A fistful of stars - Joel Robuchon

Gentle Reader, this may sound like heresy but is the Michelin guide a reasonable standard by which to judge chefs?

With the release of the Hong Kong/Macau guide recently, Joel Robuchon has opened up a substantial lead on his erstwhile colleagues - with 24 stars around the world compared to Alain Ducasse on 16, dear old Gordon on 12, and Thomas Keller (French Laundry, Per Se etc) on 7.

But if one works some alchemy with the math to derive my proprietary "star index", it very much looks like ubiquity (being everywhere) is not a substitute for quality (concentrating on the food). Keller, with 5 locations and 7 stars , tops the list. Robuchon (16 locations) stays in the black, but Ducasse (19) and Ramsay (21) seem more like businesses than chefs. While Zagat represents brutish democracy and should be shunned, one feels that Michelin needs to somehow get into the global village and provide we humble diners with a more "international" view.

It's a matter of some personal shame that I haven't eaten at one of Chef Keller's establishments, although I threatened to do so last year until - ever your intrepid aviator - I was shot down by the Red (Ink) Baron. We also stood a small chance of having him visit Tokyo last year, but that horse fell at the final jump. Still, I look forward to the day when we can see all of the top 4 chefs battling for wallet share in Japan.

M. Robuchon is an enigmatic character: he learned to love cooking while in boarding school. That strikes me as a rather rum piece of hagiography - when has boarding school food ever been known to excite passion? More than that, Gentle Reader ... having got his 3rd star in Paris he just up and closed his restaurant in 1996. All rather too much, he confessed.

Today, a mere handful of times around the sun later, he's the primus inter pares of the world's chefs with a much simpler approach to elegance and sophistication. His restaurants range from L'Atelier (workshop) to La Table (Table) to La Cuisine (Kitchen). And his empire extends even further than Alexander's or Octavian's - with locations in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Macau, Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, New York, Paris, London and perhaps Tel Aviv, he must have more frequent flyer miles than Condeleeza Rice.

Ramsay, or "Chef", is also busier than a ram on shearing day ... no, wait, I'm confusing work and play. But with the Gordon Ramsay Group extending into pubs and bars and even airline food, you've got to wonder how he fits it all in. Ducasse's dedication I respect, although the Benoit deal here in Tokyo was perhaps a bridge too far.

Note: Twenty One, closed down in unfortunate circumstances, has re-opened at the Shinjuku Hilton as La Pergolese Tokyo. Your Humble Correspondent will toddle along shortly, so stay tuned.

Benoit - Alain Ducasse's Tokyo Adventure

Some little time ago, I had the chance to visit Benoit [Map] with The Expat and a Candidate for an "interview" over dinner. You can imagine, Gentle Reader, the expectations I had for this Michelin-starred restaurant and I'm delighted to tell you that it deserves its rating. But there's something missing ... something I can't put my finger on, but something that leaves me wanting.

The food is stunning, and the bill of fare is full of spectacularly classic french cuisine. Each of us pronounced the hors d'oeuvre selection as marvellous with the stand-outs being the Tourteau facon aspic (Spider Crab in Aspic) and Jambon persille (Marbled Ham with parsley).

The starters and the mains are equally delightful, and I recommend the Vol-au-vent, the Dodine de canard, and Risotto for starters. Follow these with Scallops dorees, Kagoshima pork, or the Filet de boeuf Rossini.

As you would expect, the wine list is excellent and we chose a Sancerre followed by a nice Chateau Neuf-du-Pape that didn't dent the pocket as much as I expected. The service is also exemplary, and both the maitre d' and the sommelier paid us more attention than we probably deserved.

Still, something's missing. Maybe it's the effort to fit a faux French brasserie into a very contemporary building, but something feels false. I'm sure that the sharp edges and the sparkly gleam will fade into a more pleasant familiarity, but now it feels a bit like a new kitchen in a new apartment ... pretty, obviously functional, but needing some dents and dings to make it feel comfortable.

Visit Benoit with someone you intend to impress (you might try asking me!). It's worth every yen, and a wonderful eating experience!

Rating: Food: 8/10; Wine: 7/10; Ambiance: 6/10; Service: 8/10; Price ($$): 7/10. Total: 36/50
Benoit [Map]: 10th floor 5-51-8, Jingumae; 03-5468-0881