Alinea's Three-Michelin-Star Reign Comes to an End as Grant Achatz's Iconic Restaurant Loses a Star.
Grant Achatz's flagship restaurant, Alinea, has lost one of its coveted Michelin stars, leaving the Chicago fine-dining institution with only two. The news came as a surprise to many, including Achatz himself, who announced it in an Instagram post earlier this week. Despite the setback, Achatz remains committed to pushing the boundaries of culinary excellence, stating that "the commitment remains as unwavering today as it was on day one."
Alinea's loss of a star is not unexpected, however. The Michelin Guide, which awards stars based on quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, and mastery of cooking techniques, among other criteria, did not specify why Alinea lost its third star. Instead, the guide emphasized that its assessments are "far from fixed" and cited its methodology and five criteria for stars.
This loss marks a significant blow to Alinea's reputation as one of the world's premier dining destinations. The restaurant has been a benchmark for modernist cuisine since its debut in 2005 and has received numerous accolades, including multiple appearances on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list and James Beard Awards.
The news comes at a time when Alinea is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a global nostalgia tour, which coincidentally overlaps with reviews from prominent publications that have questioned the restaurant's continued relevance. Smyth, another seasonal tasting menu restaurant in Chicago, remains the only remaining restaurant in the city to hold three Michelin stars.
Alinea Group CEO and co-owner Jason Weingarten did not respond to requests for comment on the loss of a star. Nick Kokonas sold his stake to Weingarten in October, marking a new era for the restaurant's management team.
Grant Achatz's flagship restaurant, Alinea, has lost one of its coveted Michelin stars, leaving the Chicago fine-dining institution with only two. The news came as a surprise to many, including Achatz himself, who announced it in an Instagram post earlier this week. Despite the setback, Achatz remains committed to pushing the boundaries of culinary excellence, stating that "the commitment remains as unwavering today as it was on day one."
Alinea's loss of a star is not unexpected, however. The Michelin Guide, which awards stars based on quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, and mastery of cooking techniques, among other criteria, did not specify why Alinea lost its third star. Instead, the guide emphasized that its assessments are "far from fixed" and cited its methodology and five criteria for stars.
This loss marks a significant blow to Alinea's reputation as one of the world's premier dining destinations. The restaurant has been a benchmark for modernist cuisine since its debut in 2005 and has received numerous accolades, including multiple appearances on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list and James Beard Awards.
The news comes at a time when Alinea is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a global nostalgia tour, which coincidentally overlaps with reviews from prominent publications that have questioned the restaurant's continued relevance. Smyth, another seasonal tasting menu restaurant in Chicago, remains the only remaining restaurant in the city to hold three Michelin stars.
Alinea Group CEO and co-owner Jason Weingarten did not respond to requests for comment on the loss of a star. Nick Kokonas sold his stake to Weingarten in October, marking a new era for the restaurant's management team.
i've been wanting to visit Alinea for ages and now it seems like it's not as perfect as it used to be 
the loss of that third star is huge, especially with Smyth still having three 
how will they keep up the magic? 
achatz is such an inspiration in the culinary world and i love how he's still committed to pushing boundaries despite this setback 
does anyone know what went wrong?! 
. Alinea's been a pioneer in modernist cuisine for ages, and it's still pushing the boundaries of what's possible with food. I mean, Grant Achatz is all about innovation and taking risks, so maybe this loss just means they're being more realistic about their dishes? 
It's not like they've fallen off the radar or anything - Smyth's still holding strong over there 
. Maybe this gives them a chance to reevaluate what works and what doesn't, and come back even stronger in the future 
.
it was like the holy grail of fine dining and now it's not? i get what they're saying about their methodology, but still 
it's gonna be weird seeing Smyth as the only one with three stars in Chicago... what's next for Alinea though? are they gonna revamp their menu or keep pushing the boundaries? 
and honestly, Smyth is a bit overhyped imo - has anyone even eaten there lately? 
just heard that Alinea lost a Michelin star 
still think Grant Achatz is a culinary genius 
not sure wut went wrong but def still worth a visit 
so sorry to hear about Alinea losing that third Michelin star... I mean, it's not like they're going down or anything 
but still, it's gotta be tough on Grant Achatz and all those talented chefs who've dedicated their lives to pushing the boundaries of food. 
I'm kinda surprised about Alinea losing that third Michelin star... don't get me wrong, Grant Achatz is still all about pushing culinary boundaries and experimenting with flavors 
. I mean, Smyth is still rocking three stars in the same city? 
What changed? Maybe it's time for Alinea to get a refresh and try new things? 
. Alinea has been a benchmark for modernist cuisine since 2005 and I've had the chance to try it once & it was LIFE.CHANGING 
. Not sure what's gonna happen next, but I'm low-key hoping they find a way to get that third star back 
. Smyth is still repping Chicago's Michelin scene tho 
! #Alinea #MichelinGuide #ChicagoFoodScene
. Plus, I've heard from friends who've dined at Alinea that it can be kinda...overwhelming 
(I guess that's the point of modernist cuisine, though?). Smyth is still holding it down with three stars 
, so maybe this just means we'll see more innovation and competition in the culinary scene 
). The Michelin guide is notoriously hard to get, so it's not like they weren't getting the recognition they deserved. Still, I guess you gotta stay on your toes in the culinary world. It'll be interesting to see how Alinea adapts and evolves from here... maybe they'll come back with an even more innovative menu 
. 20 years is a long time to be on top of the culinary scene and it's not uncommon for restaurants to go through ups and downs 
. i'm curious to see how they'll adjust and what changes they'll make in response to this loss 
They've been pushing boundaries and innovating in the culinary world for so long, it's not like they're giving up or anything. 
. Plus, their anniversary tour is happening now, so let's celebrate that 
Alinea just lost one of its Michelin stars 
I'm also kinda surprised that Smyth got to keep all three stars 
The nostalgia tour is gonna be lit though, can't wait to see what they've got in store! Smyth seems like a solid backup tho 
. All that molecular gastronomy stuff got old like yesterday. Smyth might be still holding on to its stars, but let's be real, their menu is just a bunch of fancy tapas 
. Alinea's loss is no surprise to me, tbh. Grant Achatz needs to step up his game and get back to basics... or at least, basics with more hype 
... Smyth is still holding down the fort with those 3 stars, though - guess that's the benchmark for modern Chicago fine dining 