BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP): Gordon Ramsay has harsh words for chefs who reject Michelin stars.

The famously profane Ramsay used an expletive to describe giving back a star rating.

He said the guide's mark of distinction belongs to a restaurant, not a chef.

It's an insult to Michelin and a mark against those who claim that stars impose fiscal and creative burdens on an eatery, the British celebrity chef said Tuesday.

Ramsay said a chef's failure to parlay the hard-won recognition into greater success is on them.

It pains him to see the accolade denounced because someone is "tired and bored" by it, Ramsay said.

The stars are a useful consumer guide, he said.

Ramsay said he prizes the three Michelin stars, the top ranking, long-held by his self-named London restaurant.