Michelin Guide chooses Houston to reveal Texas' first starred restaurants

The countdown is on to find out which restaurants will be included in the first Texas edition of the Michelin Guide. An invite-only ceremony will be held in Houston on Monday, November 11 to reveal the selections.

First announced in July, Michelin’s guide to Texas will cover Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, and each city’s suburbs. Texas Travel and local tourism boards in each city agreed to provide marketing support — $90,000 per year for the first three years in Houston alone — to bring the guide to Texas. The restaurant announcement follows a ceremony in September that revealed the American hotels to receive Michelin keys, including three in Houston.

“We are delighted to be hosting the inaugural Michelin Guide Texas Ceremony in the vibrant city of Houston,” Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement. “Houston is full of culinary innovation and world class hospitality, which goes hand in hand with our values at the Michelin Guide. Together with Houston First, as well as the support of Travel Texas, we look forward to an evening of celebration as we toast to the restaurants that our Inspectors have chosen to award in Texas.”

Michelin uses anonymous inspectors to evaluate restaurants on five criteria: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. Based on that, they may recognize restaurants with one of three designations:

• Michelin stars, rated at one, two, or three for restaurants that offer exceptional experiences
• Bib Gourmand, described as “restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices”
• Green stars for “restaurants that are leaders in sustainable gastronomy”

In addition, Michelin may also issue a lesser “recommended” designation to restaurants that are good but don’t qualify for a star rating.

Although which restaurants will receive what designation will be a mystery until November, CultureMap has learned that the guide has been sending emails to establishments requesting information for its website. Rumors about which restaurants have (and have not) received an email have been quietly circulating among restaurant industry insiders for the last month or so. CultureMap shared some options for Houston restaurants that could receive stars here.

Regardless of how many restaurants receive stars, a sense of excitement has been building. Some believe the opportunity to earn a Michelin star will help draw more culinary talent to the state. Others look forward to seeing how Texas cities compare to Michelin markets around the world, a sentiment shared by Houston First president and CEO Michael Heckman.

“The Michelin Guide’s arrival in Texas presents us with a unique opportunity to show the world the extraordinary sophistication and complexity of our state’s culinary scene. And there’s no better place to launch the Michelin Guide Texas than right here in Houston, the nation’s most diverse city,” Heckman added.

“Over the last two decades, our city has emerged as a food mecca, fostering skilled hometown chefs and restaurateurs while simultaneously drawing exceptional talent from across the globe. Houston First is excited to partner with Michelin in hosting the inaugural Michelin Guide Texas ceremony and to learn alongside our partner cities which Texas restaurants have been selected.”