The Michelin Guide has announced that it will be retiring its Green Star, with all 37 Green-starred restaurants across the UK and Ireland set to lose their accolades by the end of the year. The news comes after whispers of uncertainty around the star’s fate, which we now know will be ‘gradually phased out’.
Originally founded in 2020, the Green Star was awarded to restaurants with notable ethical practices, such as the use of renewable energy, sustainable sourcing, and positive working environments. Green Stars were dished out annually, alongside the latest edition of the Michelin Guide, and played a key role in boosting a restaurant’s recognition.
Not all is lost, though - the Green Star is set to be replaced by a shiny new editorial initiative entitled Mindful Voices, which will ‘highlight and share the stories and pioneering practices of chefs, hoteliers and wine producers’.
Why remove the Michelin Green Star?
No official details have been released as to why the Michelin Guide has decided to retire its sustainable award, only that all 37 restaurant that currently hold a star will lose the accolade at the end of the year.
![chef collecting fresh produce from herb garden]()
At Michelin Green-starred Moor Hall, much of the kitchen's produce is grown in their very own five-acre estate, and almost everything is produced in house, from bread to beer.
What is the Michelin Green Star?
The Michelin Green Star was founded to recognise leading restaurants in the hospitality industry for their commitment to sustainable practices. This could include anything from implementing low-waste culinary techniques, such as preservation and nose-to-tail cooking, to using regenerative methods, such as no-dig vegetable gardens and cover crop growing. Beyond the food on the plate, the Green Star also took into account employee wellbeing, charitable projects, and educational initiatives.
Any restaurant could be eligible for a Michelin Green Star, and it did not need to meet any prior criteria. There was no specific formula for awarding the Green Star, with factors such as the use of seasonal produce, environmental footprint, and general waste disposal all playing a role in the verdict.
For a reminder of all the restaurants that currently hold the prestigious sustainability award, check out our complete guide to the Michelin Green Star and don't forget to visit some of our favourites, like Restaurant St Barts and Osip.
What do we know about Mindful Voices?
Set to launch next month at the Michelin Guide Nordics ceremony in Copenhagen, Mindful Voices ‘will give a platform to all those who are rewriting the rules in their respective fields.’ Unlike the Green Star, Mindful Voices is not a formal prize and will not have its own logo.
On the new initiative, International Director of the Michelin Guide, Gwendal Poullennec, said: 'This new framework draws directly from what our inspection teams witness first-hand: encounters and experiences that are transforming how things are done and that deserve to be shared.
'Staying true to its identity and values, the Michelin Guide will amplify and give full resonance to these voices from the worlds of gastronomy, hospitality and wine, so that they can be heard, wherever they may be.'