Houston to host unveiling of Michelin Guide’s first Texas restaurant list – Houston Public Media

Michelin Guide announced Monday that Houston has been selected as the host city for the Nov. 11 release of the selection’s first Texas restaurant list.

The selection of the host city comes several months after the French tire company announced that Texas would be the 11th state to join its list of North American culinary locations. The company said it will be working with the Houston First Corporation — a destination marketing organization focused on promoting the Houston region — to bring the much-anticipated ceremony to the city.

“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 Guide, 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.”

Since starting in 1900 as a means to promote the Michelin Tire brand, the Michelin Guide has grown to become known around the world for its restaurant and hotel ratings based on a three-star system for restaurants and a three-key system for hotels. As of 2024, there are 145 three-star restaurants in the world, with only 13 in the U.S.

Poullennec said earlier this year that Texas was selected by the guide’s anonymous inspectors because of its variety of offerings, from barbecue to Tex-Mex.

“The Texas culinary scene has proven to be an exhilarating one, with multicultural influences, homegrown ingredients, and talent that is rich in ambition,” he said in a statement. “Foodies and travel enthusiasts alike will find something to enjoy, with such a broad dining scene spanning farm-to-table dishes, fusion cuisine, upscale dining, and the famous Texas-style barbecue. Texas is a perfect fit for the Michelin Guide.”

Houston First President and CEO Michael Heckman said in a statement that hosting the guide’s arrival to Texas provides Houston with an opportunity to showcase the Lone Star State’s culinary scene.

“There’s no better place to launch the Michelin Guide Texas than right here in Houston, the nation’s most diverse city, home to more than 10,000 restaurants and some of the culinary community’s brightest starts,” he said. “Over the last two decades, our city has emerged as a food mecca, fostering skilled hometown chefs and restaurateurs. … 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.”

The location of the announcement ceremony has not yet been announced. Michelin Guide said attendance is via invitation only and chefs will be invited to discover if their restaurant has received a Michelin Star or other designation.