Vocabulary Vault

01Speaking · Warm-Up

Before You Watch

Discuss these questions with a partner before watching the video.

1
Have you ever eaten at a very expensive or fancy restaurant? What was it like?
2
What do you think makes a restaurant truly exceptional?
3
Would you travel to another city just to eat at a famous restaurant? Why / why not?
4
What do you know about the Michelin Guide? Have you ever heard of Michelin stars?

02Listening · Video

Why Does a Tire Company Give Out the World's Most Prestigious Restaurant Awards?

CNBC Make It · Watch and answer the comprehension questions below.

Comprehension Questions

03Reading \u00b7 Transcript

Video Transcript

Read the full transcript of the video. Key vocabulary items are highlighted in the text.

04Listening · Gap-Fill

Fill in the Missing Words

Watch the video again and fill in the 12 missing words from the transcript. Use the context to help you.

1.

The year was 1900. Brothers André and Édouard Michelin were looking to business for their tyre company.

2.

Their idea: a book with on-the-road information including where to get gas and a list of places to .

3.

The thought was simple: more places to visit equals more cars on the road equals more sold.

4.

But those original guides didn't have the dining associated with the name today.

5.

It wasn't until 1926 when Michelin started handing out .

6.

A team of inspectors began visiting restaurants and rating each one.

7.

Later, Michelin created a , handing out up to three stars for the best restaurants.

8.

Inspectors consider five : quality of the product, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef, value for money, and consistency between visits.

9.

The late Joël Robuchon said one star brings in 20% more business, two stars increased business by 40%, and three stars up business by .

10.

A Stanford economic review paper concluded that restaurants by a Michelin star corresponded to higher willingness to pay from consumers.

11.

In the US, Michelin only ranks spots in New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and .

12.

Florida's Tourism Board is paying Michelin $150,000 to get it to restaurants there.

05Vocabulary · Glossary

Key Vocabulary & Expressions

Study the key vocabulary from the video. Learn the definition and example sentence for each term.

Term	Definition	Example Sentence
mouthwateringadj.	Extremely appetising; making you want to eat something.	The mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked bread filled the restaurant.
libationn. (formal/humorous)	An alcoholic drink; a beverage.	The sommelier recommended a fine libation to complement the dish.
prestigiousadj.	Inspiring respect and admiration; having high status.	Winning a Michelin star is one of the most prestigious honours in the culinary world.
establishmentn.	A business, restaurant, or institution.	The guide lists the world's finest dining establishments.
hierarchyn.	A system in which things are ranked according to importance or quality.	Michelin created a hierarchy of one, two, and three stars.
anonymousadj.	Not identified by name; unknown.	A team of anonymous inspectors visits restaurants without revealing their identity.
inspectorn.	A person who officially examines and evaluates something.	Michelin inspectors visit each restaurant multiple times before awarding a star.
criterion (pl. criteria)n.	A standard or principle used to judge or decide something.	The five criteria include quality of product and mastery of technique.
masteryn.	Comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject or activity.	The chef's mastery of flavour combinations impressed the inspectors.
consistencyn.	The quality of always behaving or performing in the same way.	Consistency between visits is one of the key criteria for a Michelin star.
detourn.	A longer route taken to avoid something or to visit a place of interest.	A two-star restaurant is worth a detour from your planned route.
distinguishedadj.	Recognised as excellent or important; highly respected.	The restaurant was distinguished by its innovative tasting menu.
willingness to payn. phrase	The maximum amount a consumer is prepared to spend on a product or service.	A Michelin star increases customers' willingness to pay for a meal.
culinaryadj.	Relating to cooking or the kitchen.	The chef trained at some of the finest culinary schools in France.
prestigen.	Widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something.	The prestige of a three-star rating can transform a restaurant overnight.
drive up (business)phrasal v.	To cause something (e.g. sales or demand) to increase.	The guide was designed to drive up business for the tyre company.
hand outphrasal v.	To give something to a number of people.	Michelin began handing out stars to the best restaurants in 1926.
back upphrasal v.	To support or confirm something with evidence.	The economic data backed up the claim that stars boost revenue.

06Vocabulary · Gap-Fill

Complete the Sentences

Choose the correct word or phrase from the dropdown to complete each sentence. A synonym hint is provided for each blank.

1.The restaurant's menu featured dishes from three different continents.

Hint: relating to cooking

2.Winning a Michelin star is one of the most honours a chef can receive.

Hint: highly respected / admired

3.The guide uses five to evaluate every restaurant it visits.

Hint: standards used to judge (plural)

4.A team of inspectors visits each restaurant without revealing their identity.

Hint: unknown / unnamed

5.The chef's of classical French techniques set her apart from the competition.

Hint: expert skill / deep knowledge

6.A two-star restaurant is considered worth a from your original route.

Hint: a longer route to visit somewhere special

7.One of the hardest things for a restaurant to maintain is — the food must be equally excellent on every visit.

Hint: always performing at the same high level

8.The original Michelin Guide was created to sales of tyres by encouraging more people to travel by car.

Hint: to cause to increase (phrasal verb)

9.Research shows that a Michelin star significantly raises consumers' — they are prepared to spend considerably more for a starred meal.

Hint: how much a customer is prepared to spend

10.The restaurant was by its creative use of local, seasonal ingredients.

Hint: made notable / set apart

07Vocabulary · Multiple Choice

ABCD Vocabulary Test

Choose the best answer for each question. Questions and options are shuffled on every page load.

1The Michelin brothers created their travel guide in 1900 primarily to ___.

2Florida's Tourism Board paid Michelin $150,000 in order to ___.

3The phrase 'drive up business' in the video most closely means ___.

4When Michelin first introduced stars in 1926, the maximum a restaurant could receive was ___.

5The Michelin Guide currently rates restaurants in how many regions worldwide?

6According to Joel Robuchon, a restaurant that earns three Michelin stars can expect business to increase by ___.

7Which of the following is NOT one of the five criteria Michelin inspectors use?

8The Stanford economic review paper concluded that Michelin stars ___.

9A restaurant described as 'worth a detour' would receive ___ Michelin star(s).

10The word 'anonymous' in the context of Michelin inspectors means they ___.

08Speaking · Discussion

Discussion Questions

Discuss these questions with a partner. Use the key word in bold in your answer.

1

Is a Michelin star the most prestigious award a restaurant can receive, or are there other recognition systems you find equally impressive? Why?

2

If you were a Michelin inspector, which of the five criteria would you weight most heavily — and would you add any new ones?

3

How important is consistency in a restaurant compared to creativity? Can a place be too consistent?

4

Do you think anonymous inspectors give a fair picture of a restaurant's quality, or does social media and online reviewing do a better job today?

5

Does knowing a restaurant has a Michelin star increase your own willingness to pay? Where do you draw the line?

6

How has the culinary scene in your country or city changed in recent years? Are there any local dishes you think deserve international recognition?

7

Do you think the one-to-three-star hierarchy is the best way to rate restaurants, or would you prefer a different system?

8

Have you ever made a detour — in travel or in life — specifically to try a particular food or restaurant? Tell your partner about it.

9

Can the prestige of a Michelin star sometimes be a burden for a chef? What pressures might come with it?

10

Besides Michelin stars, what other factors drive up the popularity of a restaurant? Which do you think is most powerful today?

09Speaking · Vocabulary Revision

Speaking Vocabulary Revision

Click a card to see the definition and example. Use the Mark button to track your progress. Click 🔊 to hear the pronunciation.

Not yet reviewedNeeds workAlmost thereMastered

mouthwatering

/ˈmaʊθˌwɔːtərɪŋ/

prestigious

/prɛˈstɪdʒəs/

establishment

/ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/

hierarchy

/ˈhaɪərɑːki/

anonymous

/əˈnɒnɪməs/

inspector

/ɪnˈspɛktə/

criterion / criteria

/kraɪˈtɪəriən/ /kraɪˈtɪəriə/

mastery

/ˈmɑːstəri/

consistency

/kənˈsɪstənsi/

detour

/ˈdiːtʊə/

distinguished

/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

willingness to pay

/ˈwɪlɪŋnəs tə peɪ/

culinary

/ˈkʌlɪnəri/

prestige

/prɛˈstiːʒ/

drive up

/draɪv ʌp/

hand out

/hænd aʊt/

back up

/bæk ʌp/

libation

/laɪˈbeɪʃən/

Michelin Stars