Michelin retires Green Star program
- Michelin said on June 1 it began ending the Green Star and launched “Mindful Voices,” a new editorial platform spanning gastronomy, hotels and wine. - The Green Star began in 2020, and Michelin said the first Mindful Voices step would debut at the Nordic Countries Ceremony in Copenhagen. - Michelin said Mindful Voices will roll out across Europe and then worldwide through 2026 on its guide, app and events.
Michelin has retired the Green Star, its sustainability distinction for restaurants, and replaced it with a new platform called Mindful Voices. The company said the change would begin on June 1 at the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony in Copenhagen. Michelin described Mindful Voices as an editorial initiative rather than a formal award. The move ends a program that had given restaurants a visible environmental badge since 2020. ### When did Michelin say the Green Star was ending? Michelin said in a May 18 announcement that “in parallel, the Green Star, which was limited to gastronomy, will come to an end.” The company said the first step in the new rollout would take place on June 1, 2026, at its Nordic Countries Ceremony. The Michelin Guide’s U.S. and international sites described Mindful Voices as a platform meant to “shine a light” on chefs, hoteliers and wine producers whose work proposes new methods in gastronomy, hospitality and vineyards. (michelin.com) Michelin said the initiative would be introduced first in Europe and then worldwide during 2026. ### What is replacing it? Mindful Voices is not a star. Michelin said it would use the guide, app, social media, print magazine and selected events to profile people it considers influential in sustainability-related practices across food, hotels and wine. Michelin said the new format would begin with gastronomy and later extend into hospitality and wine. (guide.michelin.com) That broadens the scope beyond the Green Star, which Michelin said had been limited to restaurants. ### Why are some chefs and advocates objecting? The Green Star gave restaurants a public symbol that could sit alongside Michelin’s better-known distinctions. (michelin.com) Coverage of the change said some chefs and sustainability advocates want it restored because it offered a clear accolade tied to environmental practices rather than editorial coverage. Some trade and consumer reports said restaurants had used the emblem in marketing and that its removal would leave chefs without a comparable badge to signal sustainability work. UK industry coverage said Michelin had told restaurants in that market the Green Star would be “gradually phased out,” with current holders losing the accolade by the end of 2026. (msn.com) ### How long had the Green Star been in place? The Green Star was launched in 2020 to recognize restaurants that Michelin said were leading the way in sustainable gastronomy. Since then, it had been awarded in various Michelin markets alongside the guide’s annual selections. By 2026, Michelin was characterizing the program in the past tense and steering attention to Mindful Voices. (thecaterer.com) Trade publications in Britain and Europe reported the shift in the days before the June 1 launch. ### What happens next? June 1 is the first public launch date for Mindful Voices, at the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony in Copenhagen. (thestaffcanteen.com) Michelin said the platform would then appear across its digital and print channels and at later events, including the Michelin Guide ceremony for Germany on June 23 in Frankfurt. (restaurant-ranking.com) Michelin said the rollout would continue across Europe before expanding worldwide through 2026. The company said the initial focus would remain on gastronomy before widening to hospitality and wine. (guide.michelin.com) (michelin.com)
