Paris chef Alleno gets 2nd triple Michelin star as France ups the ante for food tourism

French chefs Rene, left, and his son Maxime Meilleur, center, who run La Bouitte restaurant in the French Alps, and Yannick Alleno, who runs Le Pavilon Ledoyen restaurant in Paris, pose after being awarded three stars with the Michelin guide, Monday, Feb.2, 2015 in Paris. Two restaurants were newly awarded with the prestigious 3 stars this year. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

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French chefs Rene, right, and his son Maxime Meilleur, who run La Bouitte restaurant in the French Alps, pose after being awarded three stars with the Michelin guide, Monday, Feb.2, 2015 in Paris. Two restaurants were newly awarded with the prestigious 3 stars this year. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

French chef Yannick Alleno, who runs Le Pavilon Ledoyen restaurant in Paris, speaks after being awarded three stars with the Michelin guide, Monday, Feb.2, 2015 in Paris. Two restaurants were newly awarded with the prestigious 3 stars this year. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – The latest Michelin guide is bestowing its highest award on two new restaurants, including a renowned Champs-Elysees kitchen whose chef just took charge in July after racking up the triple-star at his previous job.

Paris alone has nine three-star restaurants in the 2015 Michelin guide, including the latest one for the Pavillon Ledoyen. Its chef, Yannick Alleno, had already received a three-star rating in 2007 for his cooking at Hotel Le Meurice, which he left in January 2013.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is also in charge of tourism, introduced this year's Michelin guide to the country's best restaurants. France receives more foreign visitors than any country in the world and is trying to change a reputation of giving them less than a warm welcome, especially in restaurants.