OREANDA-NEWS. The inspectors of the Michelin gastronomic guide have been observing the Moscow restaurant industry for several years, and it will develop at a rapid pace in the coming years, the international director of the guide, Gwendal Pullenek, told RIA Novosti.

On Thursday, the first edition of the Michelin guide to Moscow restaurants and cafes will be presented. Russia will become the 33rd country to publish this gastronomic guide, and Moscow will become the first city in the CIS with cafes and restaurants marked with stars and special signs.

“It should be noted that the arrival of the Michelin guide is also a starting point for us. We are convinced that the Moscow gastronomic scene will continue to develop rapidly in the coming years,” Pullenek said ahead of the release of the first guide to the Russian capital.

According to him, guidebook inspectors have been following the Moscow gastronomic scene for several years.

"In Russia and Moscow in particular, we are impressed with the quality of the products that can be found. I am talking about vegetables, fruits, as well as meat and seafood. Russia and Moscow in particular have become a crossroads of gastronomic influence and a real center where you can find high-quality and varied products. "- said Pullenek.

He said that the Michelin guide had to adapt to work in the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of timeframes for visiting restaurants, but the methodology for evaluating restaurant establishments remained unchanged.

As Pullenek said, it was planned to announce the project in Moscow earlier. “But it took us longer than originally anticipated to make all the necessary restaurant visits in conditions that fit our methodology. And to have a selection that matches our standards and our values,” said the international director of the guide.

The selection process for establishments for the guide is strictly confidential. Inspectors travel anonymously and prepare a detailed report on each. On its basis, the rating takes place - in the head office in Paris.