‘A cockroach ran across the table’: Michelin guide inspectors recall shocking experiences
It’s certainly food for thought.
Michelin inspectors have revealed how shocking accidents can happen even in gourmet restaurants, from cockroaches running across tables to sitting at a table with mannequins.
The stories surfaced in a blog post on the Michelin Guide’s website after it asked some of its inspectors to “some of their weird on-the-job moments that left them wondering, “what just happened?”‘
Birthday cake for one
A Michelin inspector recalled a solo visit to a restaurant where waiters surprised them with the wrong birthday cake, leading to much embarrassment.
A Michelin inspector recalled wanting to “sink through the floor” when the waiter accidentally brought a birthday cake, leading fellow diners to believe the inspector was only celebrating with a tasting menu
The diner received a particularly warm welcome upon checking into the establishment, where the staff were unaware they were being criticized.
The diner “wasn’t much use for best wishes” until the birthday cake dessert arrived, making them want to “sink through the floor.”
“The restaurant was small, and the tables turned and raised glasses,” they told the Michelin Guide website.
“I immediately realized that everyone in that room thought I was alone on my birthday, celebrating with a tasting menu. I wanted to fall through the floor.’
Side of cockroach
A restaurant demanded that a Michelin inspector pay full price for their meal despite a cockroach scurrying across the table when the entree arrived
An undercover Michelin inspector revealed that he was confronted with an unwanted side dish – a cockroach, which scurried across their table when the first course arrived.
Put off by the debacle, the restaurant decided to leave and canceled the rest of their order.
But they said staff were “very nonchalant,” arguing that the cockroach must have come in through the door when the inspector arrived. In addition, the inspector was expected to pay full price.
“The worst part was that I was on my way to the airport right after that meal, so I had to endure the entire flight desperate for a shower,” she added.
Working remotely
An inspector told a twisted story about being forced to back up a narrow mountain road after a landslide blocked access to the restaurant that was lined up for inspection
In a twisted story, a Michelin inspector said they were afraid of “falling off a mountain” trying to find a remote restaurant.
The would-be restaurant recalled driving a rented station wagon down a “very windy mountain road with a straight slope and no guardrail” only to discover after 1.5 miles (2.5 km) that their route had been blocked by a rockslide.
Because they had no room to turn around, they had to drive back ‘in reverse’.
“All I could think about was falling off the side of this mountain, and… [people] no idea where to find me,” they told the Michelin Guide.
Model dinners
An inspector said he was with mannequins during the lockdown
During the pandemic, a restaurant decided to place mannequins at empty tables to prevent diners from feeling lonely while adhering to social distancing rules.
The Michelin inspector said they had ‘no objection’ to the creative approach until they sat at a table next to two mannequins for company.
“Letting me sit at the table with them only made me stand out more and made me feel like the butt of a joke,” they told the Michelin Guide.
And the embarrassment didn’t stop there. The inspector revealed that he normally “orders more than the average single eats.” And the server tried to “gently suggest” that the anonymous inspector had “overordered.”
I gestured to my table mates and said, “Well, this order is for three people.” They didn’t enjoy my joke,” the restaurant added.
The champagne bath
A Michelin inspector said they were given no apology after being doused in champagne when the waiter knocked over their fizzy whistle
A Michelin inspector revealed how shocking staff behavior occurs even in the very best restaurants.
They recalled ordering a glass of champagne from an “announced Three Star,” which the server then patted on their laps.
He cursed, set the glass upright and handed me a new napkin. That was it,” the restaurant told the Michelin Guide.
They described further chaos as “no one refilled the wine, removed the empty flute, or even apologized that I would eat with soaked pants” for two hours.
“And yet I was still impressed with the cooking,” they added.
The inspector joked how it taught them “early” in their careers how “food really is the Michelin Guide’s only criterion.”
Visit The Michelin Guide read the original version. Visit for Michelin recommended hotels and restaurants www.viamichelin.co.uk. All illustrations by Cathy Mayer/@cthartica. Visit www.cathymayer.com.