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Picture early 20th-century France: dusty roads, fewer than 3,000 cars in total, and a country where hitting the highway was a daring adventure. Enter brothers André and Édouard Michelin – tire manufacturers with a dream.In 1900, they launched the Guide Michelin, a complimentary handbook packed with maps, repair tips, and places to rest or dine. It was a clever ploy to encourage travel and tire wear.However, to everyone’s surprise and delight – the guide quickly found a new purpose: enhancing gastronomic exploration.

In 1926, Michelin introduced a single star for “fine dining,” and by 1931, fleshed this out into the familiar one–two–three star system – laying the groundwork for culinary prestige.Here’s how the Michelin brothers transformed a humble tire company’s pamphlet into the global authority on culinary excellence.Let’s take a trip down that delicious journey!

From a motorist’s manual to a cultural icon: The becoming

What started as an unlikely venture of a tire company changed the course of how people tasted and praised meals. In 1889, the Michelin brothers founded their tire company in Clermont-Ferrand. As automobiles slowly began appearing on French roads – fewer than 3,000 nationwide – the brothers recognized a business opportunity. They created a guidebook with maps, garage listings, tire-repair advice, and hotel and restaurant suggestions to entice drivers to travel – and wear out tires faster.The inaugural edition appeared in 1900. Over 35,000 copies of this complimentary guide were distributed – fuel for the infant auto industry.

Legend has it that, somewhere along the line, guides were repurposed to support mechanics’ workbenches. Moved by this realization, Michelin began charging a modest seven francs in 1920. As the saying goes, “people truly respect what they pay for.”

From maps to meals: Emphasizing restaurants

Initially, restaurant listings played a minor role. But by the 1920s, Michelin noticed that diners prized culinary guidance the most. They decided to run the guide ad-free, add detailed restaurant categories, and recruit anonymous inspectors – paid diners tasked with assessing establishments impartially.

1920–1931: The stars were born

As the guide gained credibility, its restaurant section began to attract more attention. Michelin hired anonymous inspectors to dine incognito, providing impartial evaluations.In 1926, they introduced the first star: a single indication of “fine dining.” This simple star sent shockwaves through the culinary world – it wasn’t just a meal; it was recognition.Only five years later, in 1931, came the now-iconic three-tiered hierarchy:One star: “Very good restaurant in its category.”Two stars: “Excellent cooking, worth a detour.”Three stars: “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” That year also saw the guide donning its signature red cover, emblematic of its transformation into a hallmark of luxury.

The secret sauce behind the shining stars

What makes a Michelin star so coveted?Inspection standards: Inspectors remain anonymous, pay their own bills, and return multiple times to ensure consistency. Judging hinges on five core factors: ingredient quality, cooking technique, chef’s personality, value, and consistency.Credibility through anonymity: This covert evaluation builds trust. Michelin’s unswerving standards – undeclared visits, tab payment, and no decor bias – promote fairness and respect, even among the elite chefs being reviewed.Influence and pressure: Stars carry enormous weight. Gaining one can make a chef overnight; losing it can devastate careers. The tragic case of Bernard Loiseau, who died amid rumors of losing a third star, sparked debate about the psychological toll of Michelin’s influence.

Going global, gastronomically

Beyond France: Global expansion and modern adaptationsPost-World War II, guide production resumed, helping rejuvenate travel and hospitality. From the 1950s onward, the Michelin Guide went global – Italy in 1956; from the 2000s, it jumped continents to New York (2005), Tokyo (2007), and Hong Kong (2009). Today, it spans over 40 countries and evaluates more than 30,000 establishments.Michelin also introduced the Bib Gourmand in 1997, recognizing restaurants that deliver excellent food without the indulgence of stars, making the guide more inclusive.

The dark side of the moon: The star’s shadow

With prestige came pressure. Michelin recognition can be transformative – reservations soar, global acclaim follows. Yet, it also comes with pressure. Stars opened doors – and shut them. Chefs felt immense stress to maintain standards. In 2003, tragic rumors linked the suicide of Bernard Loiseau to the fear of losing a third star. Some chefs even returned stars voluntarily, rejecting the intense scrutiny.Critics have also accused Michelin of promoting elitism and sidelining regional authenticity in favor of conformity.

The hall of fame

Eugénie Brazier – Six-Star Pioneer: In 1933, Lyonnaise chef Eugénie Brazier became the first person to hold six Michelin stars – three for each of her two restaurants – a feat that stood unparalleled until Alain Ducasse in 1998.Brazier and Marie Bourgeois became the first three-star female chefs, featured in the 1933 edition.The 1939 guide was even repurposed by Allied forces for its reliable maps during D-Day.The guide has embraced diverse talents. Vegan chef Claire Vallée earned her star, and Lung King Heen became the first Chinese restaurant to ever receive three stars.

From tires to tastemakers: The lasting (and tasty) legacy

What began as a marketing gimmick morphed into an authority in fine dining. The Michelin star system, born from a desire to prompt travel and rooted in delicious discovery, has reshaped global dining in the 20th and 21st centuries. Michelin’s guide restructured food culture, blending rigorous evaluation with the romance of travel. It launched restaurant empires, invented celebrity chefs, and extended gastronomic frontiers. Today, its stars guide diners across continents, inspire chefs to new heights, and maintain strict standards from invisible tables behind kitchen doors. To this day, the Michelin Star system remains a marvel of corporate creativity and cultural transformation. Alberto Pic’s 3-star valuation, Mère Brazier’s pioneering tenure, and Loiseau’s tragic story – all serve as testament to this fascinating pivot from industrial marketing to gastronomical reverence. From humble tire guides propping up mechanics’ benches to red books held by gourmands worldwide – the Michelin journey is a testament to transformation, taste, and tenacity in the pursuit of excellence.

Mammals, most prominently carnivorous species, use scent-marking as a crucial form of communication. Lions, for example, use urine, faeces, and secretions from scent glands to leave behind long-lasting chemical signals on trees and trails. While these are invisible to the human eye, they carry a meaning for other lions in that area.

A study conducted in Gujarat’s Gir Forest focussed on decoding some of this hidden communication. “This is the first detailed scientific study of scent-marking in free-ranging Asiatic lions, and it reveals how scent is a powerful tool for territory defence, mate attraction, and social interaction,” says Mohan Ram, Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, Gir National Park and Sanctuary, and one of the lead researchers.

Leaving a mark

Gir Forest, which includes a national park and sanctuary, is spread across nearly 1,900 square kilometres in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region. It is home to over 40 species of mammals, including leopards, hyenas, and jackals, but the lion is its undisputed icon. To understand how the big cats use scent to communicate, researchers collaborated with Gir’s seasoned field trackers. These experts helped identify trees that showed signs of regular scratching and are favoured spots for lion scent-marking.

At 36 such locations, the team installed motion-triggered infrared cameras between March 2022 and April 2024. “Across three seasons, we faced all kinds of challenges, from sensor triggers caused by birds or wind to monsoon rains that washed away scent marks. Reaching camera trap locations during heavy rain was a task in itself. Plus, the volume of data collected was enormous, and it took a lot of effort to sift through and sort out usable footage,” says Ram.

Each time a lion passed by the cameras captured a short video and a photograph. In total, they logged over 15,000 wildlife detections, of which 1,542 featured lions. Every lion video was carefully analysed for specific behaviours such as sniffing, scratching, spraying, rubbing, and even climbing. “Camera trapping helped us capture behaviour without disturbing the lions. We also kept the camera settings standard across sites and seasons to ensure consistency,” says Ram.

Researchers also documented tree characteristics such as species, height, girth, and proximity to roads or water to understand what made certain trees more likely to be used as scent posts.

The data was then grouped by season, time of day, the lion’s age and sex, and the traits of the marked trees. Using statistical tools, the team mapped out behavioural patterns and scent-marking preferences across the Gir landscape.

Marking scent part of daily routine

Among all observed behaviours, sniffing was the most common, accounting for nearly 40% of the recorded actions. This was followed by scratching (30%) and spraying (12%). Young lions were more likely to climb trees, possibly as playful behaviour or a way of learning.

Males were the more active scent-markers, often around pride territories. Females also left their mark, especially when they were in heat. “It’s a key part of territorial and reproductive strategy in a species with such a limited geographic range. Sub-adults were also seen using the same trees repeatedly, almost like they were learning how to mark territory,” says Ram.

Most of these behaviours occurred in the early morning hours, with scratching and spraying peaking at 3:44 a.m. and 4:17 a.m. respectively. This pattern suggests that scent-marking is a deliberate and well-timed part of the lions’ daily routines.

Winter turned out to be the busiest season for scent-marking. This aligns with the peak of lion mating season, highlighting the link between chemical communication and reproduction.
“Cooler temperatures meant more lion movement, which led to more marking. Interestingly, lions often chose tilted trees (around 45 degrees) because the spray lands better and holds fragrance longer, especially in the monsoon,” says Ram.

Identifying a good marking spot

Lions also didn’t mark trees at random. They showed clear preferences for certain species, especially Butea monosperma and Syzygium cumini. “We noticed that the lions preferred trees with soft bark or gum, species with strong secondary metabolites, likely because the scent tends to linger longer. Teak trees were avoided; the bark is too hard to claw,” says Ram.

Location played a key role too. Most of the marked trees were near forest trails and water sources. Trails serve as lion highways, ideal places to advertise presence to rivals or potential mates. “The preferred trees were often near trails, indicating lions may be aligning marking behaviour with movement corridors, possibly even taking human presence into account,” explains Ram.

Moist environments may also help preserve chemical signals for longer durations. Scrub habitats, in particular, recorded more scent-marking activity. Their open structure likely makes scent-posts more visible and accessible.

Why studying behaviour matters

Asiatic lions differ from their African counterparts in many ways. They live in smaller groups, don’t breed in synchrony, and are confined to a single, limited landscape in western India. These unique conditions shape how they interact, compete, and survive.

By identifying where and when scent-marking takes place, this study offers valuable insights into lion behaviour. The findings can help conservationists refine strategies for habitat protection, water management, boundary marking, and lion monitoring ensuring the continued survival of India’s last wild lions. “Knowing which tree species lions prefer can guide habitat improvement efforts. It can even help prevent poaching by identifying high-use marking spots,” says Ram.

The researchers recommend that future studies combine scent-marking data with GPS collaring to track individual lions over time. This approach could reveal more details such as whether specific lions favour particular trees, and how their marking behaviours shift with seasons, age, or social status. All these insights could be particularly valuable as the lion population eventually grows and begins expanding into Gir’s neighbouring areas. “It can directly inform habitat planning beyond Gir, and support strategies for lion movement and coexistence with local communities,” Ram says.

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Read more: Asiatic lion population has grown 172% in 25 years

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Banner image: A study found that among all observed behaviours of Gir lions, sniffing was the most common, accounting for nearly 40% of the recorded actions. Image by Mohan Ram.