A renowned French chef gave up his Michelin Star because he can't afford it
Le France restaurant and hotel is located in Montceau-les-Mines, Burgundy, one of France's primary wine-producing regions.
![A renowned French chef gave up his Michelin Star because he can't afford it](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-62273543%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-1421576%2Fle-france-restaurant-and-hotel-is-located-in-montceau-les-mines-burgundy-one-of-frances-primary-wine-producing-regions-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Brochot was raised in a family of cattle farmers. After training under French chefs like Bernard Loiseau, Brochot returned to his hometown to begin cooking professionally nearly 20 years ago.
![Brochot was raised in a family of cattle farmers. After training under French chefs like Bernard Loiseau, Brochot returned to his hometown to begin cooking professionally nearly 20 years ago.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273544,width-700,height-525,imgsize-735894/brochot-was-raised-in-a-family-of-cattle-farmers-after-training-under-french-chefs-like-bernard-loiseau-brochot-returned-to-his-hometown-to-begin-cooking-professionally-nearly-20-years-ago-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
Six years later, he was awarded his first Michelin Star for the restaurant, which also offers cooking classes. "A star in a workingman’s town, what a beautiful symbol," he recalled to the Times.
![Six years later, he was awarded his first Michelin Star for the restaurant, which also offers cooking classes. "A star in a workingman’s town, what a beautiful symbol," he recalled to the Times.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273545,width-700,height-525,imgsize-938660/six-years-later-he-was-awarded-his-first-michelin-star-for-the-restaurant-which-also-offers-cooking-classes-a-star-in-a-workingmans-town-what-a-beautiful-symbol-he-recalled-to-the-times-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
Up until November, Le France offered a $130 prix-fixe menu, a steep price tag in any city. All the meat and produce comes from local farms, including his own brother's cattle ranch.
![Up until November, Le France offered a $130 prix-fixe menu, a steep price tag in any city. All the meat and produce comes from local farms, including his own brother](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273546,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1045521/up-until-november-le-france-offered-a-130-prix-fixe-menu-a-steep-price-tag-in-any-city-all-the-meat-and-produce-comes-from-local-farms-including-his-own-brothers-cattle-ranch-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
But Brochot began to realize that local diners, mostly working class, couldn't afford to eat there. "There was a lot of waste," he told the Times. He had to cut his kitchen staff from six to three to afford the ingredients required to create Michelin-quality dishes.
![But Brochot began to realize that local diners, mostly working class, couldn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273547,width-700,height-525,imgsize-843593/but-brochot-began-to-realize-that-local-diners-mostly-working-class-couldnt-afford-to-eat-there-there-was-a-lot-of-waste-he-told-the-times-he-had-to-cut-his-kitchen-staff-from-six-to-three-to-afford-the-ingredients-required-to-create-michelin-quality-dishes-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
With unemployment in Montceau-les-Mines around 21% and local businesses closing all around him, Brochot wrote to Michelin, saying "The economic situation here in the ex-mining basin is a disaster. What I'm doing today, I’m not doing lightly, but because I have no other choice."
![With unemployment in Montceau-les-Mines around 21% and local businesses closing all around him, Brochot wrote to Michelin, saying "The economic situation here in the ex-mining basin is a disaster. What I](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273548,width-700,height-525,imgsize-948645/with-unemployment-in-montceau-les-mines-around-21-and-local-businesses-closing-all-around-him-brochot-wrote-to-michelin-saying-the-economic-situation-here-in-the-ex-mining-basin-is-a-disaster-what-im-doing-today-im-not-doing-lightly-but-because-i-have-no-other-choice-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
Without a Michelin star, he's been able to cut prices and offer inexpensive versions of his best dishes. "Since we changed the formula, we’ve gotten a lot more people," he said. "In the heads of people, a one-star, it's the price."
![Without a Michelin star, he](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273549,width-700,height-525,imgsize-968496/without-a-michelin-star-hes-been-able-to-cut-prices-and-offer-inexpensive-versions-of-his-best-dishes-since-we-changed-the-formula-weve-gotten-a-lot-more-people-he-said-in-the-heads-of-people-a-one-star-its-the-price-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
But the town's mayor sees it differently, telling the local paper, "He's hurting the whole region" by giving up his spot in the Michelin Guide.
![But the town](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273550,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1089078/but-the-towns-mayor-sees-it-differently-telling-the-local-paper-hes-hurting-the-whole-region-by-giving-up-his-spot-in-the-michelin-guide-.jpg)
Many locals supported his decision, though. One butcher who has "lots of little grandmothers and old people as customers" said it was "hardly a safe bet to keep a one-star open in this town."
![Many locals supported his decision, though. One butcher who has "lots of little grandmothers and old people as customers" said it was "hardly a safe bet to keep a one-star open in this town."](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-62273551,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1038770/many-locals-supported-his-decision-though-one-butcher-who-has-lots-of-little-grandmothers-and-old-people-as-customers-said-it-was-hardly-a-safe-bet-to-keep-a-one-star-open-in-this-town-.jpg)
Source: The New York Times
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