18 Dec 18th-Dec 24th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | A Star is Born The Michelin Guide is coming to Arizona. Local chefs sound off. BY SARA CROCKER T he Michelin Guide, an inter- national benchmark for restaurants, is coming to Arizona for the first time. Michelin’s stars, awarded by its anonymous inspectors, are a coveted signifier of the quality of a restaurant and the skill of its chefs. Restaurants in Arizona will be part of a regional Southwestern guide that includes Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The guide is anticipated to be announced at a yet-to- be-scheduled ceremony in 2026, according to an announcement by Michelin on Dec. 8. “A milestone we have been talking about for years is finally here,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego shared in a post on Facebook. “Phoenix will now be a Michelin-rated restaurant community! Our amazing chefs will get a little more of the recognition they deserve.” Valley chefs and restaurateurs are greeting the Arizona arrival of the Michelin Guide with excitement, curiosity and outright skepticism. Regardless of their feelings about the guide, chefs agreed that the arrival of Michelin and its anonymous diners can help put the state’s restaurants on the map and may attract food tourists who wouldn’t otherwise visit. “I feel like it’s still our mission to make people understand that there’s really wonderful food coming out of Arizona,” says Charleen Badman, the award-winning chef and co-owner of the vegetable- forward, farm-to-table restaurant FnB. “So maybe Michelin is going to be something that allows even more people from around the world to discover what we have here and how wonderful it is.” What is the Michelin Guide? Michelin published its first North American guide in New York in 2005. Since then, guides have expanded to 14 other regions on the continent. Arizona and the Southwest are areas Michelin has been eyeing. “Our anonymous inspectors have been eager to expand further into the Southwest and share their discoveries with the world,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of The Michelin Guide, said in the announcement. “We are excited to show- case the distinct cuisine styles that are representative of the cultures throughout the Southwest, which blends a rich mix of traditions and culinary talent.” The guide dates back to the turn of the 20th century. Michelin, a French tire company, published recommendations for motorists. It was a marketing move for the tire business that provided practical advice for early road-trippers. In the 125 years since its launch, the guide has grown to an international juggernaut of restaurant recommendations. To determine which restaurants to include in the guide, anonymous inspec- tors fan out, dining multiple times at each eatery. Inspectors score restaurants across five criteria, per Michelin: • Quality products • Harmony of flavors • Mastery of cooking techniques • The reflection of the chef’s voice and personality in the cuisine • Consistency between visits Restaurants included in the guide may be awarded from one to three stars. “There is no secret recipe for a Michelin Star — we’re just looking for exceptional cooking, whether it’s innovative or tradi- tional, a tasting menu or à la carte, an artful presentation or something more rustic,” Michelin explains about its star ratings. One star recognizes “restaurants that use top-quality ingredients and prepare dishes with distinct flavors to a consis- tently high standard.” Two-starred restaurants, meanwhile, are places where “the team’s personalities and talents shine through in expertly crafted dishes, with food that is both refined and inspired.” A three-star award is the highest honor from Michelin. These are places that “tend to have chefs at the peak of their profes- sion, where the cooking elevates the craft to an art form, with some dishes destined to become classics,” according to Michelin. Other Michelin nods include Bib Gourmand, “a special distinction for restaurants that serve high-quality food at great value,” per Michelin, and “green star” restaurants noted for their sustainability efforts. Michelin’s arrival: Exciting or premature? While it could be quite some time before we find out which restaurants will earn recognition, the impending arrival of the guide has already gotten chefs talking. “I think it’s exciting,” says Christopher Gross, the award-winning chef and restau- rateur behind the modern Phoenix fine dining restaurant Christopher’s. “I think it will put everyone on the edge of their chair. At least I’m on mine.” Chefs and food lovers have speculated for years about Michelin coming to Arizona. The starred awards have become synonymous with fine dining. Badman was surprised but pleased to learn of Michelin’s Arizona expansion plans. “I was like, ‘Oh, really? Finally,’” she recalls. Now, chefs are awaiting a new layer of exposure from Michelin. “It will be good for every restaurant business here,” Lom Wong chef and co-owner Yotaka “Sunny” Martin says. “Phoenix can be one of the top cities (where) people come looking for some- thing exciting to eat. That will be good for everybody.” Now that Michelin has staked a claim in Arizona, speculation has begun about which restaurants will be included in this exclusive list. Badman is hopeful that some of the small, unique and off-the-beaten- path spots that have earned places on other regional U.S. lists will likewise be acknowledged. “I really hope that (Michelin inspectors are) seeing these restaurants that are just a little different, and doing something their way,” Badman says. Chefs like Badman, Gross and Martin are no strangers to awards. They have all been named “Best Chef - Southwest” by the James Beard Awards. Their restaurants have also received acclaim from Food & Wine, Esquire and Bon Appetit, The Michelin Guide is coming to Arizona for the first time. (Getty/Igor Shoshin) Yotaka “Sunny” Martin and her husband Alex run the award-winning downtown Phoenix restaurant Lom Wong. (Jacob Tyler Dunn) >> p 19 ▼ Food & Drink
