Two Basque French restaurants enter list of establishments awarded Michelin stars

The famous culinary guide's list of top 100 favours the Basque country, though with some reticence from the resident chefs.

Auberge Basque Iparralde: Photo: EFE

The Michelin Guide, the prestigious guide to exceptional restaurants, has published its 100th edition on restaurants in France. The new list of top restaurants was read by François Mespléde, director of the guides, in Le Bristol restaurant ran by Eric Fréchon.

Surprisingly, the chef of one of the list's newest additions, the Auberge Basque in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, was somewhat less than delighted with the decision to award them one Michelin star, as he felt it conflicted with his vision for the restaurant. Cédric Béchade's aim is to serve good, reasonably-priced food to a local market in an informal environment. Other newcomer, Les Rosier in Biarritz, shares a similar outlook. Both chefs have expressed an intention to continue in the same vane and avoid becoming elitist establishments.

There are various restaurants in Ipar Euskal Herria (northern Basque country) with one Michelin star and just one which has two: Fermin Arrambide's hotel-restaurant Les Pyrénées in St Jean Pied de Port. The number of restaurants with 3 stars remains at 26, with just one new entry in this section: Le Bristol restaurant, better known as "Sarcozy´s canteen", given the regularity with which the French president frequents it, and which played host to this year's unveiling.

Director of the guides, François Mespléde, declared this year's list to be a reflection of the latest tendency in French culinary trends: small establishments which favour local products.