Illustration by Tabi Walters
In 1926, the Michelin Guide began awarding stars to fine dining establishments in France, based on assessments from anonymous inspectors. Its ratings soon became sought after as a symbol of excellence, especially its rare three-star nod, held by just 157 restaurants worldwide.
A century later, a group of local chefs and business owners hope to lure Michelin to Ann Arbor. In April, Michelin announced its first Great Lakes edition, rating restaurants in Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. (It has published a Chicago guide since 2010.) Michelin reviewers have begun visiting restaurants, and the guide is slated for publication in 2027.
Joseph VanWagner, executive chef at Echelon, says he was “very, very excited” to hear the news. Then Ji Hye Kim, chef at Miss Kim and Little Kim, texted him to say, “I don’t think they’re coming to Ann Arbor.”
Michelin limits its scope to counties touching a focus city, which in Detroit’s case means Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb—not Washtenaw. It contracts with tourism agencies like Visit Detroit to put up funding to bring in the guide, usually for a three-year run. Yahoo! News and the Detroit Free Press reported in April that the tourism boards for Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Cleveland are paying $150,000 annually; Minneapolis is paying $250,000. The money is used for promotional efforts, and does not promise stars or other recommendations.
Michelin initially didn’t contact Destination Ann Arbor, says spokesperson Chad Wiebesick. But after meeting with the chefs, DA2 subsequently reached out to the guide.
“There’s a lot of pride and momentum in Ann Arbor’s dining scene right now, and that really came through in our conversations,” Wiebesick says. He reports that Michelin told DA2 it was too late to get into the 2027 guide, but “there could be some expansion later.”
VanWagner thinks Ann Arbor’s cost could be around $100,000, but he’s confident that could be raised through a special dinner series involving the city’s chefs or contributions from business owners. “Donations would obviously be welcome,” he says.
Spiedo owner Brad Greenhill, who also co-owns Takoi in Detroit, says he’d love to see the group succeed. “There’s some great food in Ann Arbor that deserves to be recognized along with Detroit.”