Disney Just Got Its First Michelin Star
The Sunshine State has just become a little more star-studded.
On Thursday night, the Michelin Guide announced its additions to the Florida list, with nine new restaurants making the cut. Across Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, all of the new establishments were given one star, meaning there’s still just one two-starred restaurant in the state—and no three-starred restaurants.
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“Since the arrival of the Michelin Guide to Florida in 2022, there has been significant growth in the state’s local culinary scene, proving Florida is a leading gastronomic destination for travelers near and far,” Gwendal Poullennec, the international director for the guides, said in a statement.
Orlando led the new additions with four restaurants added to the Michelin Guide: the Vietnamese restaurant Camille, the Japanese eatery Natsu, the Peruvian establishment Papa Llama, and Disney’s tasting-menu spot Victoria & Albert’s, which is a first for the theme park. Miami, meanwhile, saw three additional restaurants make the cut: EntreNos, which serves up contemporary cuisine, and the Japanese-focused Ogawa and Shingo.
Tampa, which was shut out of the inaugural Florida guide a couple of years ago, saw another two restaurants land in the stars time around: Ebbe, where Scandinavian-inspired plates are turned out to diners, and the omakase concept Kōsen. With Japanese restaurants making up the bulk of the new additions, Florida’s emphasis on seafood is clearly in the spotlight.
While Florida is now home to 26 Michelin-starred restaurants, two previous honorees were dropped from the list this year. That would be Miami’s the Den at Sushi Azabu and Orlando’s Knife & Spoon—another hit for John Tesar, who left his new Southern California steakhouse Modern Knife last year amid controversy. And L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami remains the only two- or three-starred restaurant in the state.
“To be the torchbearer of this honor in Florida fills me with immense pride and gratitude,” James Friedberg, the restaurant’s executive chef, said in a statement. “This journey has been nothing short of a chef’s dream come true. It’s a testament to the passion and dedication of every member of our team, from the kitchen magicians to the front-of-house … We are honored to continue to lead the way in the Sunshine State.”
The dearth of two- and three-starred establishments certainly gives Florida chefs something to strive for in the next year. And with the Sunshine State being the first American locale to receive its stars this year, the rest of the Michelin-recognized cities and states are holding their breath to see which of their restaurants make the grade.
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