In a surprising study of restaurants that earn Michelin stars, it turns out that many of them close their doors soon after earning the prestigious award. Call it the curse of the Michelin star. As told by the Economist:

Daniel Sands of University College London’s school of management tracked the fortunes of restaurants that opened in New York in 2000-14 and received a starred review in the New York Times. Of this promising group, establishments which went on to get a Michelin star were more likely to close down in the years that followed than those which did not. The relationship remained even when factors such as location, price, and type of cuisine were taken into account. All told, 40% of restaurants awarded Michelin stars in 2005-14 had closed by the end of 2019.

A Michelin star boosts publicity: the study found that Google search intensity rose by over a third for newly starred restaurants. But that fame comes at a price. First, the restaurants’ customers change. Being in the limelight raises diners’ expectations and brings in tourists from farther away. Meeting guests’ greater demands piles on new costs. Second, the award puts a star-shaped target on the restaurants’ back. Businesses they deal with, such as ingredient suppliers and landlords, use the opportunity to charge more. Chefs, too, want their salaries to reflect the accolade and are more likely to be poached by competitors.

I guess there is no pot of gold on the other side of the Michelin star rainbow. But seriously, you finally fulfill the law of excellence and things gets worse? That’s definitely not how it’s supposed to work. Or that’s certainly not what we mere plebes tend to think will happen when all our dreams come true.

For restaurateurs who are in it for the glory, Michelin’s top award will probably remain too enticing not to pursue. But for those who simply want to stay in business, it may be safer to not quite cut the mustard.

Possible Preaching Angles:

This story could be used to illustrate several ideas: 1) The temporary nature of success (Jam. 4:13-15); 2) The dangers of pride (Prov. 16:18); 3) The importance of focus and priorities (Matt. 6:33, Luke 10:41-42); 4) The danger of materialism (1 Tim. 6:9-10).