The Staff Canteen’s top 10 quirky Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels

The Staff Canteen

Here at The Staff Canteen, we attempted to pick out the most quirky, most astonishing, and most mesmerising Michelin-starred restaurants in the world.

A Michelin star is a huge nod to not only a restaurant’s chef, but to its whole staff. To be able to visit one is always a treat, if not a mind-bending experience for your taste buds. But picking which Michelin starred restaurants we would like to visit the most is no easy task. They all promise a superb culinary experience, however, which of these star-studded restaurants go beyond the culinary?

Joia *

Pietro Leemann's Michelin starred Joia

Pietro Leemann's Michelin starred Joia

(http://www.joia.it/)


In the city of fashion, Milan, Joia is dedicated to gourmet vegetarian fine dining. Chef-owner Pietro Leemann made a home for all, as Michelin starred Joia returns to nature and reaps what is given by nature. Healthy eating is paramount at Joia, so your dietary needs will definitely be met.

>>>Related: Eddie Shepherd, freelance vegetarian chef

Le Jardin de Benjamin *


Benjamin Collombat's Michelin starred Le Jardin de Benjamin in 5-star hotel Chateau de Berne
Le Jardin de Benjamin in Chateau de Berne

Located in Chateau de Berne in the southern part of France, right between Marseille and Nice, this 5-star hotel and spa is not only a luxurious holiday destination, but an open vineyard as well. A tour of the estate and winery will get you ready for the amazing gourmet experience in Michelin starred Le Jardin de Benjamin by chef owner Benjamin Collombat.

Azurmendi Restaurant ***

Eneko Atxa's Michelin starred Azurmendi Restaurant
Eneko Atxa's Michelin starred Azurmendi Restaurant


On the northern Spanish coastline, chef owner Eneko Atxa made sure that Azurmendi won’t be your regular Michelin starred restaurant. It’s not a regular restaurant, either. The experience starts in Azurmendi’s green house and vegetable garden, where most of the restaurant’s produce comes from! Throughout the tour, you are served with nibbles and treats, and the way to your table is through the chef’s open kitchen!

>>> Related: Eneko Atxa, Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain

Restaurant Bou *

Tomeu Caldentey's Michelin starred Restaurant Bou
Tomeu Caldentey's Michelin starred Restaurant Bou


In the Mediterranean Sea, chef owner Tomeu Caldentey’s Bou is the first Majorcan restaurant to earn a Michelin star. Here dinner is not just time spent at a table, nor is it any regular restaurant experience. Dinner at Bou is an invitation to head chef Andrés Benítez's kitchen to sit and chat. Be served by the chefs with small nibbles prepared right in front of you. At the table, take a seat with no preconceived ideas – you’re in for a surprise.

Hyotei ***


Eiichi Takahashi’s Michelin starred Hyotei

Eiichi Takahashi’s Michelin starred Hyotei

(http://braisedandconfused.com/)

Aside from serving Eiichi Takahashi’s, 14th generation owner and chef, excellent traditional cuisine, Hyotei is a restaurant that has a 400 year old history. Famous for their tea and light lunches, Michelin starred Hyotei is still serving its signature semi-soft boiled quail eggs, but it manages to stay relevant by infusing the modern with the traditional. Hyotei, surrounded by an old pine forest, is almost like a site locked in a time-capsule in Kyoto, inviting you to step in.

Shoukouwa **


Emmanuel Stroobant’s Michelin starred Shoukouwa
Emmanuel Stroobant’s Michelin starred Shoukouwa

When looking for the greatest sushi experience, chef-owner Emmanuel Stroobant’s Shoukouwa in Singapore is the ultimate expert in the culture of sushi consumption. If you’re lucky, you might be able to snatch one of the eight seats right in front of Michelin-starred chef Masakazu Ishibashi, and see him at work. Using fresh ingredients, imported daily, you will be presented with the best produce and the purest flavours!

Ultraviolet **


Paul Pairet's Michelin starred Ultraviolet photo Scott Wright

Paul Pairet's Michelin starred Ultraviolet photo by Scott Wright of Limelight Studio

Somewhere in Shanghai (literally), Ultraviolet by chef-owner Paul Pairet is a purpose-built restaurant and kitchen, that only seats ten! The immersive dining experience is not just about the exquisite Michelin starred 20-course meal, but it’s about the surroundings as well! The projections on the wall and the background music are all part of the experience that stimulates all your senses and your psyche.

D.O.M. **

Alex Atala's Michelin starred D.O.M. Restaurant

Alex Atala's Michelin starred D.O.M. Restaurant

(http://martinbrouillette.com/blog/)


In the heart of Sao Paulo, two Michelin-starred chef owner Alex Atala revolutionised Brazilian cuisine. D.O.M takes inspiration from the Amazonian territories and uses new and rare ingredients that have not been used in cooking before, such as the aromatic root priprioca and the heart of palm pupunha palmetto. So whoever you are, D.O.M. sure has something exciting to offer.

>>> Related: Alex Atala's D.O.M restaurant retains two stars in the Michelin Guide Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo 2017

Minibar **


José Andrés's Michelin starred Minibar by Ken Wyner

José Andrés's Michelin starred Minibar - photo by Ken Wyner

Now featured in the Michelin Guide Washington 2017, Minibar by multiple restaurant owner and head chef José Andrés in Washington DC serves experimental dishes inspired by art and science. Dining at the Minibar is not only exhilarating for your tastebuds but also for all your other senses. From see-through dishes to smokey spectacles, Minibar certainly earned its stars.

>>>Related: No three star restaurants in the first Michelin Guide Washington but three get two stars

Madrona Manor *


Michelin starred Madrona Manor

Madrona Manor

(www.madronamanor.com/)

This beautiful Californian estate complete with several gardens and a pool has been holding a Michelin star since 2008! The menu is inspired by the garden and local produce, which head chef Jesse Mallgren picks out and cooks on the same day. The fine dining is complete with original cocktails made by the in-house mixologist Pam Bushling. What a way to enjoy California!

Do you agree with our list? What’s your most quirky Michelin star experience?

>>> Keep up with the ever-expanding world of Michelin-starred restaurants here

by Thao Ly Nguyen

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 12th May 2017

The Staff Canteen’s top 10 quirky Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels