One reason: The arrival of the star and crimson plaque can alter the entire local food ecology around a restaurant. Suppliers and vendors, aware of a kitchen’s new status, often increase prices. Landlords like to raise rents. Staff, suddenly more marketable, must be paid more to be retained. The kitchen, chasing the standard the star implies, tends to reach for costlier and rarer ingredients. Every plate becomes more expensive to produce, yet few diners can absorb the escalating cost of eating there. That change can be lethal.
Fine dining, by its nature, runs on razor-thin margins. Exclusive guest lists cap revenue, rare ingredients inflate…
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