Chicago Restaurants Earn 'Bib Gourmand' Status in City's First-Ever MICHELIN Guide

CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- On Nov. 17, Michelin will announce the selection for its first-ever MICHELIN Guide Chicago. Today, however, Michelin offers a sneak peek at the first collection of what's in store from MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2011 – the Bib Gourmand selection. The Bib Gourmand designation denotes good cuisine at a reasonable price in a variety of comfort categories. Defined as "Inspectors' Favorites for Good Value," Bib Gourmand restaurants offer two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included), and are often of most value to a city's residents, who regularly dine in neighborhood restaurants.

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Forty-six Chicago-area restaurants have earned Bib Gourmand status. The inspectors in Chicago found an excellent and diverse selection of restaurants meeting the criteria for the Bib Gourmand across the city and in a few of the closer suburbs. Bib Gourmands are spots where residents send their friends and families and represent the diversity and creativity found in the Chicago restaurant scene.

The Bib Gourmand selection represents 20 types of cuisine – from American to pizza, gastropub to Chinese – just to name a few. Introduced in the 1997 editions of the MICHELIN Guides in Europe, Bib Gourmand restaurants are identified in the guide by a red symbol depicting the head of Bibendum, the Michelin Man.

Last night, Michelin commissioned a street team to travel to each Bib Gourmand restaurant in the Chicago guide. The team applied a stencil of the Bib Gourmand symbol to the sidewalk facing each restaurant. The Bibendum outline will remain in place until weather or foot traffic cause it to fade. A selection of images from the Bib Gourmand restaurants can be found at www.facebook.com/MichelinGuides.

Over the past two years, Michelin inspectors have traveled throughout Chicagoland, rating the region's restaurants and hotels. These anonymous, professional inspectors are Michelin employees. They are all American men and women, who eat lunch and dinner in restaurants daily. Michelin inspectors apply the same working methods in all countries, which ensures a uniform, international standard. Inspectors pay all their bills in full, which guarantees an objective experience and report.

A full list of Bib Gourmand restaurants can be found here: www.facebook.com/MichelinGuides.

The Bib Gourmand selection is:

"The Chicago restaurant scene has something for everyone – from deep-dish pizzas to the most advanced molecular gastronomy," said Jean-Luc Naret, director of the MICHELIN Guides. "The city offers a wide range of dining options, at all price points and for all tastes. While starred restaurants get the majority of attention, restaurants in the Bib Gourmand selection are sure to please."

Readers can start enjoying the MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmands in advance of the November 18 on-sale date. The Chicago Bib Gourmand selections can be found online at www.facebook.com/MichelinGuides. Michelin inspectors also share insider secrets via Twitter at @MichelinGuideCH.

With more than one million copies sold in approximately 100 countries, the MICHELIN Guide has always built its success on the diversity of its selection, especially on small establishments offering a high-quality dining experience at an affordable price. Hence, the popularity and importance of the Bib Gourmands, as well as the "Under $25" category.  Inclusion in the MICHELIN Guide is, in itself, synonymous with quality, since only the best establishments in each comfort and price category are featured in the guide. It is the recognized international benchmark for gourmet dining.

The MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2011 goes on sale Thurs., Nov. 18, at $18.99.  

Michelin has done as much to enhance mobility as any company in the world. The company patented the pneumatic, or air-filled, automobile tire in the late 1800s. This was a milestone moment in mobility; it permitted automobile owners to travel at great length in a single journey. Then, in an effort to prompt travelers to enjoy their newfound mobility, the company created guides – and detailed maps – to steer travelers on their way.

Now representing 23 countries and three continents, the collection of 26 MICHELIN Guides includes more than 45,000 addresses. Chicago has joined New York and San Francisco as the only three U.S. cities with current guides.

SOURCE Michelin