Michelin fever in Atlanta is now at its peak, as the first ever guide to the city’s restaurants officially drops Tuesday, October 24, during a formal ceremony at the Rialto Center in downtown Atlanta. The October 24 ceremony sees Michelin present its coveted stars, bib gourmands, and other distinctions to Atlanta restaurants deemed worthy of the French tire company’s guide.
Here are five key things to know about the 2023 reveal ceremony and the Michelin guide debuting in Atlanta.
How to watch the Atlanta reveal ceremony
The Atlanta reveal ceremony is by invitation only, with Michelin chefs and some local chefs in attendance at the Rialto Center theater. Atlanta radio personality and VoteHer podcast host Mara Davis will emcee the ceremony. People can watch the reveal ceremony via live stream on YouTube, starting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday October 24.
Atlanta is the newest U.S. Michelin guide
Atlanta is one of two new United States Michelin guides to debut in 2023. The Michelin guide to Colorado dropped earlier this summer.
How the Michelin guide started in France
The dining guide by the French tire company began as a series of guidebooks for motorists at the start of the 20th century, with the very first guide to France compiled in 1900. The book also included instructions on how to change a tire, where to find fuel, and where to rest and eat. Single star ratings began in 1926, with tiered star ratings starting in 1936.
Here are the cities and states Atlanta joins in the U.S.
New York City was the first Michelin guide to debut in the United States in 2005. Beyond New York City, there are Michelin guides covering California, Colorado, Florida, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. With the Atlanta debut, restaurants receiving star and bib gourmand ratings will join over 600 restaurants across the U.S. and 6,860 restaurants around the world listed with these distinctions in the prestigious dining guide.
How Michelin star and bib gourmand restaurants are chosen
Restaurants under consideration are inspected multiple times a year before being granted a Michelin star rating or bib gourmand distinction. Restaurants receiving a star or stars must consistently meet the following five criteria upon each visit by dining inspectors:
- Quality products and ingredients
- Harmony of flavors
- Mastery of cooking techniques
- Voice and personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine
- Consistency of food and service between visits by the inspector
* One star means a restaurant incorporates high quality cooking and is worthy of a stop.
** Two stars means a restaurant offers excellent cooking and people should make a detour to prioritize a meal.
*** Three stars means a restaurant is deemed exceptional and special enough to become part of someone’s travel plans in a city.
Michelin also grants restaurants with high quality food at affordable prices (or “best value for money”) Bib Gourmand status. Restaurants with excellent sustainable and environmentally friendly practices are awarded a Michelin Green Star. Some Atlanta restaurants may also receive a recommendation mention from Michelin in the guide, but not a star or bib gourmand rating.