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Our Story

From the first Gault&Millau guide in 1972 to a worldwide network: the story of the reference media for gastronomy, year by year.

Fifty years of Yellow Guides

The covers of the France guide, from 1972 to 2022.

  1. 1972
  2. 1973
  3. 1974
  4. 1975
  5. 1976
  6. 1977
  7. 1978
  8. 1979
  9. 1980
  10. 1981
  11. 1982
  12. 1983
  13. 1984
  14. 1985
  15. 1986
  16. 1987
  17. 1988
  18. 1989
  19. 1990
  20. 1991
  21. 1992
  22. 1993
  23. 1994
  24. 1995
  25. 1996
  26. 1997
  27. 1998
  28. 1999
  29. 2000
  30. 2001
  31. 2002
  32. 2003
  33. 2004
  34. 2005
  35. 2006
  36. 2007
  37. 2008
  38. 2009
  39. 2010
  40. 2011
  41. 2012
  42. 2013
  43. 2014
  44. 2015
  45. 2016
  46. 2017
  47. 2018
  48. 2019
  49. 2020
  50. 2021
  51. 2022
  52. 2023
  53. 2024
  54. 2025
  55. 2026
  56. 2027
  1. Henri Gault and Christian Millau

    The birth of a new perspective

    In the early 1960s, Henri Gault, a senior reporter at Paris-Presse, was given a column devoted to getaways and good addresses around Paris. Christian Millau, then deputy editor-in-chief, reviewed his articles. Their meeting sparked a close partnership and, with it, a new way of approaching gastronomy: freer, more curious and more journalistic. Together, they imagined a magazine and then a guide that would look beyond restaurants alone to embrace the whole art of living: cuisine, wine, hotels, artisans and personalities.

  2. Le Nouveau Guide Magazine Gault-Millau

    In 1969, Henri Gault and Christian Millau launched “Le Nouveau Guide Magazine Gault-Millau”, a monthly food magazine that gave birth to the Gault&Millau brand. A new generation of food critics emerged, driven by a shared ambition: to visit establishments in person and introduce the talents shaping and transforming cuisine.

  3. Cover of the first Gault&Millau guide, 1972

    The first Yellow Guide

    In 1972, the first guide was published: “Le Guide Gault-Millau de la France”. It was the first Yellow Guide, and its colour became the emblem of the brand. Henri Gault and Christian Millau championed a new approach to food criticism. Inspectors visited establishments independently, paid their own bills and focused on what matters most: flavour, ingredients, cooking, creativity and the chef’s personality. Gault&Millau thus became a true talent scout, helping to reveal a new generation of chefs.

  4. Nouvelle Cuisine

    Gault&Millau played a key role in supporting and defining one of the great movements that transformed French gastronomy: Nouvelle Cuisine. In a manifesto published in 1973, Henri Gault and Christian Millau set out ten commandments urging chefs to favour fresh produce, lighten their menus, master their cooking, explore new techniques and give more room to creativity. This vision permanently changed the codes of haute cuisine.

    1. Do not overcook
    2. Use only fresh, high-quality products
    3. Simplify your menu
    4. Do not be resolutely modernist
    5. Learn from new techniques
    6. Avoid marinating, ageing, fermenting
    7. Eliminate rich sauces
    8. Do not ignore nutrition
    9. Do not fake your presentations
    10. Be inventive

  5. Wine joins the adventure

    Gault&Millau broadened its editorial scope with a first special issue devoted to wine. This new field of expertise marked the beginning of an in-depth exploration of vineyards and producers, which a few years later would lead to a guide entirely dedicated to the wines of France.

  6. The adventure goes international

    Gault&Millau crossed France’s borders with the launch of its first international licence, in Austria. This first presence abroad opened a new dimension to the adventure: taking the Gault&Millau perspective around the world and adapting its expertise to the gastronomic culture of each country.

    • Austria
  7. Henri Gault and Christian Millau on the cover of Time, 18 February 1980

    International recognition

    Henri Gault and Christian Millau appeared on the cover of the American magazine Time. This international recognition reflected the growing influence of the duo and the reach of their vision of gastronomy.

  8. Switzerland joins the adventure

    Gault&Millau continued its international development by expanding into Switzerland. The brand began building an international network while preserving its editorial identity and its high standards.

    • Switzerland

  9. Germany

    Gault&Millau continued its European expansion with its arrival in Germany. International development gradually became a major part of the brand’s history.

    • Germany
  10. Cover of the first Gault&Millau wine guide, Le Guide des Vins de France

    The first wine guide

    After several years of covering the world of wine in its publications, Gault&Millau published its first Guide to the Wines of France. With several hundred pages devoted to a selection of estates and vintages, this new guide was a natural extension of the expertise developed since the late 1970s.

  11. A new chapter

    Henri Gault and Christian Millau went their separate ways. Christian Millau nevertheless remained involved with the guide for several years. The Gault&Millau adventure continued, now built on an editorial identity firmly rooted in the gastronomic landscape.

  12. Luxembourg

    Gault&Millau continued its international development by expanding into Luxembourg.

    • Luxembourg

  13. Belgium

    Gault&Millau arrived in Belgium with its red and yellow guide, strengthening its European network.

    • Belgium
  14. Marc Veyrat

    A historic score

    In 2003, Gault&Millau awarded a score of 20/20 for the first and only time in its history. The distinction went to Marc Veyrat for his restaurants in Veyrier-du-Lac and Megève. A defining moment in the history of the Gault&Millau rating system.

  15. The Gault&Millau Tour

    Gault&Millau at the heart of the regions

    With the creation of the Gault&Millau Tour, the brand strengthened its regional presence. These events accompany the publication of the regional guides and bring together chefs, artisans and local players around tastings, meetings and awards. A new way of discovering talent, at the heart of each region.

  16. Young Talent Grants laureates

    Revealing young talent

    Gault&Millau created the Young Talent Grants to help young chefs open their own restaurants. Since their creation, these grants have given many entrepreneurs material or financial support to bring their projects to life. Supporting and passing on knowledge to the next generation have thus become pillars of Gault&Millau’s mission.

  17. Paul Bocuse

    The Gault&Millau d’Or

    The Gault&Millau d’Or was awarded to Paul Bocuse, an iconic figure of French gastronomy. This distinction honoured a career and a personality that profoundly shaped the history of cuisine.

  18. Japan

    Gault&Millau continued its international development with its arrival in Japan. A new milestone illustrating the brand’s ambition to bring its expertise into dialogue with the world’s great gastronomic cultures.

    • Japan

  19. Croatia

    Croatia joined the Gault&Millau international network.

    • Croatia

  20. The Netherlands and Slovenia

    Gault&Millau continued its European expansion with its development in the Netherlands and Slovenia.

    • Netherlands
    • Slovenia

  21. The Gault&Millau Academy

    The Gault&Millau Academy was founded. It first brought together the great chefs who have shaped French gastronomy and, since 2026, welcomes chefs from around the world. It reflects Gault&Millau’s ambition to build lasting ties with those who shape the future of cuisine. The Academy has also become a place for passing on knowledge and sharing experience between generations.

  22. Italy

    Gault&Millau continued its international development by expanding into Italy, at the heart of another of Europe’s great gastronomic cultures.

    • Italy

  23. A new international chapter

    As the France guide celebrated its 50th anniversary, Gault&Millau opened a new chapter in its history. Gault&Millau International set up its headquarters in Geneva, while Gault&Millau France continued its development in Paris. The brand also developed its venues and events dedicated to knowledge-sharing, encounters and the recognition of gastronomic expertise. That same year, the international network continued to grow with new operations in Serbia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

    • Serbia
    • Turkey
    • United Arab Emirates
  24. Cover of the Gault&Millau magazine, November 2023

    The return of the magazine

    In November 2023, Gault&Millau brought its magazine back to life. With six issues a year, the new publication offers another perspective on gastronomy and the art of living. The guide and the magazine once again complement each other: one driven by expertise and selection, the other by journalism, storytelling and discovery. That same year, the international network expanded to Georgia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

    • Georgia
    • Czech Republic
    • Hungary
    • Slovakia
  25. The Gault&Millau kitchen utensils range

    Gault&Millau enters the kitchen

    Gault&Millau broadened its universe with the launch of a premium range of kitchen utensils. Designed for food lovers and passionate home cooks alike, the collection includes more than 65 products and extends the brand’s expertise into the kitchen. Gault&Millau no longer simply observes and selects gastronomy: the brand also creates products and experiences that let people enjoy it every day.

  26. A new international milestone

    Gault&Millau continued its development with new operations in Poland, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. The international network keeps growing, with the ambition of introducing the talents and gastronomic cultures of new territories to an ever wider audience.

    • Poland
    • Morocco
    • Saudi Arabia