Heard the News? Michelin Is Coming to Texas!
Of course you have, it’s all over the news.
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, there will be culinary teams that very much deserve the recognition. There are chefs, culinary, and hospitality teams that are extraordinary and at the top of their games who should be recognized for their greatness. Locally, the James Beard Awards have declined to give Dallas or Ft. Worth restaurants a second thought, but D Magazine and Culture Map have recognized them on their lists. That counts for something right?
On the other, there is the tyranny of the best; the notion that there are only a handful of restaurants worthy of the accolade and, therefore, we should prioritize them over all others. However, there is no guarantee of satisfaction when you choose “the best.” There’s also the fact that well-deserving restaurants don’t make the list, which can, at least subconsciously, impact the way diners view their value.
An informal poll among Park Cities’ residents show that many people travel, specifically abroad, to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants. “Eating at a Michelin restaurant is the event,” one person said. Another commenter sees the big picture. “Michelin is a nice quick guide for picking out highlights in a new place. But we should realize it is a lot of marketing.”
Friends of mine recently traveled to Spain, Portugal, and France, and dined at a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants. For me, that would be like going to The Louvre for three hours; there are so many beautiful, historical things to see, but everything starts to blur together after a while and the value is lost on me.
Others who responded to the poll said they would seek out the local Michelin restaurants. Some, not so much. One guy simply said, “No.” Another guy said, “I wish they’d stay away.” I get it. Like I said, mixed feelings.
One chef friend said “lots of disappointment,” coming with these awards. Another absolutely brilliant chef, one more likely to be recognized told me, {I have} a lot more work to do.” Another who left Dallas for another city said, “I left Dallas too soon.” Imagine the pressure these restaurants are under.
Which restaurants within People Newspapers readership area might be recognized with either Michelin stars or the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation, which means a restaurant offers the best value for the money? I’d like to hear from you, the Dallas Dining Ton, on which restaurants in our readership area you think should be recognized. The Michelin restaurant selections will be announced later this year, so make your bets (and your reservations) now.
