Dining Stars Around the World

French chefs Sebastien Bras (L) and Michel Bras cook at "La Halle aux grains" restaurant at the Bourse de Commerce historic building in Paris on May 17, 2021. (Photo COURTESY of ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

The Michelin Star award was started by André and Édouard Michelin, founders of the Michelin Tire empire. Their guidebook was first available in 1900 to motorists and designed to assist travelers with traveling insights like maps, fuel stops, and even tire-changing tutorials.

Travel has changed significantly since the birth of the prestigious Michelin Star awards in 1926, but wanting to stop for a good meal always remains the same. While you may not be driving on your next journey, don’t be afraid to stop. We’ve got picks within reach of our partners in every corner of the globe, and no worries, Michelin makes aviation tires, too.

A single star signifies "a very good restaurant," marking it as a place that stands out among its peers. A two-star rating affirms that the restaurant boasts "excellent cooking" and is worth a detour. The apex, a three-star ranking, is reserved for establishments offering "exceptional cuisine" that merits a unique journey. To bestow these stars, Michelin inspectors meticulously evaluate several facets: the consistency and quality of ingredients, the skill and finesse in preparation, the harmony and innovation of flavors, the value for money, and, importantly, the consistency of culinary standards over repeat visits.

Double-Michelin-starred Faroese chef of KOKS restaurant Poul Andrias Ziska prepares food at the kitchen of the restaurant housed in the Poul Egedes House in Ilimanaq, Greenland, on June 28, 2022. (Photo COURTESY of ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Far Flung

KOKS is the perfect stop in transit over the Atlantic as it is nestled between Scotland and Iceland on the Faroe Islands. Made up of 18 islands covered in verdant grass with crags of various sizes filling out the foreground before the vast ocean in every direction, the Faroe Islands are challenging to reach. Proper planning through our verified networks means every destination is within reach.

The culinary experience at KOKS is steeped in Faroese tradition thanks to the pioneering 28-year-old chef, Poul Andrias Ziska. Ziska is a native of the islands and relies heavily on the time-honored food preparation techniques unique to Faroese cuisine. Dining at KOKS is a 17-course journey that includes wine-pairing with an upcharge. Diners can expect to spend $300 to experience the lunch menu and closer to $500 for dinner. Notable dishes of past menus include fermented lamb and fish, a Faroese staple, and the bounty of the frigid Northern Atlantic, such as raw mahogany clam with a kale puree and kelp broth spooned over the top.

Amidst the Fields & Trees

Three generations of chefs underpin the culinary experience at Bras Restaurant, a glass structure seemingly floating over the Aubrac Natural Regional Park in Southern France. Michel Bras and his brother Sebastien Bras took their experiences in the Aubrac region and transferred them to plates for all to enjoy. Relying heavily on ingredients from the immediate area, Bras celebrates the region teeming with life. No dish at Bras represents the region more than the famous Gargouillou. The dish is prepared with seasonal young vegetables of the area. Depending on the season, diners can anticipate fresh fern, nasturtium, rapunzel, squash, spring onion, chicory, chickweed, or pink radish, among several other local vegetables the restaurant celebrates on its website.

In Your Backyard

An exceptional meal doesn’t require extensive traveling. In New York City, Eleven Madison Park is a beacon of Michelin excellence overseen by chef Daniel Humm. The restaurant was number one on the world's top 50 list in 2017. The menu is entirely plant-based, taking cues from shojin ryori, a Japanese Buddhist cuisine. The main dining room tasting menu is nine to ten courses, costing $365 per guest. The six-course menu costs $285 per guest.

Daniel Humm is committed to bringing plant-based diets to the realm of deliciousness and accessibility. Humm’s service, Eleven Madison Home, brings the culinary concepts behind their tasting menu to subscribers' homes. When you book a table at Eleven Madison Park, you're not just treating yourself to an exquisite meal. For every reservation, five meals are donated through Chef Humm's food insecurity initiative, Rethink Food.

New Kid on the Block (Again)

Legendary Japanese sushi chef Eiji Ichimura is making his final stand on the New York City dining scene with Sushi Ichimura. With the belief that simplicity is the essence of sophistication, Chef Ichimura meticulously crafts each piece, ensuring the flavors and textures shine in their purest form. The omakase menu, a curated journey of fresh fish and seasonal ingredients, unfolds like a story under his masterful hands. The sushi counter, designed to foster closeness between the chef and diners, allows guests to witness the precision and passion with which each morsel is prepared. In a city bustling with culinary delights, Sushi Ichimura distinguishes itself through its unparalleled sushi and commitment to celebrating the age-old art of sushi-making. A visit here promises a transcendent gastronomic voyage.

Take Flight for your Stomachs Delight

Sushi chef William Tawng displays a sush. (Photo COURTESY ofEMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)

Travel and food are two of life's most enriching experiences, interwoven in a dance that delights the senses and feeds the soul. From the rugged beauty of the Faroe Islands to the bustling streets of New York, each destination offers a unique gastronomic tale narrated through the artistry of its chefs and the bounty of its land. Whether you're seeking the familiar comforts of home or the thrilling allure of the unknown, remember that every meal is a journey, every bite an exploration. So, the next time wanderlust strikes, let your appetite guide you, for there's a world of culinary wonders awaiting discovery. And with the Michelin guide as your compass, every meal promises a taste of the extraordinary.

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