Why are there no Michelin-starred restaurants in Utah?

It’s a question I see posed on various social media platforms, time and again. Why does Utah, a state with an exploding culinary scene still have no hat tips from the famous French name? When asking for local recs, many a glib commenter will often point the curious questioner to seek out California or Colorado instead. This is, of course, claptrap. I’ve spoken before briefly on the subject (over on the City Cast podcast) but never dived into the details here. So let’s discuss.

To answer the headline question it’s first worth examining what Michelin expects when it comes to grading restaurants. Per their own guidance, it might surprise many that the singular consideration is food. In stark contrast to the James Beard Awards – ostensibly the major alternative to Michelin here in the States – neither service nor ambiance is listed as a consideration. That said, a restaurant with exceptional culinary sourcing is unlikely to fill your wine glass from a box.

When it comes to what’s on the plate, the level of craft and execution dictate who gets what. The guide’s star definitions reflect its origins as a tendril of the famous tire manufacturer – and a tool to get people on the road. Fact fans might know the original guide was provided free and alongside restaurant recs had handy hints on how to replace a tire.

Stars then reflect how would-be travelers should gauge a restaurant:

• One star – high-quality cooking, worth a stop
• Two star – excellent cooking, worth a detour
• Three star – exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

Through my gluttonous years, I’ve been privileged to experience triple-starred cooking, and yes, it was worth the journey alone. Let that sink in when contemplating any local dining scene, Utah or otherwise. Would you load up the Delta app specifically for just one meal? If the very notion of dining-based travel is unfathomable, you get to stop reading now. That’s ok.

Other notable awards are bestowed by the guide too, though they receive less fanfare. A Bib Gourmand selection befits restaurants that serve “good cuisine at reasonable prices”. In practice that translates to a “three-course meal with starter, main course and dessert, within a fixed price range (which today stands at €36 in most European cities, US$40 in American cities, HK400 in Hong Kong and Y5,000 in Tokyo).”

Beyond those accolades, a Michelin-recommended title might also be doled out. According to Michelin’s Michael Ellis, it’s a “sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal.” Meanwhile, a Michelin green star can also be awarded to those who are “at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.”

Inspectors then are a bunch of ex-industry pros, with Michelin footing their bill for travel and dining. Their task might see them hit the road for as many as two to three weeks per month, according to former taste tester Chris Walton. Those excursions will be unrelenting feats of metabolic endurance. Meal after meal, sometimes multiple restaurant bookings per evening. Heaven to some perhaps. According to Walton though, don’t expect to get rich, “my expenses were 2000-3000 pounds per month ($2.5K – $3.8K), my salary was 600-700 pounds ($800).”

Should an inspector think they’ve hit pay dirt excellence, they’ll tip off a colleague to confirm their find. Repeated visits will then follow, with inspectors dining solo or together (always anonymously) to build a complete picture, over multiple services and seasons. Final decisions are then made by group consensus.

So how does one attract said inspectors? Being an international destination is a huge draw. London, Paris, Tokyo – the world’s best and brightest dining scenes tend to draw the experts organically. It’s worth noting at this point that the U.S. only appeared in the guide twenty-ish years ago. NYC was the first state-side to get the royal treatment in 2005.

Those endless hotels and flights don’t come cheap mind you, making the focus on global cities all the more understandable. Why haphazardly skip all over the world racking up air miles when you can tackle dozens of prime cities in one locale. It’s surely why in recent times it’s become increasingly common for regional and national tourist boards to pick up the tab.

In 2022, Florida did just that, stumping up more than a million bucks – the payment ensuring a three-year assessment of the sunshine state. Atlanta and cities in Colorado have ponied up too. The story is repeated on the international stage again and again; Canada, Vietnam, Malaysia, Estonia, and the United Arab Emirates, have all paid to lure the prestigious tome to their shores.

Splashing the cash merely creates a targettable blip on the radar mind you. Florida’s foray garnered a list of mainly one-star ratings, with just one eatery snagging a two-star nod. It was a largely similar story for the Mexican Michelin guide – making its first appearance this month. It’s for these reasons that the guide still carries significant heft – and why even a single star is a hard-earned effort to be sure.

With all that in mind, would it even be possible for Utah to snag a single star? In that fascinating interview with Walton, he highlights several necessary touchstones to climb the first rung on the ladder. The use of local products, presentation of dishes, and cooking craft are all core.

Walton and others also speak to consistency as a critical component. Michelin-rated restaurants really can’t afford to have an off night. So what if the head chef is on vacation, and the dishwasher is stuck on the freeway? The best of the best are expected to produce perfectly without pause.

When it comes to Utah, I’ll refrain from naming names, because frankly, that wouldn’t be fair. But yes, if you look at the best of what Utah can plate – there’s plenty to admire. Talented kitchens working with great products, I can name plenty. Creative chefs executing classics or providing canny twists, double-check. I’ve lost count of the swoon-worthy platings that have been shoved under my nose. Consistency? I don’t have the deep-pocketed backing of Michelin to tackle that one.

Now the major question for you dear reader, one I’ll pose to you as a zen koan, “If a Michelin quality dish is served in Utah, and an inspector isn’t there to taste it, does it still exist?”

_{Yes. Yes it does.}

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Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.