Gastronomy The world-famous Michelin guide unveiled its 2026 list of the best French restaurants at a ceremony on Monday evening, hailing 62 newly starred chefs. Les Morainières, in Savoie, was the only restaurant to win a third star this year. Michael Arnoult (R), chef at La Morainieres restaurant, poses with his wife Ingrid (L) after receiving his third star during the 2026 Michelin Guide award winners ceremony in Monaco on 16 March 2026. Advertising Read more After a rustic-style ceremony in the eastern city of Metz last year, the Michelin Guide changed course by relocating its grand event to the opulent setting of Monaco, which boasts an unparalleled density of starred restaurants – eight in just two square kilometres. The 2026 France and Monaco edition recommended a record 668 starred restaurants, 14 more than last year. Much of the attention was focused on chef Michaël Arnoult, who joined the very exclusive circle of 31 restaurants with three Michelin stars. "Luxury is about consuming what grows locally," Arnoult said of his restaurant Les Morainiéres, in the village of Jongieux, which he opened in 2005 with his wife Ingrid. Macron wants France’s bistros listed on Unesco heritage list Savoie 'savoir-faire' The Michelin Guide said the restaurant's dishes reflected "a deep connection to Savoie and its artisans." "It's a very discreet restaurant, located in a wine-growing region, in an area already renowned for its gastronomy but somewhat removed from the main tourist areas," Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, told French news agency AFP. "Ultimately, it's a restaurant that perfectly embodies the guide's vision and mission: to highlight talent wherever it may be found, regardless of any kind of fame," he continued. French chef Pierre Gagnaire in 2016 © AFP/François Guillot The 2026 vintage also honored seven new double-starred restaurants "for their strong territorial connection, with local products at the heart of their dishes". Two of the second stars went to restaurants which only opened in the past couple of years, notably Arbane in Reims, and Parisian restaurant Hakuba. In total, Michelin now lists 84 restaurants with two stars. The 2026 rankings awarded a first star to 54 establishments, including 30 that were not previously recommended by Michelin, a sign, according to the guide, of "great momentum on the culinary scene." Michelin Guide celebrates 'resilient' French cuisine, but wants more women Mentor chef award Among the restaurants awarded their first star was Auffo, nestled in the heart of Marseille and run by Coline Faulquier, a former Top Chef TV show finalist and one of the rare female chefs distinguished by Michelin. Ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony, the guide announced several downgrades last week, including the loss of a third star for L'Ambroisie in Paris. At the same time, 17 restaurants lost their single star. The 2026 ceremony also paid tribute to one of the giants of French cuisine, Pierre Gagnaire, who was awarded the Michelin Mentor Chef Award for his career "marked by audacity, exacting standards, and a resolutely personal vision of gastronomy." Awarded three stars for the first time in 1993, the 75-year-old chef has launched renowned restaurants in Paris, Shanghai, London, and Dubai, and continues to train a generation of chefs. Gwendal Poullennec believes that France could take advantage of its dual status as a "historical tourist market" and a stronghold of global gastronomy, especially in a context of declining tourism due to the war in the Middle East. France has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world – 654 – along with Japan. Created in 1900 by brothers André and Édouard Michelin for motorists, the Michelin guide, now covers more than 50 destinations. (with AFP) Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe