"Beijing is under the spotlight of the global gastronomic community with many world-famous chefs branching out their businesses here. The booming industry is a demonstration of an ancient yet vibrant city glittering with a combination of classic and modern."

The first edition of the Michelin Guide Beijing includes 100 restaurants, so the 20 percent star-rated ones represents a high proportion of the entries, Poullennec says.

He hopes that with this new Michelin Guide, more connoisseurs will come to appreciate Beijing's abundant food culture and experience the wonderful flavors it has to offer, he says.

As with the Shanghai and Guangzhou guides, the Beijing one has not been without controversy, even if it is a little more muted this time.

The 2020 Shanghai guide was published three months ago, and not one restaurant offering Chinese cuisine was able to attain three stars. The Nanyanglu outlet of the Xin Rong Ji chain was awarded two stars and its Nanjingxilu outlet one star.

In the Michelin Guide Beijing, the Xinyuan South Road outlet of the same chain became the only three-Michelin-star Chinese cuisine restaurant on the mainland.