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Michelin star outlet forced to close
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A day after receiving a Michelin star, Taian Table, a western restaurant in Changning District, has been forced to shut down for operating without licenses.
A notice posted at the entrance gate to the Taian Table at midday yesterday stated the restaurant had suspended business operations due to “internal rectification.”
The restaurant, sited inside a residential building on Tai’an Road, had been run by Stefan Stiller, a German chef, since April. Residents of the building have clashed with restaurant staff and have long called for its closure, complaining at the smoke and noise, and expressing fears about safety.
Taian Table had neither a business nor a catering license, the Changning District Market Supervision and Management Bureau told Shanghai Daily. Both licenses are required to run a restaurant in the city.
The restaurant applied for the licenses in April, but was refused as regulations do not allow catering venues in a residential building, officials said. The restaurant was ordered to stop operating in June and its refrigerator and kitchenware products were sealed a month later, the bureau confirmed, adding that the restaurant operator had found a new location and would move out before the end of November.
Some residents said Taian Table refused to admit district officials on Thursday night when they wanted to enter to order the operator to suspend business. “The standstill lasted for some time until the intervention of police, and all the chefs and management staff, including some foreigners, ran out in a panic,” said a woman surnamed Yu.
A diner identified as “shanghailander” on social media confirmed the details, saying the restaurant was still serving when officials sought entry.
Yu and several other residents said Taian Table had been a nightmare for them for months. “The hot air and big noise produced by the restaurant’s central air conditioning without any soundproof measures meant I was unable to sleep,” said Yu, who lives on the second floor of the building, adding that the restaurant stayed open until midnight.
“Why does Michelin ignore safety issues when selecting restaurants?” Yu asked.
Another resident surnamed Guo living on the third floor said safety and fire hazards were major concerns.
“We want nothing but a quiet and safe living environment, and Michelin-starred restaurants should also obey the city’s rules and regulations,” she said.
‘Innovative cuisine’
The Michelin Guide Shanghai 2017 notes that “Stefan Stiller is an experimental German chef well known in the Shanghai restaurant world. His graceful restaurant with its two counters and central kitchen is the ideal setting for his innovative cuisine.”
Michelin said it only selected the best restaurants, and it did not consider whether restaurants had licenses or not.
“The job of Michelin inspectors is tasting and judging food, and they never ask for any materials from restaurants,” said Sun Yuan, a Michelin representative.
Taian Table was one of 26 restaurants in the city to receive Michelin stars.
Stiller confirmed in a message to Shanghai Daily that the restaurant was relocating “to a larger space close by Zhenning Road where we can apply for all required licenses.”
He said the original idea of running Taian Table was to build a small place to entertain friends and to have foodies and chef friends around to create new and creative dishes. “We certainly never intentionally planned to violate any rules, regulations and laws.”
The full menu at Taian Table with 14 courses costs 1,288 yuan (US$198) per person, and 10 courses 988 yuan. The restaurant could cater for up to 28 diners.
The Changning District market watchdog said it would step up checks over whether Taian Table had stopped operating.
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