Michelin-starred restaurants record 50% rise in turnover – association head

The turnover of Michelin-starred restaurants or restaurants included in the company’s guide has already increased by up to 50% since the listing, says Evalda Šiškauskienė, head of the Lithuanian Hotels and Restaurants Association. Restaurants like that help the entire tourism sector in Lithuania, as they show foreign tourists that the country is safe to visit, she noted.

„As far as I have spoken to restaurants [Michelin-rated – ELTA], their turnover has increased by about 40-50%, especially of those that have received stars. In some places, reservations can only be made 30 or 60 days in advance. Such restaurants have also hired some new staff. The advertising has not even gained momentum, because it [the rating] has only recently been announced,“ Šiškauskienė told Žinių radijas on Monday.

Published in mid-June, the Michelin Guide Lithuania includes 26 restaurants. Four restaurants received One Michelin Star. These are Demo, Džiaugsmas, Nineteen18 and Pas mus.

Four more restaurants were acknowledged by the Bib Gourmand Award highlighting good quality and good value cooking. These are 14 Horses, Gaspar’s, Numan and Le Travi.

Restaurant Red Brick was also recognised for sustainable practices and received the Michelin Green Star.

Michelin inspectors evaluate the quality of food of restaurants based on five criteria: quality of the ingredients, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in his cuisine, value for money and consistency between visits.

France’s Michelin guide has been ranking the world’s best restaurants since 1900. The Michelin tyre company came up with the guide to encourage car travel.