Michelin Guide expands to include new locations

Michelin just announced that its Michelin Guide would be coming to Australia for the first time ever. South Australia inked a deal with the French company to have a guide published in 2027, and Michelin said its anonymous teams were already in the state to begin their work. Michelin also recently announced that they would adding Minneapolis to its new Great Lakes Guide, also starting in 2027.

Earning a Michelin star is a dream for many young chefs, although some chefs also describe the stars as a curse because it raises diners’ expectations too much. The Guide has lost a bit of cachet over time, however, as online ratings became the go-to source for determining where to eat. So why is Michelin expanding so much now? In a word: money.

Few diners these days are going to purchase a printed guidebook or even pay for a subscription to a online guide when there are so many free options. So Michelin had to find another way to make money – paying reviewers to eat at fine dining establishments isn’t free, after all. The solution was to partner with regions to produce guides covering the area, hence a ‘Great Lakes’ Guide that features six different cities in the region – all of whom paid a handsome fee to Michelin.

This sets up a conflict of interest, because these cities and states are going to expect something for the cash they paid to have Michelin come in and review the area’s restaurants. It seems unlikely that Michelin would send in its reviewers and ultimately say “well, nothing worth eating here.” Who would want to partner with them in the future?

For its part, Michelin has stated that it’s committed to “the highest global standards”, and that restaurants cannot pay to be included in any guides. The practice of only expanding to areas willing to pay money does, however, call into question just how accurate or useful these guides are. The Twin Cities illustrate the dilemma, as Minneapolis’ restaurants will be graded, but not neighboring St. Paul’s, where chefs have also racked up James Beard nominations and awards. Visitors may be shortchanged if they only consult a Michelin guide which omits nearly half of the metro’s restaurants from consideration. It might also mean that restaurateurs will overlook St. Paul when considering where to locate, if they want to chase a star rating. What do you think about the practice of pay-to-play for a city to be featured in a Michelin guide?