User:Gusflaubert/Gayot



Gayot (pronounced /gahy-oh/) Guides were launched by André Gayot in 1981 as an English language offshoot of France’s Gault Millau guidebooks. Gayot uses a worldwide team of restaurant critics and food, travel and lifestyle experts to provide readers with reviews and information. Originally in print format, the company published softcover pocket-sized travel books to destinations in Europe, Asia and several cities in the U.S. Today, Gayot's reviews and articles are published exclusively in electronic format.

History
In 1969 in Paris, France, Henry Gault, Christian Millau and André Gayot launched Le Nouveau Guide, a monthly magazine devoted to food and wine, the first of its kind in the country. The magazine was started in part as a rebellion against the established guidebooks of the time who Gault, Millau and Gayot perceived as bastions of conservatism, out of touch, favoring old school chefs and disdaining the efforts of the new generation. Gayot Guides founder André Gayot, along with Gault and Millau (see Gault Millau) coined and promoted the term "Nouvelle Cuisine".

Gayot Guides was launched in the U.S. by André Gayot in 1981. Originally in print format, the company published softcover pocket-sized travel books to destinations in Europe, Asia and several cities in the U.S.

Gayot was involved in the early '90s in distributing its content electronically, initially with Minitel technology, later with the Prodigy (online_service), and finally on the web with AOL and other media companies. Today, the company publishes exclusively on the web and electronic platforms. More than 20,000 restaurant reviews are published on the Gayot Web site, along with international hotel and spa reviews, wine and culinary event listings, travel guides and more. Gayot's scope has expanded to include hotels, wine, spas, movies, automobiles, cookbooks, fashion, aviation and contemporary culture. Each year Gayot publishes a list of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., a guide to the nation's best restaurants.

Rating system
Gayot uses a 20-point rating system for its restaurant reviews, the highest possible score being 20 and based only on the critic's opinion of the food. The decor, service, ambience and wine list are commented upon within each review but are not part of the rating. Gayot's ratings use the same criteria and standards regardless of the destination covered. Gayot also uses a "Toque" system, with four toques being the highest rating.

Hotel ratings are based on a "Golden Keys" system, with five keys being the top. The number of Golden Keys accompanying each review indicates the hotel's ranking according to the decor, service, amenities and ambience.