GaultMillau

The gourmet restaurant in the Arts Schadau Castle was awarded 14 GaultMillau points in 2008!

What is GaultMillau?

The objectives
GaultMillau strives to promote good food by encouraging Chefs to work better and to guests to demand more. Only then can culinary progress be made.

The scoring system
GaultMillau awards points using the French grading system from 0 to 20. The highest score is 20, but according to the Gault Millau founders, this cannot be awarded, because only God, and never humans, can attain perfection. The scores are awarded on the basis of culinary performance. The criteria for the assessment of this performance are as follows:

• How fresh, seasonal and qualitative are the products used?
• How sensibly are the products used?
• Is every dish freshly prepared?How much of the products' taste remains after preparation, how pronounced are the flavours?
• How well do the ingredients harmonise?
• Are the optimal cooking times followed?
• How wholesome are the dishes (use of fats, spices, fresh herbs)?
• How are the dishes presented?
• How do the tastes of the meal progress?
• How appealing are the appetizers (amuse gueule/ bouche)?
• How does the meal end (petits fours with coffee)?
• How is the menu: individual, creative, to large or too small, how informative and easy to understand?
• What is the price/value ratio?
• How is the restaurant described?
• Special location, history, restaurant clientele, set up, table setting, atmosphere and service
• Composition of the wine cellar, make-up and comprehensibility of the wine list, temperature of the wine served

The Testers
GaultMillau testers are professional gourmands by experience. They may not be prejudiced against any particular type of food or restaurant ambiance, and they must have eaten in different restaurants over a thousand times to ensure that they can be competent, fair and unbiased in their assessment of a restaurant and its cuisine. GaultMillau testers must also be able to write about their experiences in an understandable and entertaining way. They are required to visit a restaurant as often as necessary until they are certain of their verdict. During these visits they must act as normal guests and never do anything to alert the restaurant staff to their tester status.