Top Chefs with the Most Michelin Stars 2022

Each profession has an award that people strive for. For chefs, it's the Michelin Star. While the Michelin guide gives out stars to restaurants instead of individual chefs, credit for the star rating usually goes to the executive chef who designed and executed the menus and his/her culinary team. These are 13 Chefs who have been awarded the most Michelin stars throughout their careers.

Top Chefs with the Most Michelin Stars

1. Joël Robuchon: 32 Michelin Stars
2. Alain Ducasse: 21 Michelin Stars
3. Gordon Ramsay: 17 Michelin Stars
4. Pierre Gagnaire: 14 Michelin Stars
5. Martin Berasategui: 12 Michelin Stars
6. Yannick Alléno: 10 Michelin Stars
7. Andreas Caminada: 9 Michelin Stars
8. Anne-Sophie Pic: 10 Michelin Stars
9. Thomas Keller: 8 Michelin Stars
10. Yoshihiro Murata: 7 Michelin Stars
11. Carme Ruscalleda: 7 Michelin Stars
12. Seiji Yamamoto: 7 Michelin Stars
13. Heston Blumenthal: 3 Michelin Stars

What does the Michelin Stars Mean?

Michelin Guide Star Rating

• 1 Star: A very good restaurant in its category.
• 2 Stars: Excellent cooking that is worth a detour.
• 3 Stars: Exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.

See More: What Are Michelin Stars? And How Do You Get Them

Joël Robuchon

He was considered by many to be one of the greatest chefs of the modern era. With 32 Michelin-star restaurants spread across three continents, there's no denying this statement.

At the time he opened his first restaurant, Robuchon was just 36 years old. When Jamin Restaurant received its first Michelin star, it was an achievement for a new restaurant. After honing his craft and making improvements at the restaurant, he eventually earned two Michelin Stars just a year after opening and then earned his fifth star on the second.

Before retiring from his restaurant business in 1995 when he was 50 years old, Robuchon continued to appear on television cooking programs. He couldn't resist cooking up some delicious meals. He opened two L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon restaurants in Paris and Tokyo in 2003. Over the next ten-year period, he continued to open new restaurants across the globe and earned even more Michelin stars.

Many of his restaurants rely on the classic methods used in traditional French cooking, but incorporate the lighter fare found in new-wave cuisine, and include dishes like quail stuffed full of foie grass and creamy mashed potatoes.

Despite all his successes, Robuchon was humble enough to know that there is always room for improvement. He said, "There is nothing as the perfect dish; we can always do better."

Alain Ducasse

Alain Ducasse was born on a farm in the south of France and later worked in some of the best restaurants in France. At age 25, he took over the restaurant La Terrasse at Hotel Juana, which quickly earned two Michelin stars.

He opened restaurants featuring high-end cuisines and won Michelin stars in the process. Along with cooking for royalty, he has also influenced the next generations of chefs by educating them. He opened the culinary school École Ducasse in Paris in 1999. He is also head of more than 30 restaurants where staff gain experience working in a high-performance kitchen. He has accumulated 21 Michelin stars throughout his career.

Gordon Ramsay

Some people only know British chef Gordon Ramsay for his time on TV shows like Hell’s Kitchen.

In 2001, he earned his first three Michelin Stars. Since then, he has been awarded seven Michelin Stars for his cooking at various establishments he owns, but throughout his entire culinary journey, he has received seventeen stars.

He operates multiple restaurants while also appearing on television and writing books.

Pierre Gagnaire

French chef Pierre Gagnaire is a famous chef known for his innovative approach to classic French cooking and for creating some of the most delicious dishes in the modern French cuisine movement. If you go to one of his restaurants, you'll notice that he isn't afraid to combine new ingredients and flavor combinations into traditional dishes. He wants to open a restaurant that is "facing tomorrow" but respects "yesterday."

With this mindset in place, Gagnaire opened his first restaurant in 1992. Soon after opening, it became known for its world-class cuisine, earning three Michelin stars. After opening his first restaurant, Gagnaire has since opened several others, which have earned him a total of 14 Michelins stars.

Martin Berasategui

Martin Berasategui grew up in a family where cooking was an everyday activity. He worked in his parent's restaurant when he was a teenager. After his passion for cooking was sparked, he began traveling to France and had culinary training to study classical cooking techniques such as those taught in Escoffier classes.

He learned new techniques and expanded his skill set and at the age of twenty, he took over his parent’s restaurant which later earned five Michelin stars five years later.

After that, he started opening more restaurants, where he combines his vast knowledge of Basque cuisines with classic French techniques. He currently accumulated 12 Michelin stars.

Yannick Alléno

This French chef who uses the principles of classical French cooking and experiments with modern techniques is Yannick Alléno. Raised near Paris, Alléno learned his craft in French bistros and restaurants.

He aims to modernize traditional elements of French cooking, including sauces, fermentation, and meal sequence. He currently accumulated 10 Michelin stars.

Andreas Caminada

Early on in his culinary career, Andreas Caminada earned a reputation as one of the best chefs in the world. The Swiss chef currently has 9 Michelin stars. He is famous for using simple ingredients from nearby farms and preparing them by combining different cooking techniques, demonstrating that technique can add depth to dishes.

Along with running multiple top-notch restaurants, Caminada also runs a charity called Fundaziun Uccelin to help young aspiring chefs and restaurant workers.

Anne-Sophie Pic

Anne-Sophie Pic comes from a long line of talented chefs. His grandfather Andre Pic started the restaurant Maison Pic, which was later awarded three stars by Michelin. Then he handed the business down to his son Jacques Pic, who continued to run the restaurant until his death. After Jacques' death, Anne-Sophia took charge of the restaurant and worked hard to restore its reputation. She now currently holds 10 Michelin stars.

She used her culinary talents to open more restaurants around Europe. She uses top ingredients and refined techniques when creating elegant dishes that approach perfection.

Thomas Keller

As one of the few American chefs who operates two three-stars, Keller is a well-known figure in the U.S. culinary world. After working in various kitchens throughout his twenties, Keller opened his first restaurant at age thirty. He opened his now-famous restaurant, The French Laundry, in 1994. He currently accumulated 8 Michelin Stars.

Keller focuses on making sure that he cares for his diners, no matter if that involves taking care of seemingly small details or telling stories through each dish.

Yoshihiro Murata

Yoshihiro Muratayas is the third-generation owner of his family's business and accumulated seven Michelin Stars. Kikunoi Restaurant is located in Kyoto. Here, Murata teaches us how to cook Japanese traditional dishes called kaiseki cuisine. By blending tradition and modernity, Murata keeps his meals seasonal to demonstrate that every meal is an exploration of nature.

Carme Ruscalleda

Carme Ruscalleda also has seven Michelin stars. She is one of the few female chefs with seven stars in the entire world. She has two acclaimed restaurants in Barcelona and Tokyo where she serves her traditional Catalan and Japanese cuisines.

Heston Blumenthal

We couldn't possibly include our top ten best Michelin-starred chefs without including British chef Heston Blumenthal, who specializes in French cuisine. He opened his first French restaurant, The Fat Duck in Berkshire England in 1995 It was named one of the finest restaurants in 2005, and it is one out of only five British establishments to have three Michelin Stars.

Seiji Yamamoto

Our final top ten includes Japanese chef Seiji Yamamato who is renowned for his use of molecular gastronomy. He opened his first dining restaurant, Ryugin, in Tokyo, which became a favorite among chefs from around the world, including Joël Robuchon.

Youngest Chef to Get Three Michelin Stars

At age 32, Marco Pierre White earned his first Michelin star in 1994. To earn one Michelin star, a restaurant must be judged by the world’s leading authority on the culinary world. To be able to earn 3 stars at such an early stage in his career is a major achievement that requires a strong desire for cooking.

The Wealthiest Chef

Alan Wong is the wealthiest chef in the world with an estimated net wealth of $1.1Billion. He's one of twelve founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, and he owns several flagship restaurants in Hawaii, including one in Japan. He appeared on the TV show Top Chef and cooked at the White House for ex-President Barack Obama.

See More: 5 Of The World’s Most Expensive Restaurants