How is a Michelin “Green Star” different from a regular Michelin star?

As the concept of &ldquo;green living&rdquo; becomes a measure of civilisation, cuisine also enters its own rebirth. At the dining table today, people not only look for deliciousness, but also ask where this dish comes from, and what it leaves behind after leaving the table.
Michelin, since 2020, has chosen to respond with the &ldquo;Green Star&rdquo; symbol. Far from adding to the already prestigious ranking, this star reminds us that sophistication and responsibility, passion and ethics can always coexist on the same plate.
Michelin Green Star restaurants demonstrate a commitment to the environment through their ingredient selection and kitchen management, leading the industry with innovative operating models that move towards a more sustainable future. Here are five restaurants that do a great job of balancing culinary and social responsibility.
Evaluation criteria: include using local and organic ingredients, promoting regenerative agriculture, operating on a plastic-free or zero-waste model, and engaging in community development and environmental education activities.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Hudson Valley

In upstate New York, amid dewy fields and converted barns, Dan Barber tells the story of the land through food. Barber works with farmers, cultivating wheat varieties he believes can restore the true flavour of flour. The menu changes with the seasons, the climate, and what the land has to offer.
The most famous dish here is the Long Island black eel, caught the day and lightly grilled with organic vegetables. It feels like Barber doesn&rsquo;t want to &ldquo;process&rdquo; it too much, just gently cherish the flavours that are alive in the ingredients. Enjoying a meal at Blue Hill is like being invited to sit down by the fields, then listening to the farmers talk about the land slowly and with love.

Atelier Crenn, San Francisco

Everything at Atelier Crenn is held in the light of art and philosophy, from the knife strokes and the napkin folds to the decision by restaurant owner Dominique Crenn to completely remove animal meat from the menu in 2018. It was a decision that implied that luxury is not about the rarity of the ingredients but rather about the vision and kindness in the cooking.
Crenn&rsquo;s vegan foie gras is so delicious that diners forget there&rsquo;s any animal in it. Rather than copying foie gras, Crenn uses plants to question the concept of &ldquo;deliciousness.&rdquo; Eating it feels like witnessing another side of beauty, a subtlety that&rsquo;s compassionate.

Nolla, Helsinki

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;Nolla&rdquo; means &ldquo;zero&rdquo; in Finnish, and the restaurant operates on a zero-waste, zero-waste basis. Everything is considered, from portioning, water filtration, to the grinding of organic waste into fertiliser for the farm that feeds the restaurant.
Fermented vegetables are the soul of Nolla. Local radishes, cabbages, and carrots are fermented in glass jars, letting time and microorganisms do the rest. When opened, the light sour aroma blends with the smell of damp soil, as if bringing the summer stored over winter back to the table. The vegetables are crispy, the taste is so fresh that we feel the deliciousness comes from the ability to retain the most fragile thing - life.

Shanhai Lou, Taipei

In the heart of bustling Taipei, Shanhai Lou recreates the memories of a cuisine that was lost in the whirlwind of modernisation. The kitchen operates seasonally, uses only local ingredients, and produces virtually no waste.
The fragrant boiled chicken is a valuable lesson in patience and understanding of ingredients. The organic chicken is raised on a small farm in the suburbs, the meat is firm, the skin is thin and just the right amount of fatty. When boiled, the fat melts lightly like a layer of wax, blending into the meat, sweet but not greasy. The dipping sauce is handmade, consisting only of coarse salt, fresh ginger and a little rice wine. A dish that uses only subtlety to tell the story of the land, of the wind and of how Taiwanese people respect food.

Yangming Spring, Taipei

Nestled in the city&rsquo;s rare green space, Yangming Spring is likened to a tranquil Zen garden. Healthy eating, green living, and sustainable development are present in the restaurant&rsquo;s seasonal vegetable selection, limited imports, and table settings using recycled materials and natural light.
Wild mushroom and truffle risotto is the dish that defines the flavour of Yangming Spring. The light scent of truffles does not overpower but supports the sweetness of wild mushrooms. Taiwanese organic rice is cooked in vegetable broth, soft but not sticky, soft but still retains the grain structure. Each spoonful of rice is a layer of fragrance, with hints of earth, rain and dry wood, and can only be created when nature and man come together.
The five restaurants mentioned above are opening up a new model of operation for the culinary industry, where profit is not opposed to ethics, and sustainability is not an advertising slogan. In these kitchens, meals return to their essence, people are grateful for the land, and relearn to live kindly with each small bite.

Michelin Green Star and the Rise of Sustainable Cuisine

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