Have you ever wondered why there are no Michelin Star restaurants in Australia? Is the food really that bad here? And how does the hat rating system work? What is the highest ‘Chef Hat’ rating ever obtained by a restaurant in Australia?
Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Michelin Star restaurants and the Aussie Chef Hat rating system. Let’s tuck in!
What is a Michelin Star Restaurant?
Firstly, what is a Michelin Star restaurant? A Michelin Star is an award that is annually handed out to restaurants for offering their customers exceptional cooking.
There are five universal criteria that are taken into consideration when scoring a restaurant:
- The quality of the ingredients in the dish.
- The harmony of the flavours is present.
- The mastery of the cooking techniques applied.
- The personality of the chef is expressed through their cuisine.
- And of course, consistency across both the menu and over time.
There is absolutely nothing else that goes into the scoring process. The judges do not look at the aesthetic appearance of the restaurant, the layout, the curb appeal – nothing. The Michelin Star system is purely and simply dedicated to the food.
Obviously, it’s fair to say that any restaurant with food exceptional enough to be awarded a Michelin Star will be in a reasonably presentable condition – so we wouldn’t worry too much about that.
Why is there no Michelin Star Restaurants in Australia?
So, why are there no Michelin Star Restaurants in Australia? Is the food really that bad here that we cannot gain recognition enough to receive such a prestigious award?!
Don’t worry! The food in Australia is wonderful. The simplest answer is that the Michelin Guide doesn’t cover Australia yet – unfortunately. They cover a wide variety of countries throughout the world, however, they have yet to make their way down under just yet.
So, what is a restaurant to do when they want to achieve a little critical acclaim in Australia? Is there no one keeping an eye out for these exceptionally gifted chefs?
The good news is that Australia does have a similar system: The Chef Hat Rating system by AGFG.
How does the Hat system work?
And how does the elusive Hat system work?
In order to receive a hat (which is arguably a great honour for a chef and a high point in any restaurant’s history), a restaurant must score at least 15 points out of a possible 20.
Reviewers turn up to a restaurant unannounced, book a table under an assumed name, pay for their own meals, and then closely scrutinise the quality of the food.
How do you score points in the Chef Hat system?
There is a clear scoring system in the Chef Hat handbook and each of the reviewers will work closely from it.
Again, the scores are calculated out of a possible 20.
Food is undoubtedly the most important aspect of a restaurant – which is scored out of 10 points.
Following that, the service is the next important aspect of a dining experience – which is scored out of 5 points.
Next is the overall ambience and vibe (taking into account lighting and noise level) – which is scored out of 3 points.
Finally, the “wow factor” is taken into consideration – which is scored out of 2 points (things like having a stunning view, a prime location, and a vegetable garden score well in this regard).
To recap:
- 10 points for food.
- 5 points for service.
- 3 points for ambience.
- 2 points for “wow factor”.
- 20 points total.
What is the highest Chef Hat rating?
The highest possible Chef Hat rating is 20, however, no restaurant has yet to snatch up the ultimate prize. In fact, many people question whether or not it is even possible!
The Chef Hat system is heavily influenced by the Michelin Star system – however, is widely considered less intense.
Restaurants that score 12 to 13 points are “commended”.
Those who score 14 to 15 points are “worth a stop on the way”.
16 to 17 points are branded “worth a detour”.
And any restaurant that achieves a score of 18 to 19 points is considered “worth a special journey”.
Again, no one has yet to hit 20 – and a score of 19 is very rarely awarded.
What Chef Hat rating is considered good?
The tricky thing when it comes to restaurant rating systems is when you see a restaurant score 12 to 13 points out of a possible 20, it’s easy to make an assumption that the restaurant is clearly not very good. This is definitely not the case.
In fact, any restaurant that scores a 12 or 13 Chef Hat rating can actually be considered as being a high-quality restaurant with decent food and a brilliant ambience.
The 14 to 15 mark is a little more upmarket and noteworthy.
16 to 17 are absolutely worth going out of your way for.
And anything above that is considered to be world-class and a must-have experience.
So, don’t be put off if you find that a restaurant near you “only” scores 12 or 13 points – because that is actually a commendable achievement indeed.
Isn’t a restaurant reviewing process subjective?
You would think that, but this is what separates a Trip Advisor rating compared to a professional Chef Hat review.
It isn’t about what the reviewers like on a personal basis. They don’t judge a restaurant from a biased point of view, but by following a very strict set of parameters.
The judges look for things like:
- How unique is the dish?
- Is it well conceived and executed?
- Are the dishes well-seasoned?
- Has the cooking method done the quality ingredients justice?
- Etc.
Conclusion
To recap:
- There are no Michelin Star Restaurants in Australia because the rating system hasn’t been established in Australia yet.
- The Chef Hat system is Australia’s answer to the Michelin Star system.
- 10 points are awarded for food, 5 for service, 3 for ambience, and 2 for “wow factor”.
- The highest Chef Hat rating is 20 (although it has never been achieved – and 19 is very rare).
- A score of 12 to 13 is respectable and worth a visit.
If you are looking for a fine example of a well-rated chef and catering, Dining Abode has established a solid reputation over the years.
We hope that you have found this article insightful and that you now have a much better understanding of the Chef Hat system.
