MICHELIN Stars, distinctions and other surprises to be revealed at HISTORY

TORONTO, Sept 18, 2024 — Tonight the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region will be announced at HISTORY, with the region’s most prominent chefs in attendance, unveiling the restaurants that have received a MICHELIN Star or another MICHELIN Guide distinction. It's the first time the guide will feature selections from beyond Toronto, highlighting the breadth and diversity of the region’s culinary ecosystem. More details on the expansion will be shared at the event this evening. Attendance is by invitation only; accredited media camera operators are invited to film the event starting at 7:30 p.m.

Toronto was the first Canadian MICHELIN Guide destination announced in 2022 and the sixth in North America. The 2023 ceremony awarded Stars to fifteen Toronto restaurants—one of which received two Stars—as well as 21 Bib Gourmands, 46 Recommended restaurants and two Green Stars. Last year’s selection comprised 82 restaurants and 28 cuisine types.

MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region provides an opportunity to attract visitors from around the world by spotlighting the city’s diverse food scene and the quality of the region. According to a study by Destination Toronto, Economic Impact of Visitors in Toronto, visitors spent $8.4 billion in 2023 with the food and beverage sector accounting for 24 per cent, totaling $2.0 billion. The study also found that visitors supported over 16,000 direct jobs in food services. 

With more than half of its residents born outside of Canada, Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world. Home to multicultural neighbourhoods like Koreatown, Little Jamaica, Greektown, Little India, multiple Chinatowns and more, the city’s diversity is reflected in the scope and scale of Toronto’s many cuisines in more than 15,000 restaurants and food establishments.

About the MICHELIN Guide
Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants.  

  • The famous one, two and three MICHELIN Stars identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef.  

  • The Bib Gourmand is a designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value – often known as personal favorites among the inspectors when dining on their own time.  

  • Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide inspectors.  

The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveller seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin’s inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors in the very beginning. 

The restaurant selections join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay around the world. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an amazing hotel. 

Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN Guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently in more than 45 destinations, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in fine dining. 

All restaurants in the Guide are recommended by Michelin’s anonymous inspectors, who are trained to apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence. As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full, and only the quality of the cuisine is evaluated.  

To fully assess the quality of a restaurant, the inspectors apply five criteria defined by Michelin: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. These criteria guarantee a consistent and fair selection so a Starred restaurant has the same value regardless of whether it is in Paris, New York or anywhere else in the world. 

Quotes: 

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Tourism has the power to unite people, and there’s no better way to do so than through food. Whether they’re tempting local diners or attracting visitors from abroad, the Toronto-area restaurants newly recognized by the MICHELIN Guide are making the city a culinary destination of choice. Congratulations to all the restaurants receiving a MICHELIN Star or MICHELIN Guide distinction. Your dedication and diverse cuisines are putting Canada on the global culinary map, one delicious bite at a time.”

  • The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

“The Greater Toronto Area boasts one of the most diverse, high-quality culinary scenes on the planet, with world-class dining experiences prepared by a variety of talented and creative chefs. This year’s MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region showcases some of the best of these culinary innovators from Toronto and beyond. By encouraging culinary tourism and inspiring more people to sample made-in-Ontario cuisines from around the world, this year’s guide provides a real economic impact for the province.”

  • The Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming

"Congratulations to all the Toronto restaurants and workers recognized by the Michelin Guide this year. Toronto has thousands of wonderful restaurants, serving cuisines from all over the world. We’re proud of our diverse and world-class food scene. I encourage everyone to explore our local restaurants, bars and cafes – and enjoy what our great city has to offer.”

  • Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto

“Our global research shows that trying local food and drink is the most desired travel activity among international travellers to Canada. The Michelin recognition shows that Toronto has established itself as one of Canada’s thriving culinary capitals, and it’s easy to see why. From Little Jamaica to Little Portugal, and a host of rich, Indigenous offerings, Toronto offers a unique fusion of flavours, but also a rich story behind the dishes and the communities, adding to the legendary experiences Canada is known for.”  

  • Marsha Walden, President & CEO, Destination Canada

“Toronto's culinary scene is a dynamic fusion of global flavours—a reflection of the city itself and a key reason why visitors are drawn here. Having a MICHELIN Guide gives Toronto—and now restaurants in an expanded region—a significant international stage to share the full scope and scale of our diverse and vibrant food scene.”

  • Andrew Weir,  President & CEO, Destination Toronto

About Destination Toronto

Toronto’s visitor economy is a vital economic engine for the city, generating $8.4 billion in visitor spending in 2023. Destination Toronto’s mandate is to reflect the breadth and diversity of Toronto’s people, places and culture to inspire residents and visitors to meet, visit and explore our city. Operating in partnership with the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, Destination Toronto markets and promotes the city to attract visitors and major meetings and events and supports local businesses to maximize the opportunities of the visitor economy. For more information, please visit DestinationToronto.com.

About Destination Ontario

Destination Ontario is the lead tourism marketing organization for Ontario, Canada. We market Ontario to travel consumers within Ontario, Canada and around the world. We inspire travellers to make Ontario a must-see destination on their travel list and to return to the beauty of Ontario again and again. Our goal is to generate increased visitation, enhance tourism expenditures in Ontario, and contribute to provincial economic prosperity through impactful marketing and results-oriented investment partnerships. Established in 1999, Destination Ontario is an agency of the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. For more information, please visit DestinationOntario.com.

About Destination Canada

At Destination Canada, we believe that tourism enhances the wealth and wellbeing of Canadians and enriches the lives of visitors. Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. Knowing that diversity is our greatest asset, we promote Canada as a premier four-season leisure and business tourism destination around the country and world in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom and the United States. In addition, our Business Events team leverages in-depth global market analysis to target international clusters aligned with Canada’s priority economic sectors. Destination Canada is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada. For more information, please visit destinationcanada.com.

Media contact:

Kathy Motton
Destination Toronto – Senior Communications Manager
416-721-9203