Per usual, when the Michelin Guide announced the list of Florida restaurants that had earned a prestigious star at an April 18 ceremony, no Jacksonville restaurant made the cut.
In all, 26 restaurants earned at least one star in the 2024 selection of the Michelin Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa.
Miami’s L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Miami earned two stars in the 2024 list.
How does an area qualify for the Michelin Guide? In his online story about the Florida restaurants earning stars, Bon Appetit staff writer Sam Stone wrote: “Michelin’s expansion into new cities is often fueled by tourism departments that can pay hefty sums of money to support the guide’s coverage.”
That said, Michelin’s reviewers are anonymous and pay for their meals.
“I think that the perception that its pay to play, which is inaccurate,” Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Tampa Bay’s tourist board, told the Tampa Bay Times.
“You’re not guaranteed anything.”
Visit Florida, the state’s tourist board, brokered the deal to bring Michelin to Florida. It was a three-year deal, said Dana Young, Visit Florida president and CEO, in an email.
“It was my understanding that Michelin wanted to start with just three destinations to get the project off the ground. It is no secret that Florida is an amazing and diverse culinary state and I feel confident there are many star-worthy restaurants beyond those that have been awarded in the first three years of the partnership,” she wrote.
“If Michelin is interested in discussing expansion of the Guide to other parts of the state, VISIT FLORIDA would welcome that conversation.”
This is the final year of the three-year deal.
The Michelin Guide is a world-renowned culinary publication started in 1900 as a simple tour guide for European motorists. It was created by the Michelin Tire Co. It was hoped that the guide would encourage people to buy and drive cars to different restaurant destinations and in turn increase tire sales.
Bon Appetit explained the star system writing: “A Michelin star is one of the most sought-after recognitions in the food world. One star indicates that a restaurant is “worth a stop,” two means it’s “worth a detour,” and three stars indicate that the restaurant is “worth a special journey.”
