Michelin guide leaks own ratings for L.A. and Vegas

Famous French Chef Paul Bocuse, 79, poses in front of his restaurant with 40 Michelin red guides, from 1965 up to 2005, in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, near Lyon, late March 24, 2005. The first Michelin guide ratings for restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas were accidentally posted on its Web site, forcing the guide to announce the honors before an anticipated Monday launch.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The first Michelin guide ratings for restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas were accidentally posted on its Web site, forcing the guide to announce the honors before an anticipated Monday launch.

No restaurant in Los Angeles, a city of more than 3 million people, received the guide's coveted three-star marking, the guide said in a statement Friday. Three restaurants earned two stars, including Spago, Wolfgang Puck's Beverly Hills flagship, a favorite of the city's rich and powerful.

Sushi specialist Urasawa also was awarded two stars, as was Melisse, a California-French restaurant in seaside Santa Monica, Michelin said.

French chef Joel Robuchon earned the guide's only three-star rating in Las Vegas, which also boasted three two-star restaurants. Between the two cities, 27 restaurants were awarded one star.

Michelin inadvertently posted the results of its guides late this week, Christian Delhaye, global head of maps and guides for Michelin, told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. He confirmed the error and the list's authenticity.

"It was a mistake," Delhaye told the newspaper. "It was only up for a short time."

The Michelin guides, published by the French tire company for more than 100 years, cover 21 countries and its three-star rating, which is meant to mark "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey" is considered one of the highest honors in global dining.

(Reporting by Dana Ford; Editing by Arthur Spiegelman)