New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Ranjit Mankeshwar is a passionate diner. The Mumbai-based physician is planning a food-focused holiday in Hong Kong. He will browse through the Michelin Guide, pick a restaurant, make a reservation and then book his flight tickets. "For me, the guide is like an entry point (to a city)," says the 59-year-old. On a trip to Bangkok, he planned his itinerary around the Michelin-starred Nusara, Suhring and Potong.

Hindustan Times recently reported that a senior tourism ministry official had said the government was in the final stages of signing a deal to bring the Michelin Guide, a globally recognised restaurant rating system, to India.

Receiving a Michelin Star or two is considered the high point of a restaurant's life ...