SONOMA, Calif. — Thinking back on an event with the Michelin North America team in March, the salad at lunch — of all things — stayed with me as the perfect example of Michelin's mission. It was simply lettuce with a light dressing, but it was perfect.
The lunch was made by Pomet, an Oakland restaurant and 2023 recipient of a green star in the famed Michelin Guide.
Michelin has published its guide since 1900, though now it is an app and website. A few years ago, Michelin added the green star to its travel guide to acknowledge good restaurants operating in a sustainable way.
Pomet grows most of its own food, and while the dishes were simple, the craft behind each ingredient is incredible.
Michelin has operated that way since it began 135 years ago, too, according to Alexis Garcin, president and CEO of Michelin North America.
Garcin said Michelin has long defined itself through its innovations and finding "a better way forward," as the motto goes.
"It's something that we've been doing since our inception, but I think it resonates even more today than maybe the last 135 years," he said.
Garcin explained that by seeking efficiencies and sustainable models, the company can save money that can be spent on innovations.
Michelin invited journalists to Sonoma Raceway in northern California in March for a Sustainability Summit, where the company showed off its many innovations — everything from an inflatable sail that makes cargo ships more efficient to a hydrogen fuel cell to electric-vehicle tires.
Michelin looks at improving everything, and the Guide is no different.