Advertising also can help you develop important aspects of your reputation. For example, suppose a regional barbecue restaurant depends on tourists for a substantial portion of its income.

The ONA restaurant in the city of Ares, near Bordeaux, is run by Claire Vallee. She said it felt like getting hit by a train when the Michelin guide informed her of the award.

The Michelin Guide handed out new stars to 68 restaurants in France on Monday at a ceremony that celebrated emerging young talents and proposed food as a tonic for the world's worries.