Mississippi may soon have its first Michelin-star restaurant, once the MICHELIN Guide American South launches later this year. Mississippi and five other states—Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina—will be included in this, the first North American regional edition of the guide, which will also cover the pre-existing Atlanta guide. Through this regional edition, the MICHELIN Guide will be able to move past main urban cities into other areas to cover the authentic food culture of the American South, Michelin’s website reads.
“Mississippi is a really richly diverse state, and it has a dynamic culinary landscape, so we do everything from southern staples to global cuisine,” Visit Mississippi Director of Marketing and Communications Katie Coats told the Mississippi Free Press. “The opportunity for restaurants to be inspected and potentially included in this new guide was just something that we couldn’t pass up.”
At the turn of the 20th century, the first installment of The MICHELIN Guide debuted to boost tire sales by giving practical advice to French motorists. Michelin’s inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used back then, but they apply those metrics to destinations around the world.
“So they are kind of secret shoppers. They’re already in the restaurants, and they have been since our announcement (in April). … That’s why we wanted to get this announcement out there,” Coats said. “We wanted our partners throughout Mississippi to know these people are coming: They’re gonna be dining in your restaurants, so we want you to roll out the red carpet.”
Michelin’s methodology is based on five universal criteria to ensure equity: quality products, 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. Each restaurant under consideration receives multiple inspections during a year, the website lists.
“They’re gonna include starred restaurants, which is what you think of—like the one, two, or three stars. They also have categories for bib gourmand, which are really accessible foods at a great price point, and then recommended establishments as well. So there’s a wide variety of ways that we could be included,” Coats explained.
Michelin stars are the most coveted distinctions awarded in the professional food scene, as they highlight the excellence of restaurants. One star means high-quality cooking worthy of a stop; two stars means excellent cooking worth a detour; and three is for exceptional cuisine worthy of a special journey, she defined.
“We view this as a strategic marketing investment, right? That’ll elevate our culinary profile and expand towards opportunities. So, of course, if we were to be included in the guide, people travel just to visit those restaurants, and we hope that that could just expand our tourism opportunities,” she said.
Inspectors will be traveling across the state all year leading up to the annual MICHELIN Guide ceremony for the American South later this year. There, the full 2025 restaurant selection will be revealed.
“ We’ve got our fingers crossed. And I feel like so many places in Mississippi are worthy of the special distinction. People get stars, and they lose them. We know that this is just something that’s evolving, and we hope that even just being included in consideration for the guide will kind of help get our name where it needs to be,” the marketing director said.
Culinary is one of the five main pillars of tourism in the state and something sets the state apart from others. There’s southern comfort food made with love and tradition, as well as young chefs taking those traditions and creating new innovative food experiences, Coats said.
“It’s worth traveling for,” she concluded.