In New York City, Masa has been a hit destination for fine dining in the city for 15 years. However, in a recent announcement by Michelin ahead of its regional ceremony, the former three-star restaurant has been downgraded to two stars.
Masa was the first Japanese restaurant in the United States to receive the award of three Michelin Stars. The restaurant was opened in 2004 in the Deutsche Bank Center by Masayoshi Takayama.
Following the announcement, the restaurant released the following statement on behalf of Takayama: “For 15 years, we’ve been honored to stand among extraordinary company, and I’m so grateful to our guests for their enduring trust, loyalty, and friendship,” he continues, “I am deeply proud of the hard work our team puts in day-in and day-out, and as always, we will continue to strive for excellence.”.
The Michelin Guide did not provide any specific reasons for why Masa was downgraded from three stars to two stars. The guide typically rates restaurants based on the following guidelines: “quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in his cuisine, value for money, and consistency between visits.”.
The drop in the stars may be related to the negative press the restaurant has been receiving over the past few years. The New York magazine rated the restaurant “not terrible”, and it was not even mentioned in the top 100 restaurants in the New York Times.
Some have said that Takayama’s restaurant is not what it once was when it was first created and that the prices have become absurd compared to the quality. Hopefully, the restaurant will be able to reclaim the star next year.
