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This Country Has the Highest Density of Michelin-Starred Restaurants in the World

Fine dining in Switzerland just got finer | © akruege4/ Pixabay

This year’s Michelin guide has awarded the small Alpine country of Switzerland 14 new Michelin stars, bringing its total to 118 starred restaurants. This means Switzerland has retained its title as the country with the highest density of top-class restaurants, per capita, in the world.

The Michelin rankings, which have been described as the “only guide that counts” for gourmands, announced its latest top-pick restaurants last Friday. After the new additions, Switzerland now has 96 one-star restaurants, 19 two-star spots and three three-star destinations: Basel’s Cheval Blanc, the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier and the Schauenstein in Fürstenau.

Japan, the United States and France continue to lead the world in the number of restaurants that offer a three-star dining experience. But in no other country than Switzerland will you find a higher ratio of Michelin-starred venues to the number of inhabitants.

Even more impressive has been the speed at which Switzerland has acquired its class and dining swagger. In a mere 10 years, the number of Michelin-starred restaurants has increased by a whopping 40 percent.

“The level of Swiss cooking is still particularly high: Switzerland remains the country with the largest number of starred restaurants per inhabitant,” said Michael Ellis, the international director of the Michelin guides.

Meanwhile, chef Frank Giovanni at the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier near Lausanne and Virginie Bassot, head chef at the Loti at Geneva’s La Réserve, were recently named Gault Millau Chef of the year in Switzerland.