Serving up some fine food for thought

The news shook many in the top echelons of the global gastronomic world down to their very guts last week: The elite Michelin annual food guide had awarded more three-star ratings to Tokyo restaurants than the ones in Paris, effectively crowning the Japanese capital the new culinary center for most gourmets.

Since the century-old Eurocentric guide made its foray into Asia only recently, counting Hong Kong and Macao in its coverage apart from Tokyo, the Japanese revelation can also be seen as a delectable shift in the fine food world toward the East.

Still, the guide is not without its critics. Some say its secretive system of undercover inspectors, aimed at ensuring objectivity and fairness, leaves too much that is unknown to readers. Others point to its French roots and bias.