In less than a month, the iconic MICHELIN Guide plaques will be up in restaurants in Australia for the first time ever – and they will all be in South Australia.
The MICHELIN Guide has sent invites to chefs to the official MICHELIN Guide Restaurant Ceremony, giving a first glimpse of which South Australian restaurants are set to feature in the 2027 edition of the world-famous guide.
Held on 14 October, the ceremony will reveal the inaugural MICHELIN Guide South Australia in front of industry leaders, chefs, restaurateurs and partners locally and from around the world.
Distinctions announced may include Michelin Stars, Bib Gourmand, and Michelin Selected, alongside individual Special Awards such as Young Chef Award, Service Award, and Sommelier Award.
While the MICHELIN Guide is often associated with fine dining, the style of a restaurant and its level of comfort or formality have no bearing on the award. Michelin Stars have been awarded to a wide range of eateries from street food stalls to gourmet restaurants.
Anonymous MICHELIN Guide inspectors have been evaluating restaurants across the state through five universal criteria, including the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking techniques, the harmony of flavours, the personality of the cuisine and the overall consistency.
The selection process is entirely independent, and restaurants cannot pay to be included or awarded distinctions.
According to International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, Gwendal Poullennec, inspectors have been particularly impressed with the “strong sense of place that runs through South Australia’s dining scene.”
MICHELIN Stars are the most famous distinctions, awarded to restaurants offering the best culinary experiences – with only a very small fraction (approximately 4%) of all starred restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide having been awarded three Stars. Chefs from restaurants receiving coveted MICHELIN Stars will receive a special Michelin chef jacket.
New Zealand entered into the MICHELIN Guide for the first time in June, with 15 restaurants receiving MICHELIN Stars, 35 included as Bib-Gourmand, and a further 60 Selected restaurants.
The ceremony provides an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the state’s world-class food and culinary experiences and long-established wine credentials to a national and international audience. The ceremony will also be livestreamed globally via the MICHELIN Guide’s official YouTube channel.
Following the announcement, the South Australian culinary destinations will be promoted and listed on the MICHELIN Guide website, which attracts more than 62 million visitors each year, in addition to the organisation’s 3.9 million Instagram followers and 3.8 million app users.
Minister for Tourism, Emily Bourke said South Australia’s hospitality industry has been waiting with bated breath to receive an invitation to the MICHELIN Guide ceremony next month, and now the time has arrived.
“This is not a one-off for South Australia. Now the MICHELIN Guide inspectors have experienced first-hand the calibre of our produce and hospitality industry, we know they will return year after year, so those that may have missed out still have a chance of putting up an iconic plaque in their restaurant,” Minister Bourke said.
“We’re already seeing what the Guide has done for New Zealand, with reports that bookings have flooded into both the restaurants and surrounding businesses.
“With less than a month to go until our Guide is revealed, now is the time to book in your favourite local or bucket-list destination before the rest of the world does.”
