Texas wants its restaurants to join the Michelin-starred elite

Texas could soon become the Lone Star (Studded) State, after Houston’s tourism department confirmed that it’s spending $90,000 a year for Michelin critics to come and review its top eateries over the next three years.

Houston’s not the only city coughing up either — Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio are also reportedly paying the $90,000 fee to compete with America’s current culinary hotspots like NY and Chicago, while the state’s tourism department will cover the rest, according to the CEO of Visit Dallas.

While the exact reasons that Michelin chooses to include or exclude specific regions from their critical rounds remain largely unknown, Texan officials certainly aren’t the first to pay for the pleasure: Florida reportedly forked out $150,000 for an Orlando-Miami-Tampa Guide, while Visit California paid $600,000 for a state-wide edition.

Gastro-tourism

The first ever Michelin Guide, originally published by the eponymous tire company to help motorists plan their road trips, was printed almost 125 years ago, but it wasn’t until 1926 that the company started dishing out its famous stars to the best restaurants to stop at along the way. Since then, the stars have become perhaps the most trusted seal of foodie approval — and some cities’ chefs have proved much more adept at earning the plaudits than others.

Tokyo, for example, is home to a whopping 180 Michelin-starred restaurants, with 12 three-star establishments, 32 with two stars, and 136 one-star (or “high-quality cooking”) eateries. New York is the foodie capital of the US, according to Michelin at least, with 67 Michelin-starred restaurants, while SF is the 14th most decorated city in the world, with 30 spots making the Michelin cut.