Gault&Millau’s global head of guides, Marc Esquerré, explains how the guide can make a difference in the UAE
In France, every professional knows about Gault&Millau. It has been operating in a vigorous and professional manner for the past 50 years. The Gault&Millau community is made of epicureans, full of knowledge, who form the best customer base for restaurants. Our approach when visiting restaurants leads to an evaluation and, eventually, a story. That is the foundation of our legitimacy.
Gault&Millau is defined by identifying young talents and bringing them to the forefront. It has been the key to revealing generations of great chefs who are now known worldwide.
These chefs are dedicated to Gault&Millau because they know we share the same goals: To help the F&B industry progress, to help introduce chefs to the public, and to fill up restaurants.
When I was a little boy, I went on holidays with my family and we would discover new regions every year. We would see new landscapes, mountains and, of course, gastronomy. But these trips were just around France. I didn’t know Dubai existed, I had no idea the region had its own recipes, specialities and traditions much older than my own.
In the UAE, as elsewhere in the world, we have a highly trained and high-performing team to put young talent forward, highlight the richness of cuisine and promote the modernisation of inherited traditions.
Gault&Millau changed the way we see a meal in a restaurant. People used to think dining was a hobby but Henri Gault and Christian Millau taught us we choose what, how and where we eat, and the pleasure we find in flavour is a vital necessity.
They were the first to tell us what happens in a restaurant in detail. In every region and every country, Gault&Millau has been looking for the best little bistros and great gastronomic palaces, describing each ones flavours and experiences.
The Gault&Millau evaluation, as well as the review, should help chefs understand whats good and whats not. Improvements can be made to the cuisine, for example, but also to the service or the wine cellar.
There can be various reasons why a restaurant gets its score, but a single poor plate or one-off disappointing visit wont result in a loss of points.
Its also important to understand that, especially for higher grades, a single visit, even if negative, will not result in a loss of toques. The review should serve as an indication, however, that if theres no improvement, in the next guide there will be a definitive loss of points or toques.
In the kitchen, rigorous technique, use of seasonal and more qualitative products, an appearance of an identity and a personality coming out can all be factors. On the service side, motivation and being natural are essential.
The fact that all the establishments are evaluated in the same way, with the same rigour, by well-trained inspectors, is a pledge of reliability and coherence.
Everyone wants to be part of the selection and everyone hopes to progress when it comes to the grade, which is a good thing for the entire profession. Let’s not forget that Gault&Millau’s goal is to encourage people to go to restaurants and that those selected by the guide, whatever their level is, are always full.
The most important is how seriously we take this, and how coherent the reviews are. The discerning eater knows that the Gault&Millau grading is reliable and that a restaurant with two toques, or that scored 13 out of 20, will be at the same standard as another with the same grading. The reader will learn through the review what the strong points, and perhaps the weaknesses, are, and make the decision to visit with full knowledge of what to expect.
What shouldnt be forgotten is the human and communal aspect of Gault&Millau. We have grown alongside the profession in France, there is mutual respect within the industry and trust from the public. It is just the beginning in the UAE.
To learn more about Gault&Millau UAE, click here.
