You've heard Gordon Ramsey on TV talking about them. Perhaps you've visited New York, Paris, London or Tokyo and found the Michelin Star guide helping you discover new dining experiences. Now, those coveted Michelin Stars are coming to six new American cities for the first time.
At a Wednesday morning press conference in Milwaukee, that city along with Minneapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh were announced as the newest places Michelin would begin reviewing restaurants, and perhaps awarding those prestigious stars, signifying some of the best restaurants in the world.
They're calling it the "Michelin Guide American Great Lakes." This is the first time cities in Middle America beyond Chicago would be rated by Michelin.
"So this new regional edition has been a long time coming for the Michelin guide and our famously anonymous inspectors," announced Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides. "As you can guess, the inspectors are already out, both on the ground in the region exploring your local culinary scenes and experiencing the many great delicacies these American Great Lakes cities have to offer."
According to the Michelin Guide:
- One Star (⭐): "A very good restaurant in its category". Focuses on high-quality ingredients and consistently high standards of food.
- Two Stars (⭐⭐): "Excellent cooking, worth a detour". Highlights restaurants where the chef's personality and talent are evident in creative, refined dishes.
- Three Stars (⭐⭐⭐): "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". Represents the highest honor, featuring supreme technique, artistic culinary execution, and often, dishes that become classics.
President and CEO Meet Minneapolis, Melvin Tennant, spoke at the press conference in Milwaukee, highlighting what he called an exciting announcement for Minneapolis.
"For years are culinary scene has earned national acclaim, yet we've still been called unexpected, underrated, and even the best kept secret," said Tennant. "And we want to change that. But in Minneapolis, we've actually known that truth all along. We have the talent, and the cultural diversity, and the hospitality to stand with any culinary destination of the world. We're very proud of that."
Tennant highlighted the cultural diversity of Minneapolis' restaurant scenes, including French influenced, Indigenous, and Southeast Asian, several of which have garnered James Beard Awards in recent years.
WCCO's Jason DeRusha, who also reviews restaurants for Minnesota Monthly and hosts the DeRusha Eats podcast, believes there are a number of places in the Twin Cities worthy of getting those stars.
"If they rated today - I'd guess: 2 star: Demi and maybe Myriel," says DeRusha. "1 star: Kado no Mise, Bucheron. Wild cards: Travail, Owamni’s Guthrie version. And Will Diane’s Place fancy up dinner to compete? Will Tim McKee open a place?"
DeRusha recently published a breakdown of the Twin Cities restaurants and how he believes they'd fit into a Michelin guide, highlighting what is a thriving food scene there.
Michelin specifically is calling it Minneapolis, and it is not clear if the guide will focus solely on that city, or include St. Paul which houses a number of restaurants that could be considered.
Those Michelin guides don't come for free - or cheap. There are numerous reports that bringing the Guide to a new city or region often costs local tourism boards or governments quite a bit of money, often running over $1 million for a 3-year deal.
Other areas in the U.S. that Michelin awards stars to include: New York City, San Francisco/Bay Area, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Other rated regions include Florida (Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and others), Atlanta, Colorado, Texas, and the American South.
