Indianapolis joins Michelin restaurant guide
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Michelin, the famed restaurant guide, is adding Indianapolis for the first time.
Why it matters: A Michelin star could elevate the Circle City's underrated food scene and draw more national attention.
Driving the news: Michelin announced Wednesday it will produce a Michelin Guide for the Great Lakes Region, adding six new cities.
- Indy is joined by Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
Context: The French tire company has been producing food guides since 1900. It ranks restaurants on a three-star system, and earning stars has arguably become the most sought-after prize in the food industry.
What they're saying: "We've been deeply invested in growing and elevating our culinary scene — one that's dynamic, diverse and, increasingly, internationally recognized," Morgan Snyder, vice president of communications at Visit Indy, said during a press conference Wednesday.
- Dining is the biggest driver of tourism dollars, Snyder said, with visitors spending $1.7 billion annually on food and beverages.
State of play: Anonymous inspectors are already in the field, Gwendal Poullennec, international director for the Michelin Guide, said during Wednesday's announcement.
- These are full-time professionals who work only for Michelin, Poullennec said, and they eat out about 300 times a year.
The intrigue: Cities and states are helping fund the Michelin Guide's expansion into new regions.
- When it expanded to the South, cities and states agreed to collectively pay $1.65 million annually to be included, Axios reported.
Zoom in: Visit Indy has agreed to a three-year partnership with the Michelin Guide and is paying $150,000 this year "to ensure the guide launches, giving our local restaurants the opportunity to be reviewed," executive vice president Chris Gahl told Axios.
- "We view the partnership as an investment in attracting more visitors, as culinary tourism has been a growing focus for more than two decades," he said.
What's next: Restaurants for the Great Lakes regional guide will be revealed at a ceremony in 2027.