Welcome to Edition #118 of Gorick's newsletter, where Harvard career advisor and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Gorick Ng shares what they don't teach you in school about how to succeed in your career.
Sign up now to receive Gorick’s weekly career strategies!
→ Read time: 5 min
STORY
How to become a Michelin Star restaurant
You may have heard of the Michelin Star—one of the most prestigious awards you can earn as a restaurant. Awarded by anonymous inspectors from the Michelin Guide, restaurants can receive up to three stars:
- 1 star = a very good restaurant in its category
- 2 stars = excellent cooking worth a detour
- 3 stars = exceptional cuisine worth a special journey
Earning just one can change everything: a surge in bookings, media attention, and pricing power. For many chefs, it’s a career-defining moment.
Here’s what one Reddit user had to say:
So, how do you earn a Michelin Star?
I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t tell you that there are the spoken rules… and the unspoken rules.
The spoken rules:
According to Werner Loens, Director of the Michelin Guide, there are 5 criteria:
“The quality of products used, the chef’s mastery of culinary techniques, the taste of the food, savoir-faire* and… consistency.”
*Not a French speaker? The dictionary definition of “savoir-faire” is “the ability to do and say the right thing in any social situation.” (Sounds like compatibility—one of the Three C’s from The Unspoken Rules, doesn’t it?)
Really? you might be wondering. If I satisfy these 5 criteria, a Michelin Star will just appear like it came from the tooth fairy?
Of course not! This is where we get to the unspoken rules.
The unspoken rules:
From my cursory research, here’s what I’ve found:
- Dishes must not only taste exceptional—they’re expected to “reflect the chef’s personality, unique vision, and creativity.”
- Timing and rhythm matter: “punctuality, a welcoming attitude, and a calm, harmonious atmosphere are all part of the equation.”
- Presentation? It’s more than aesthetics—it signals “discipline, precision, and care.”
- Service staff are trained to anticipate needs, handle requests with grace, and know the menu inside out.
- The kitchen and dining room must be spotless.
Here’s what other Reddit users had to say:
And perhaps the biggest unspoken rule—which we can only infer? You need to be good at self promotion.
Consider what a Michelin spokesperson said about their top-secret restaurant inspection team:
“[Michelin inspectors’] knowledge of the local gastronomic scene, together with a solid body of research, monitoring and documentation, forms the basis for identifying the establishments they wish to visit. There is no set list, no application from the restaurants. The inspectors are constantly on the lookout for new culinary trends around the world.”
Imagine you’re a restaurant owner with the most delicious food that humankind has ever tasted—but no one knows that you exist.
If customers can’t find you, neither will the Michelin inspectors. If they can’t find you, they can’t reward you.
What does this mean for you?
The next time you find yourself applying for a program, vying for a promotion, or chasing an award, remember the Michelin Guide. Behind every shiny accolade is a hidden set of unspoken rules.
UNSPOKEN RULE
There’s always a hidden criteria.
As you know by now, I believe there are unspoken rules to doing everything in life—and getting a Michelin Star (or a Nobel Prize—as we discussed previously) is no exception.
A product designer for a digital agency recently told me about a hiring committee she sat in on for a Principal role (jargon alert: Principal is similar to Vice President in seniority—though it depends on the company you’re at).
The team had ~20 criteria and a certain candidate had checked off 19 of 20 boxes. This candidate was a shoo-in… until they weren’t.
What happened?
The 20th criteria was “business development potential” (code for “how able you are to bring in new clients”)—and it turns out that this was the only criteria that mattered.
What can you do to make sure you’re following the right unspoken rules?
Observe who’s being promoted—and ask yourself:
1. “What do they have that I don’t in terms of "reputational capital”?
E.g., "They’re the one people call upon when they need ideas communicated simply.”
2. “What do they have that I don’t in terms of "social capital”?
E.g., “They’re strategically working with so-and-so who is a rising star in the org.”
3. What do they have that I don’t have in terms of “human capital”?
E.g., “They’re the subject matter expert on mobile app development.”
When in doubt, ask a trusted leader, “What are the characteristics you expect to see from someone who’s ready for the next level?”
Then, follow up by asking, “What can I do differently to operate at that next level?”
If you don’t know what they’re measuring, you risk optimizing for the wrong things—and wasting your time. Uncover the unspoken rules upfront—and then follow the unspoken rules.
See you next Tuesday for our next story and unspoken rule!
—Gorick
What’s an “unspoken rule”? They’re the things that separate those who get ahead from those who stumble—and don’t know why. You can learn more about these rules in the workplace in my Wall Street Journal bestselling book called—you guessed it—The Unspoken Rules.
Every newsletter is free and a fraction of my work.
Here are 4 of my paid offerings that may interest you:
1. Keynote speaking: My 2025 calendar is filling up! If your organization is looking for speakers for graduation season, manager training, new hire / early career orientation, AAPI Heritage Month, ERG summits, or something else, let’s chat!
2. How to Say It: Flashcards that teach you to know what to say in every high-stakes professional setting via hundreds of fill-in-the-blank scripts (just like the examples above). Free shipping on all orders over $40.
3. Fast Lane to Leadership: My online course that takes you from day 1 in a new role through to a promotion with 28 modules and 28 cheatsheets (3.5 hours of content). Use code ‘ireadgoricksnewsletter20’ for 20% off. (Want this for your organization? Let’s chat.)
4. The Unspoken Rules: My Wall Street Journal Bestseller that Arianna Huffington calls “a blueprint for anyone starting their career, entering a new role, or wanting to get unstuck.” Used by top companies and MBA programs.
Sources:
- “We base our selections for Michelin star restaurants on the quality of products used”
- “reflect the chef’s personality, unique vision, and creativity.”
- “punctuality, a welcoming attitude, and a calm, harmonious atmosphere are all part of the equation.”
- “discipline, precision, and care.”
- Cover image
- Michelin Guide 2019 awards ceremony in Singapore
- “the ability to do and say the right thing in any social situation.”
- “[Michelin inspectors’] knowledge of the local gastronomic scene”
