The Michelin Guide (the gold standard of chef and restaurant reviews) has recently expanded its breadth of consideration to include the restaurants of Tokyo and is also being published in Japanese. As welcoming as this may seem to local chefs, the guide is not finding favour amongst local chefs.

Many prominent figures of the Tokyo food world, however, are saying to Michelin, in effect: Thanks for all the attention (which we deserve), but you still do not know us or our cuisine.

Food critics, magazines and even the governor of Tokyo have questioned the guide’s choice of restaurants and ratings. A handful of chefs proudly proclaimed that they had turned down chances to be listed. One, Toshiya Kadowaki, said his nouveau Japonais dishes, including a French-inspired rice with truffles, did not need a Gallic seal of approval.

“Japanese food was created here, and only Japanese know it,” Kadowaki said in an interview. “How can a bunch of foreigners show up and tell us what is good or bad?”