned Bib Gourmand status in the latest edition of the MICHELIN Guide. The inspectors in Chicago found an excellent and diverse selection of restaurants meeting the criteria for the Bib Gourmand across the city and in a few of the closer suburbs.

The Bib Gourmand selection represents 21 types of cuisine – including Afghan, Barbecue, Mexican to Vegetarian – just to name a few. Introduced in the 1997 editions of the MICHELIN Guides in Europe, Bib Gourmand restaurants are identified in the guide by a red symbol depicting the head of Bibendum, the Michelin Man.

Michelin’s anonymous, professional inspectors are Michelin employees. They are all American men and women, who eat lunch and dinner in restaurants daily. Michelin inspectors apply the same working methods in all countries, which ensures a uniform, international standard. Inspectors pay all their bills in full, which guarantees an objective experience and report.

The Bib Gourmand selection for 2012 is:
(* denotes new selection for 2012)

Readers can start enjoying the MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmands in advance of the November 16 on-sale date. The Chicago Bib Gourmand selections can be found online at www.michelinguide.com Michelin inspectors also share insider secrets via Twitter at @MichelinGuideCH.

Enhancing mobility is not only the mission of the Michelin Group but also of the MICHELIN Guide, which was created to assist travelers – and motorists in particular – by making their journeys more enjoyable. Now representing 23 countries and three continents, the collection of 27 MICHELIN Guides includes more than 45,000 addresses. In North America, MICHELIN Guides are available for New York City, Chicago, and the San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country. For more information, visit www.michelinguide.com.

Michelin has done as much to enhance mobility as any company in the world. The company patented the pneumatic, or air-filled, automobile tire in the late 1800s. This was a milestone moment in mobility; it permitted automobile owners to travel at great length in a single journey. Then, in an effort to prompt travelers to enjoy their newfound mobility, the company created guides – and detailed maps – to steer travelers on their way.

Michelin Media Department, tel.: + 33 1 45 66 22 22