New Mexico True is officially partnering with the MICHELIN Guide to bring their first-ever Southwest edition to life. The geographical scope consists of the following four states: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. By launching this regional approach, the MICHELIN Guide reaffirms its ambition to better connect with diners and food enthusiasts, while promoting authentic Southwestern food cultures internationally.
Q&A
What is the MICHELIN Guide?
The MICHELIN Guide was created in 1900 by the Michelin brothers to enhance customers mobility by providing useful information (local maps, mechanical tips, emergency numbers). In 1926, it began to include the restaurant rating system. Today, the MICHELIN Guide covers more than 40 destinations around the world. Over 120 years, the MICHELIN Guide has proven to be an expert in culinary recommendations thanks to its independence, values, and invariable methodology.
What do MICHELIN Stars mean?
The Stars are the most coveted distinctions awarded by the MICHELIN Guide. It highlights the high excellence of restaurants.
- One Michelin Star means “high quality cooking, worth a stop.”
- Two Michelin Stars mean “excellent cooking, worth a detour.”
- Three Michelin Stars are for restaurants with “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.
The Stars are awarded to restaurants on an annual basis, following a universal and historical methodology applied by the inspectors.
How do the inspectors decide which restaurants to visit?
To compile a list of restaurants that warrant an inspector's visit, Michelin utilizes various sources including a deep and constant work directly in the field, which is vital, but also local and national media, social media and word-of-mouth recommendations. The involvement of DMOs such as the New Mexico Tourism Department in publishing a new Guide does not have any influence on the inspectors' judgments for the restaurants in the selection, or award distinctions. DMOs will discover the selected list of restaurants at the same time as the media and chefs – at the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony.
How do inspectors decide where to dine?
To compile a list of restaurants that warrant an inspector's visit, the inspection teams explore destinations in person, as being out in the field is key. Plus, they also use various sources including local and national media, social media and word-of-mouth recommendations.
What’s the inspectors’ process and selection methodology?
For more than 125 years, the MICHELIN Guide has been an independent publication produced by famously anonymous Michelin inspectors. The nature of a partnership will never impact its methods and values.
For each of its editions, the fundamental field work is carried out by the inspectors. These former hospitality professionals all have at least 10 years of experience, which ensures that they have a precise and technical knowledge of the field. They also receive extensive training in the MICHELIN Guide’s methodology, which is based on objective and universally deployable criteria.
The teams, which include local and international inspectors, are fully capable of evolving in international gastronomic scenes and finding the best talents. MICHELIN Guide inspectors enjoy complete independence in choosing the restaurants they visit. Only their knowledge of the local gastronomic scene – through research, monitoring and documentation – helps them find their way around.
No one can tell the difference between a regular customer and a Guide inspector. Their identity, when they are visiting, and where, are all kept secret. They pay their own bills, just as any other restaurant-goer.
The decision whether to award one or more Stars to a restaurant is taken collegially by the inspectors. "Starred" restaurants are always visited several times by different inspectors to ensure consistent quality and the satisfaction of our five criteria: 1) quality products; 2) the harmony of flavors; 3) the mastery of cooking techniques; 4) the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; 5) consistency between each visit (each restaurant is inspected several times a year) and through the menu as a whole.
The MICHELIN Guide is unique because it evaluates only the cuisine itself. But it can also mention service quality and decor, and describe the experience you can get at a certain restaurant.