Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Joel Robuchon overtakes his fellow Frenchman Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay of the U.K. to become the chef with the world's most stars, following the publication today of the first Michelin & Cie. guide to Tokyo.

Robuchon won three stars for his flagship in the Japanese capital, two stars for L'Atelier and a single star for La Table. Ducasse's Benoit and Beige venues were awarded one star apiece, and Ramsay was snubbed for his restaurant at the Conrad Tokyo.

The six extra stars catapult Robuchon to the top of the table of chefs, according to Bloomberg calculations verified by Michelin. He has 17, compared with 15 for Ducasse, 11 for Ramsay and seven for Thomas Keller. (Ramsay holds another star for the Angela Hartnett restaurant in London, which has closed down.)

``It's a great week for Robuchon,'' Jean-Luc Naret, who heads Michelin guides worldwide, said today in a telephone interview from Tokyo, where he was hosting a party for about 30 three-star chefs. ``He's quite happy: You can see the smile on his face.''

Robuchon has amassed 10 stars in a week, having won three on Nov. 12 for Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and another one for L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, also at the MGM Grand. Keller failed to win a star for Bouchon in Las Vegas.

``We were going to give Ramsay one star in Tokyo, but then the chef left,'' Naret said from the party, which was attended by Robuchon and the French chef Anne-Sophie Pic. (Andy Cook quit as head chef earlier this year.) Ramsay and Ducasse were unable to attend because of other commitments, he said.

Food Not Names

``The stars aren't given for the name on the door,'' Naret said. ``It's about the food on the plate, and consistency.''

A total of eight Tokyo restaurants won three stars. The other seven were: Hamadaya (Japanese), Kanda (Japanese), Koju (Japanese), L'Osier (French), Quintessence (French contemporary), Sukiyabashi Jiro (sushi) and Sushi Mizutani (sushi).

The 25 two-star venues include Aimee Vibert, Cuisine(s) Michel Troisgros, Daigo, Esaki, Fukudaya, Hishinuma, Ichimonji, Ishikawa, Kikunoi, Kogetsu, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Le Mange- Tout, Pierre Gagnaire and Reikasai.

Ducasse opened a restaurant in London last week and said, ``I would like the clients to give me three stars in their hearts.'' Ramsay, who plans to open his first establishment in France in the New Year, said in an interview in May that his ambition was to hold three stars each in London, Paris and New York.

Clermont-Ferrand, France-based Michelin, the world's biggest tiremaker, has published guides in Europe for more than a century. It is expanding internationally under Naret's direction.

(Richard Vines is London food critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this review: Richard Vines in London at rvines@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 19, 2007 07:21 EST