Michelin Guide have started giving out its Green Star ratings to the restaurants chosen for the Sustainable Gastronomy Selection with the Michelin Guide France 2020 announced on January 27th, 2020. Also called the Green Clover, this new distinction symbolizes the importance sustainability has for the Michelin group.
Holders of Michelin Plate and Bib Gourmand distinctions as well as Michelin starred restaurants can also be included in this new selection. The green star is given to businesses that use sustainable and eco-conscious methods. The restaurants that work towards preserving natural resources and the ecological balance, the ones that deserve recognition for their good work in the field of sustainability and the ones that set an example with their gastronomy practices can receive the green star distinction.
As of December 2020, there are a total of 135 Michelin green-starred restaurants in the world. 49 of them are in France while Spain has 21. Italy and Japan have 13 each. There 10 in Denmark, nine in Sweden, six in Slovenia, five in Norway, four in Finland, two in South Korea while China, Germany and Thailand have one green-starred restaurants each.