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Eater
a day ago
- Business
- Eater
South Carolina Will Host the 2025 Michelin Guide American South Ceremony
Greenville, South Carolina, is set to host the 2025 Michelin Guide ceremony for the American South. The newly extended guide will cover restaurants from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, in addition to the existing guide in Atlanta. Winners of the coveted awards will be announced at the ceremony on November 3 at the Peace Center. Michelin North America is headquartered in Greenville, making it a fitting choice for the event. Recent expansion The guide's new presence in the region is motivated by financial backing; the new regional guide is produced in partnership with Travel South USA, a multi-state collaboration that promotes tourism across the southern U.S. The Discover South Carolina tourism board is the host for the ceremony. With its expansion in the South, the guide has added new cities across the U.S. this year, including Boston and Philadelphia joining the Northeast cities guide. In the past two years, the company has published new guides covering Texas, Colorado, and Atlanta; growing its coverage in Florida and Toronto. This is all in addition to the company's existing North American guides covering Vancouver, Mexico, California, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Related The Price Tag to Bring the Michelin Guide to Atlanta In November, cities like Charleston and New Orleans, will discover if they've received a Michelin star or Guide distinction for the first time. The guide is seen by many as the global standard of restaurant reviews with its up to three-star rating system, with one-star considered a 'very good restaurant in its category,' two-star considered 'worthy of a detour,' and three-star deemed a 'special journey.' There is also the Bib Gourmand status, an unstarred category given to high-caliber restaurants that serve a two-course meal for around $50 a person. Attendance to the American South Michelin Guide ceremony is by invitation only. Sign up for our newsletter.
Axios
03-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Michelin may have dinged Virginia's food scene, docs suggest
The $120,000 a year Michelin wanted to charge Virginia to be in its forthcoming Southern restaurant guide was steeply discounted compared with what other Southern states are paying. Why it matters: Virginia's rate may have been a statement on the state's restaurant scene's lack of "maturity," suggest records from the Louisiana Office of Tourism obtained by Axios New Orleans. The big picture: As we reported in April, Virginia opted out of being included in the Michelin Guide to the South largely due to the price tag. The state tourism office would've had to pay $120,000 a year for three years to be included. Yes, but: Six other Southern states opted in — to the tune of $1.65 million a year in a three-year contract, Axios New Orleans' Chelsea Brasted reports. That includes an annual $350,000 each from Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. And $125,000 annually each from Mississippi and Alabama. Zoom in: Why the different amounts? Michelin tells Axios in a statement that the state rates were set by Travel South USA, a regional marketing agency that contracted with Michelin to bring the guide to the South. Travel South USA then subcontracted with tourism agencies across each of the states, including city partners, to pool the funds and hammer out the details. Travel South USA didn't return Axios' request for comment on the rates. Behind the scenes: A slide included in the trove of Michelin documents and emails about expanding to the South may offer a clue. It shows a map of states across the South in varying shades of blue. The colors emphasize each state's " culinary maturity," according to an email from Michelin. That's a key standard for determining whether the guide enters a market, The New York Times reported. Notably, Michelin has Virginia in a medium shade of blue — lighter than the dark blue for Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee — suggesting the group views the state's restaurant scene as not yet fully mature. The intrigue: Michelin didn't comment on Virginia's medium-blue shade or its view of the state's scene, but its anonymous chief inspector for the Michelin Guide North America did offer some insight into what makes a scene culinarily mature. "Destinations that prove worthy of establishing a Guide have a high-quality culinary scene along with a density of restaurants," per a statement from the chief inspector. Specifically, when inspectors go out, they're "looking for restaurants that embody the five universal criteria," which are, according to the inspector: Quality products. Harmony of flavors. Mastery of cooking techniques. Voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine. Consistency between each visit (each restaurant is inspected several times a year) and through the menu as a whole. Plus, according to the inspector, Michelin won't enter into partner conversations if it doesn't think a dining scene — in this case a state — has "the gastronomy maturity to warrant further exploration." The bottom line: It appears Virginia's discounted rate may have come with a side of shade.
Axios
21-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: With Michelin's Southern expansion, tourism boards made restaurant recommendations
Cities and states across the South will collectively pitch in $1.65 million a year in a three-year contract bringing the Michelin Guide to the region, according to records obtained by Axios New Orleans. Why it matters: The agreements shed light on what it took for the prestigious travel adviser to consider expanding, as well as what kind of influence the state marketing agencies have over which restaurants Michelin might consider for recognition. The big picture: Michelin's expansion into the U.S. has come about as tourism agencies are coughing up cash for the honor of being considered among the food world's best and brightest, the New York Times reported in 2023. Some agencies have seen the value in it, such as with Michelin's expansion last year into Texas, which Eater reported came at a cost of $2.7 million over three years. But others have declined the expense. Virginia, for example, said no to being part of the American South expansion, Axios' Karri Peifer reports, citing the cost. Zoom in: Michelin's $1.65 million entrance into the South includes $350,000 per year from Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and $125,000 annually from Mississippi and Alabama, according to the documents, which Axios New Orleans received after a public records request through the Louisiana Office of Tourism. Louisiana's first payment was due April 1, according to an agreement in the documents. The three-year contract between the tourism office and Travel Southruns through 2028. Michelin also shared a slide deck with participants warning about "sticky" questions they may receive, reminding them not to share financial details with the public. "Prohibited," one chart reads: "Any specific budget breakdown by activity. On the other hand, you can reveal what this partnership will achieve globally and objectives of your organization." Multiple references are also made to NDAs for those involved. Behind the scenes: The terms of the deal required a route through Travel South USA, a regional marketing agency, which contracted with Michelin. Then, Travel South USA subcontracted with agencies across each of the states, including city partners, to pool the funds. The documents include emails exchanged between Michelin staffers and tourism officials across the involved states. Some make reference to the push and pull among tourism agencies. "A few states are concerned they wouldn't get any recognition and are reluctant to commit," writes Travel South USA CEO Liz Bittner in one thread. "Atlanta likes being alone in the South – and mentioned that they don't think Michelin doesn't (sic) have enough inspectors to cover the entire region – that being said – (Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau president) William Pate also recognizes that this is probably going to happen – so he is willing to find a win-win." Full state buy-in was required, the emails show, because Michelin would no longer consider single-city expansion, as it did for Atlanta. The intrigue: The process for restaurants to obtain Michelin stars is a closely guarded secret, but one email references how tourism agencies can offer a bit of an edge. In preparing for the initial announcement about Michelin heading to the South, Bittner held a meeting with state representatives. That meeting's agenda included discussion of a "requested list of restaurants for consideration," which was due Feb. 14, about a month and a half before the announcement. "As you put the lists for consideration together," Bittner directed in a follow-up, "think about quality over quantity … beyond the white tablecloth … awarded chefs such as Top 50 lists or James Beard or local awards … Rising chefs with profile in the community (and) chefs/restaurants that highlight the local agriculture, farming or sustainable seafood production." In a statement Tuesday, Bittner said, the tourism agencies "have no control over the content of the selection or its recommendations. In fact, we all learn of the selected restaurants at the same time as the media and chefs – at the Michelin Guide Ceremony. There is no preferential treatment or guarantees given to the (destination marketing organization) in the partnership." In one slide deck image, which a Michelin staffer seems hesitant to use in presentations to state representatives, a map shows states across the South in varying shades of blue. The colors emphasize each state's "culinary maturity," a key standard for determining whether the guide enters a market, the New York Times has reported. Notably, Georgia remains a lighter shade of blue than Louisiana. Michelin entered the Atlanta market in 2023.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
First regional Michelin guide to include South Carolina restaurants
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)—Charleston is known for its impressive culinary scene, and now, its celebrated restaurants and other spots across the state have the chance to earn Michelin stars. The MICHELIN Guide is taking a regional approach and exploring authentic recipes from the American South, the French company announced Wednesday. The new guide includes Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee, as well as the preexisting Atlanta guide. 'We are excited to embark on this new journey for the MICHELIN Guide as this will be the first time since the Guide's North American debut in 2005 that we are launching a regional selection,' said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. 'The cuisine of the American South is a unique product of diverse influences creating an iconic array of specialties prepared by proud and impressive culinary talent.' Anonymous inspectors are currently out in the region discovering the best food the South has to offer. Officials said all the restaurants selected will be revealed during the annual MICHELIN Guide ceremony for the new work. Inspectors will follow the historical methodology Michelin uses, which consists of five criteria: 1) quality products, 2) flavor harmony, 3) mastery of cooking techniques, 4) the voice and personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine, and 5) consistency between each visit and throughout the menu (each restaurant is inspected multiple times a year). The effort is in partnership with Travel South. 'Travel South USA is thrilled to support the MICHELIN Guide coming to the American South. Our region has long deserved global recognition for its extraordinary farm-to-table cuisine, world-class seafood, and rich food culture—crafted by some of the world's most creative and talented chefs,' shared Liz Bittner, president & CEO of Travel South USA. 'We couldn't be prouder to be the first region in the country to showcase our culinary assets in big cities and small towns on a global stage. A heartfelt thank you to the state tourism offices and destinations for their participation in this groundbreaking initiative.' The guide first expanded to include North America in 2005 for New York. In recent years, the expansion has added cities in Canada and Mexico. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
