10 things you need to know about the Michelin Guide

After a long wait, Arizona’s top restaurants will finally find out this week if they’ve made it into the Michelin Guide. For the first time, the prestigious, international restaurant ratings are coming to the Southwest with a new guide that will feature restaurants in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada.

Buzz has been growing surrounding the upcoming guide since late last year, when Michelin announced its latest region.

“Our anonymous inspectors have been eager to expand further into the Southwest and share their discoveries with the world,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in the announcement. 

Mayor Kate Gallego proclaimed via Facebook that “A milestone we have been talking about for years is finally here.”

On Wednesday night, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, chefs from around the Southwest will find out who has earned a star. There are multiple levels of recognition available and many chefs vying for their time in the spotlight. So what is the Michelin Guide? Where did it start? And what’s the deal with the bubbly Michelin Man mascot?

Here’s everything you need to know about the Michelin Guide ahead of Wednesday night’s ceremony.

Is it the same as the tire company?

Yes, the Michelin Guide is run by the same company that makes Michelin tires. Before it became the searchable online database it is today, the guide started as a little red booklet designed to inspire drivers to take road trips. 

In 1889, brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their tire company in central France. At that time, there were fewer than 3,000 cars in the country and the French auto industry was budding. 

To inspire drivers to take to the open road, Michelin developed a guide with maps, instructions on how to change a tire, where to stop for gas and a list of hotels and restaurants.

Over time, the restaurant portion expanded and Michelin hired inspectors to visit and rank eateries. In 1926, the guide introduced the idea of Michelin stars. In 2005, Michelin published its first North American guide in New York.

How many Michelin stars can you earn?

Today, restaurants may earn one, two or three Michelin stars.

Michelin grades restaurants based on five criteria: ingredient quality, harmony of flavors, mastery of culinary techniques, how the chef’s personality shines in their cuisine and consistency across the menu and over time.

• One star: Restaurants using top-quality ingredients that prepare dishes with distinct flavors at a consistently high standard.
• Two stars: Restaurants where the team’s personalities shine through in expertly crafted dishes. Food that is refined and inspired.
• Three stars: The highest honor is awarded to restaurants with chefs “at the peak of their profession, where the cooking elevates the craft to an art form, with some dishes destined to become classics,” according to Michelin.

Can a restaurant lose a star?

Yes. Each Michelin Guide comes out annually. Restaurants can gain or lose stars every year. 

Are there awards other than stars?

Yes, the Michelin Guide also includes Bib Gourmand awards, which are reserved for more affordable eateries.

Michelin also recognizes “Selected Restaurants.” These spots are highlighted in the guides and provide above-average food, but don’t quite reach the level of a star or Bib Gourmand. Inspectors often watch these restaurants closely for consideration in future guides.

This year, a new recognition program has begun. The Mindful Voices award recognizes individual people “pioneering new approaches in the fields of gastronomy, hospitality and wine.”

What does NOT influence a Michelin star?

The decor of a restaurant is not considered. Service style doesn’t matter, whether it’s white-glove or counter service. Fine-dining restaurants and street food stands alike can earn recognition. And wine lists don’t impact a restaurant’s rating. 

Do people pay for Michelin recognition?

Restaurants do not pay for a place in the Michelin Guide. However, local tourism boards do pay for the Michelin Guide to come to town. 

For the new Southwest Guide, tourism boards from Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico all chipped in. The Arizona Office of Tourism coughed up $200,000.

How many restaurants have three Michelin stars?

Currently, 161 restaurants worldwide have three stars. 548 have two stars and 3,180 have one star. 

When and where is the Michelin ceremony? 

This year’s ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

Doesn’t Las Vegas already have a Michelin guide?

Yes, it did. Some restaurants in Las Vegas are known as Michelin-starred restaurants. This is because Michelin did visit Sin City for two years, in 2008 and 2009.

The financial crisis of the time led Michelin to pull out of Las Vegas. This year’s guide will be the first time Las Vegas restaurants have been considered since then. 

Does Phoenix have any Michelin stars?

No, but the Valley is home to two Michelin landmarks. In the lower level of the Phoenix Art Museum, there’s a silver statue of the Michelin Man. He’s part of an exhibition titled “Modern Treads: The Discount Tire Poster Collection,” which features vintage posters from 1900 to 1930 that promoted early automobiles. The posters surround the shining silver statue of the bubbly Michelin mascot, known as Bibendum.

In Cave Creek, there’s an unusual saguaro affectionately known as the Michelin Man Cactus. The cactus has a rare mutation that makes its arms grow in segmented chunks, instead of the usual smooth appearance. To see it, hikers can visit Cave Creek Regional Park and take the Slate Trail. The towering, bubbly cactus is located roughly 0.4 miles down the trail.

How will I know who wins?

Phoenix New Times will be at the awards, bringing you live coverage direct from the Michelin ceremony. Follow along at phoenixnewtimes.com and on social media.

Until then, which Arizona restaurants do you want to see earn stars? Let us know in the comments or at editorial@newtimes.com.