Abhilasha MishraFounder, Business Escapades · Host @Business Escapades

I time travelled to 1900 to meet the man who invented Michelin Star

19 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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1:01

In this short, conversational reenactment, the narrator meets a dramatized André Michelin in 1900 France. André explains that his tire company needs people to drive more miles, because tire sales depend on mileage. To encourage long drives, he creates a restaurant guide that rates eateries based on how far a driver should be willing to travel: one star for a worthwhile stop, two stars for a detour, and three stars for a special journey. The narrator highlights how this mileage‑based rating system turned the tiny red book into a feared culinary authority, with chefs obsessing over stars and diners seeking them, all serving the hidden purpose of selling more tires. The piece blends humor with historical insight, questioning whether André was an evil genius or simply clever.

Okay, so I'm in France, 1900, and this is André. André makes tires. André, you make tires, so why are you writing a restaurant guide?
Because nobody drives anywhere, Madame, and tires only sell when people drive.
Okay, follow this. He needs people racking up miles, because miles wear out tires, and people only drive far if there's somewhere worth driving to. And the single best reason to drive for hours? An incredible meal. Smart, smart, smart. So he starts rating restaurants. And get this, the ratings are measured in how far it's worth driving. 1 star, worth a stop. 2 stars, worth a detour. 3 stars, worth a special journey. A tire company rating food in mileage. And this little red book, it becomes the most feared award on earth. Chefs cry over it. Grown men beg to be taken out of it. All so Andre can sell more rubber. I don't know, guys, evil genius or just genius?