Case study
From scenography to emotion
IMC AGENCY REVEALS THE CREATIVE FORCES BEHIND AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT IN PARIS CONCEIVED FOR THE MICHELIN GUIDE HOTELS CEREMONY 2025
I
MC Agency, founded by Alexandra Dourassof, partnered on the delivery of the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Hotels Ceremony 2025 with a brief was to deliver a ceremony marking the official unveiling of the very first MICHELIN Keys Selection. The objective was to transform an institutional milestone into an immersive experience resonating with a global audience of hoteliers, media and opinion leaders coming from five continents.
Although the budget remains confidential, the event represented a significant international production involving over 500 guests, multiple venues, and the mobilisation of approximately 180 professionals across scenography, technical production, hospitality and culinary direction – including collaborations with chefs from Michelin-starred institutions.
The venue selection was central to the narrative of the event. The concept was built around a‘ Parisian journey’, linking the Righ Bank to the left Bank, through two emblematic locations – the Hotel Pozzo di Borgo and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
The criteria combined symbolic and logistical considerations:
• Strong cultural and architectural identity
• Alignment with MICHELIN’ s heritage and contemporary positioning
• Capacity to host an international audience at scale
• Flexibility to accommodate both a talk format and an experiential evening ceremony.
This dual-location approach allowed guests to physically experience a transition from reflection to celebration, reinforcing the storytelling dimension of the event.
Two-act event Conceived as a two-part experience – reflection in the morning, celebration in the evening – the format aimed to ensure that each guest physically experienced the values of the MICHELIN Guide.
The day opened with a conference programme dedicated to the future of hospitality. In the evening, the MICHELIN Keys unfolded throughout the meal, transforming what could have been a formal protocol into a more engaging and unifying experience.
Scenography and orchestration To welcome the 500 + international hoteliers, journalists and opinion leaders, IMC’ s contemporary scenography inspired by the two Parisian venues, and large triple-screen totems delivered immersive content leading towards a keyhole-shaped stage – the signature element of the production – symbolically inviting guests to step through the threshold into the MICHELIN Guide universe. The effect was to create a visual dialogue between heritage and contemporary design.
Alexandra Dourassof approached the project as a comprehensive architectural composition.
To meet the demands of a truly international audience, the agency assembled a multicultural team representing more than ten nationalities and the culinary experience was curated in collaboration with five Michelinstarred restaurants.
A key challenge lay in rethinking the traditional awards format without losing clarity or structure. Integrating the announcement of the MICHELIN Keys into a live dining experience required a precise choreography between content, service and guest attention – ensuring the narrative remained engaging throughout, rather than fragmented.
At the same time, the event had to operate as a fully integrated system across multiple environments, with each sequence needing to connect seamlessly despite differing technical and spatial constraints.
IMC’ s highly synchronised production framework ensured creative direction, technical execution and guest experience were designed in parallel rather than sequentially. This allowed for real-time alignment on site and ensured that every transition felt natural and intentional. n
62 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 142