Many of us expected Alice Waters to call upon the powers of Hell to deal with the 2011 MIchelin Guide's shocking exfoliation of Chez Panisse's one-star rating. Au contraire, sprigs of thyme. Waters is too nice to react with anything other than tact, anything other than carefully plucked words. Inside Scoop has the official response to the Church of Fresh Food Philosophy's dramatic supernova. Behold:
When Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse almost 40 years ago, she intended to create a place where people could come together with friends and family to eat a delicious, thoughtfully prepared meal in beautiful surroundings. To this day, that is the restaurant’s highest priority. Although Ms. Waters respects the traditions upon which the Michelin Guide bases its awards, she acknowledges that they aren’t the same traditions upon which Chez Panisse has built its reputation and success over the years.
