BATON ROUGE, La. (WGMB) – The Michelin Guide on Wednesday announced plans to expand to the Southern region of the United States, with anonymous inspectors already searching for "culinary gems" at restaurants. Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides, said this will be the first time since the North American guide debuted in 2005 that a "regional selection" guide (i.e., one covering an entire US region) has been launched. Other guides have been added since 2005, including guides to areas in California, Florida, Colorado, and Texas. “The cuisine of the American South is a unique product of diverse influences creating an iconic array of specialties prepared by proud and impressive culinary talent," Poullennec said. States included in the Michelin Guide American South are Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Michelin noted that the new guide would also include the existing Atlanta Guide, which was added in 2023. Why are there no Michelin star restaurants in North Carolina? Where is the closest one? How restaurant selection works Inspectors are already making restaurant reservations to conduct reviews throughout the South, according to Michelin. Critics will be judging cuisine based on five factors: "quality products," "the harmony of flavors," "the mastery of cooking techniques," "the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine," and "consistency between each visit and throughout the menu." Southern US tourism groups react Tourism groups celebrate the addition of a Michelin guide for the Southern restaurants. Travel South USA President & CEO Liz Bittner said the South "has long deserved global recognition for its extraordinary farm-to-table cuisine, world-class seafood, and rich food culture." Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said the new guide will highlight the culinary talent and culture in his state. “One of the many reasons people visit our great state is because of the food. We have some of the freshest seafood and our Cajun and Creole cultures serve up dishes unique to Louisiana. It’s another way to Feed Your Soul when you visit our great state,” Nungesser said. How Michelin chooses where to expand Before Wednesday's announcement, the Michelin Guides (in the U.S.) only covered cities in seven states and D.C. Michelin is always looking to expand, the group says, but only after certain standards or criteria are achieved. Enjoy these sweet treats for spring from To Your Health Bakery! “To publish the Michelin Guide [in a specific area], we need first and foremost culinary potential,” Poullennec told Bon Appetit in 2024. “Today, I have inspectors scouting about 20 destinations where we do not yet have a restaurant selection, but that we are considering for future years. It’s always a several-year process because we must see the openings and the consistency.” But it’s more than just consistency or “culinary potential” that brings a Michelin Guide to town. In recent years, Michelin has partnered with local and state tourism boards to help fund the creation of a new guide for that area — but only after the inspectors have deemed the local food scene to be worthy. In 2023, The New York Times reported that California’s tourism board had paid Michelin $600,000 in 2019 to cover the cost of expanding its culinary inspections beyond the Bay Area and Napa Valley. Tourism groups in Florida, Atlanta, Colorado and Texas all reportedly agreed to similar financial partnerships. When asked about these newer financial partnerships, Poullennec, speaking with Bon Appetit in 2024, suggested that Michelin’s arrangements with these tourism boards (or, as he called them, “destination marketing organizations” or DMOs) help to defray the editorial expenses involved with producing the guides. “The involvement of DMOs in establishing new Guides does not have any influence on the Inspectors’ judgments regarding the destination assessment, the restaurants in the selection, or award distinctions,” the inspector told Nexstar. “DMO teams have no access to the Inspectors’ work or the final selection until the list of selected restaurants is revealed by the MICHELIN Guide.” ...read more read less