Michelin retires Green Star system

Michelin is ending the Green Star, the sustainability distinction it introduced in 2020 for restaurants with strong environmental practices, according to Michelin Guide reporting and trade publications published on May 19. The company is replacing the award with “Mindful Voices,” a new editorial platform that will profile chefs, hoteliers and wine producers rather than confer a formal accolade. Michelin’s own website now promotes Mindful Voices as a new initiative, while industry reports say the Green Star is being withdrawn from guide selections. The change closes a six-year run for one of Michelin’s most visible sustainability markers. Sur in English reported that Spain had 59 Green Star restaurants in 2026 when the decision was announced. In Great Britain and Ireland, 37 restaurants currently hold the distinction and will lose it at the end of this year under a phaseout described by Michelin, according to The Caterer. (guide.michelin.com) ### What exactly is Michelin ending? The Green Star was a formal Michelin recognition for restaurants that the guide said were “pioneering sustainable practices” across sourcing, waste, energy use and operations. Michelin launched it in 2020 and added new recipients alongside annual guide ceremonies in multiple markets. (thecaterer.com) Michelin said the distinction had been “limited to the culinary arts,” according to The Staff Canteen’s report on the company announcement. That report said the Green Star will be replaced by a broader initiative that can cover hospitality and wine as well as restaurants. ### What is replacing it? Mindful Voices is the replacement Michelin has named. (thecaterer.com) Michelin’s official Guide site says the platform is intended to “amplify the commitment of inspirational chefs, hoteliers and wine producers,” extending beyond gastronomy into hospitality and vineyards. Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said Mindful Voices would “give a platform to all those who are rewriting the rules in their respective fields,” according to trade reports quoting Michelin’s statement. (thestaffcanteen.com) Unlike the Green Star, Mindful Voices will not be a formal badge, icon or logo attached to restaurants. (guide.michelin.com) ### Why does the distinction matter to restaurants? Restaurants used the Green Star as a public signal of work that often sat outside the core star system. The Staff Canteen quoted James Sherwin of Wild Shropshire, a 2025 recipient, saying the award was “industry recognition” for efforts to reduce environmental impact. Cecily Fearnley of Homestead Kitchen said the distinction recognized values including community, care for land and respect for producers. (thecaterer.com) Michelin had continued awarding Green Stars as recently as May 6 in Quebec, where its North America media site announced three new Green Stars in the 2026 selection. That timing underscores how abruptly the global change has landed across guide markets. ### How is Michelin rolling out the new system? The new platform is scheduled to start on June 1, according to The Staff Canteen, beginning at the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries ceremony in Copenhagen. (thestaffcanteen.com) Michelin said the initiative would then continue across Europe and worldwide during 2026 through its website, app, social media and magazine features. (michelinmedia.com) Michelin’s current Guide site already features Mindful Voices in its “What’s New” section, signaling that the editorial shift is underway. The next concrete milestone is the June 1 Nordic launch in Copenhagen, where Michelin is expected to begin presenting Mindful Voices instead of adding new Green Stars. (guide.michelin.com) (thestaffcanteen.com)