Toronto to become Canada’s first Michelin Guide destination

Toronto will become the first Michelin Guide destination in Canada with global eats, charming cafés and high-end dining experiences on the horizon.

Michelin Guide is widely considered one of the highest authorities on global fine dining. Inspectors rank restaurants with a three-star system based on subjective, anonymous reviews and are among the highest honours a fine-dining chef and restaurant can receive.

Before the pandemic, Mayor John Tory said that the Michelin Guide completed a “full destination assessment of Toronto’s culinary scene.” Inspectors will now discover Toronto’s culinary cuisine over the coming months.

The inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide Toronto will be announced in the fall, with a selection of restaurants receiving the highest honours.

“This is an exciting moment for our city as Toronto will become the first Michelin Guide destination in Canada,” said Mayor Tory.

“This further bolsters our reputation as a world destination for food and cuisine. Our diverse city, along with the many renowned chefs who call Toronto home, has helped us get to this point and to be able to showcase all of the wonderful restaurants.”

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Three-star Michelin restaurants are considered esteemed worldwide, as the addition or loss of a star can dramatically affect the success and reputation of an establishment.

“Rising Stars” can also be awarded, a sign that a restaurant can qualify for a star or an additional star. As of 2022, there are five “three-star” restaurants in New York, which leads for most in the U.S. There are three in San Francisco, two based in California, and one in Chicago.

Michelin reviewers (commonly called “inspectors”) are anonymous; they do not identify themselves. Photo: Unsplash.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said Toronto is a city where top chefs want to establish a presence and where emerging chefs “nurture their culinary talent.”

“For the first time in its history, the Michelin Guide lands in Canada, and our inspectors are excited to experience the impressive culinary landscape of Toronto,” said Poullennec.

“This first selection for Canada’s largest city, and our first in the country, will represent the local flavours, international inspiration, and distinct creativity that makes Toronto’s dining scene world-class.”

Poullennec said the upcoming Michelin Guide Toronto selection focuses on universal criteria, including quality products, the mastery of flavours, the mastery of cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine and the consistency between each visit.

According to Restobiz, NPD Group data found that in-person and online restaurant visits have increased 18 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2022.

Tory said the continuation of CaféTO will continue to play a meaningful role in the recovery and revival of Toronto’s restaurant scene.

In 2020, CaféTO supported 801 restaurants in 62 BIAs (Business Improvement Area) and 96 restaurants outside of BIAs. In 2021, more than 1,200 establishments took part in CaféTO.