The Michelin Guide is coming to Texas for the first time, and it could bring a swell of diners to the state’s restaurants.
The company announced Tuesday that Texas will be the 11th Michelin Guide destination in North America. The guide will feature restaurants in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston.
“The Texas culinary scene has proven to be an exhilarating one, with multicultural influences, homegrown ingredients and talent that is rich in ambition,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a news release.
The company said Michelin’s anonymous food critics, known as inspectors, will review everything from “Texas native” cuisine, like barbecue, locally sourced seafood and steaks to savory Tex-Mex, according to the release.
The guide’s arrival comes in partnership with Travel Texas, a state-funded guide within the office of the governor’s economic development and tourism department.
President and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association Emily Williams said it makes sense for Michelin to come to Texas, which has more than 76,000 restaurants.
“I think what it's going to do is bring our food and our experience to a global level, far exceeding where it exists today,” Williams said.
Michelin is one of the most recognized restaurant rating systems in the world — a star is considered one of the most prestigious awards a restaurant can receive.
Critics can give a restaurant one, two or three stars. Criteria for the rating includes quality, flavor and cooking technique, personality of the chef reflected in their cuisine, value for money and consistency between visits, according to Michelin Guide.
Exactly when inspectors plan to dine and review restaurants in Texas is a secret. Inspectors are “already in the field, making dining reservations secretively and paying for all their meals to ensure they are treated the same as any other customer,” according to the company’s announcement.
“The hope and the wait is to see if they make that list this fall,” Williams said, “but I think instead of nervousness, what we're feeling today from members across the state, let alone here in Dallas, is great excitement.”
From an economic standpoint, Williams said, Dallas will likely see an increase in tourists traveling to destinations with a Michelin star, not just from around country, but around the world as well. Statewide, the food service industry generated about $106 billion in sales last year, according to Texas Restaurant Association.
“For restaurants alike you not only will see additional travel, but you'll see additional spend,” she said. “And what we really like about this is that while Michelin will recognize specific restaurants, the entire restaurant community will benefit because they'll be more people coming to these destinations.”
The first Michelin Guide Texas restaurants will be announced later this year.
Penelope Rivera is KERA’s news intern. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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