French eateries get Michelin star

The Associated Press

PARIS -- Two elegant Paris favorites and a family-run village restaurant earned the ultimate accolade in French gastronomy Tuesday: a three-star rating in the authoritative Red Guide, formerly known as the Michelin Guide.

Michelin announced that Guy Savoy, Ledoyen and L'Arnsbourg won top honors in its 2002 edition. They join France's elite club of 21 three-star establishments -- a mention that guarantees international celebrity for a chef and makes reservations a must, months in advance.

"I feel total happiness," said chef Guy Savoy, whose namesake restaurant in Paris' Right Bank has made do with two stars since 1985.

"It's like winning an Olympic gold," he said. "It's the culmination, the manifestation, the acknowledgment of all your work."

Ledoyen chef Christian Le Squer called his restaurant's upgrade "a dream come true." He described his cuisine as Breton cooking "with a touch of creativity" that "explodes on the taste buds at the very first bite."