Michelin retires Green Star scheme

Michelin said on May 19 it will retire the Green Star, ending the sustainability distinction it introduced in 2020 for restaurants with notable environmental practices. The company said the change will accompany the launch of “Mindful Voices,” a new editorial platform that will cover chefs, hoteliers and wine producers rather than operate as a formal award. Michelin’s website says the new initiative reflects a push beyond gastronomy into hospitality and vineyards. Industry reports said the Green Star will be phased out after six years. ### When did Michelin create the Green Star, and what did it recognize? The Green Star was launched in 2020 as a Michelin distinction for restaurants “at the forefront” of responsible practices, including efforts to reduce environmental impact, according to Michelin Guide materials and industry coverage. Michelin had awarded new Green Stars alongside annual guide editions in multiple markets. (thecaterer.com) Michelin’s Green Star pages still describe the program as a way to spotlight restaurants with a strong connection to the environment. Archived and still-live Michelin Guide pages show Green Star features and community stories remained online as of May 2026. ### What exactly is Michelin replacing it with? (thecaterer.com) Mindful Voices is an editorial initiative, not a rating or badge, Michelin and trade publications said. The Caterer reported Michelin said the Green Star would be “gradually phased out,” while Mindful Voices would “highlight and share the stories and pioneering practices of chefs, hoteliers and wine producers.” Michelin’s homepage says the platform is intended to “amplify the commitment of inspirational chefs, hoteliers and wine producers.” (guide.michelin.com) Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in comments carried by The Caterer that Mindful Voices would give “a platform to all those who are rewriting the rules in their respective fields.” He said the framework came from what Michelin’s inspection teams were seeing “first-hand” across gastronomy, hospitality and wine. (thecaterer.com) ### Which restaurants are affected first? Great Britain and Ireland are the clearest confirmed market so far. The Caterer reported that 37 Green Star restaurants there will lose the accolade at the end of this year as the phaseout takes effect. Michelin had announced seven new Green Stars for Great Britain and Ireland in its 2026 guide only a few months earlier, bringing that market’s total to 37. (thecaterer.com) Restaurant Online reported on May 19 that Michelin was retiring its Green Star sustainability awards system after six years. Other trade outlets in Europe reported the same timetable and the same replacement initiative. ### Why is Michelin making the change now? Le Monde reported on May 19 that Michelin is reshaping the guide as it expands its scope of expertise and geographic reach in response to competition from digital platforms. (thecaterer.com) Michelin’s own site now presents the guide as a restaurants-and-hotels platform, with hotel bookings, Michelin Keys and travel content featured prominently alongside restaurant selections. (restaurantonline.co.uk) Michelin has also been expanding geographically. In the United States, Michelin announced the American Great Lakes guide in April and a Southwest ceremony in Las Vegas for August. Michelin’s North America media site also shows continued guide rollouts and ceremony announcements across regions. ### What happens next, and where will the transition be visible? (lemonde.fr) June 1 is the next dated milestone. The Caterer said Mindful Voices is set to launch next month at the Michelin Guide Nordics ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark. Michelin’s homepage already promotes the new platform in its “What’s New” section, signaling that the transition is underway on Michelin’s owned channels. (michelinmedia.com) August 26 is another upcoming Michelin date in the United States, when Las Vegas will host the inaugural Michelin Guide Southwest ceremony, according to Michelin North America. That event will be one of the next major public tests of how Michelin presents its broadened restaurants-hotels-and-editorial strategy after retiring the Green Star. (michelinmedia.com) (thecaterer.com)