New Orleans joins Michelin Guide for the first time

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The world-renowned MICHELIN Guide is finally coming to New Orleans.

In a historic move, Michelin and Travel South USA announced that the MICHELIN Guide will expand its North American footprint to include the American South - and for the first time, New Orleans.

That means the Crescent City’s iconic culinary institutions could soon earn the prestigious Michelin stars, long considered the gold standard in global restaurant rankings.

New Orleans joins six states — Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee — in the new MICHELIN Guide American South. The full list of selections will be unveiled later this year.

“Hell yeah we should be in that number,” said Commander’s Palace co-owner Ti Martin, one of many local restaurateurs who believe Michelin’s attention is long overdue.

Despite its global food fame, New Orleans has never before been included in a Michelin guide.

Tourism leaders expect the inclusion to boost the state’s hospitality industry.

“It’s going to be huge for our hospitality and for these great restaurants around the state to be recognized,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.

Restaurants are not automatically included in the guide. Michelin inspectors — whose identities remain confidential — are already dining anonymously in cities across the South. Using Michelin’s strict five-point criteria, they’ll evaluate each restaurant for quality of ingredients, mastery of technique, flavor harmony, the chef’s personality, and consistency.

Commander’s Palace and Antoine’s are two local institutions considered early favorites for recognition, but owners say their focus remains on authenticity over accolades.

“Our culinary history is important to us,” said Antoine’s co-owner Lisa Blount. “But am I going to tweak my food to be Michelin-worthy? I don’t think that’s in a box of tricks.”

The announcement comes just weeks after Time Out named New Orleans the Best Food City in the World — a nod to the city’s rich mix of French, Spanish, African and Vietnamese influences.

New Orleans & Company, the city’s tourism marketing agency, has worked for years to raise the city’s culinary profile on the international stage. The group helped host the 2024 Bocuse d’Or American Championship — a high-profile competition often called the “Olympics of gastronomy” — and will bring the Pastry World Cup back to New Orleans in 2026.

By joining forces with Michelin and Travel South USA, local leaders hope to position the South — and especially Louisiana — as a must-visit destination for food lovers worldwide.

The MICHELIN Guide began in France over a century ago, originally created to encourage travel — and tire sales. Today, the guide rates restaurants in more than 40 countries and is seen as one of the most coveted honors in fine dining. North America’s first Michelin Guide debuted in New York in 2005. Until now, the American South had not been included.

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