As New Zealand’s first Michelin stars were handed out last week, the nation proved once again that we may be far away, but we are certainly worth a global food stop.
The excitement was palpable as the crowd gathered at the New Zealand International Convention Centre for the ceremony to see which establishments would receive the prestigious accolade.
A milestone moment
Auckland’s Tala not only had the honour of accepting Aotearoa’s first-ever Michelin star, but also became the only Samoan restaurant in the world to claim the award.
Co-owner and executive chef Henry Onesemo was so overcome with emotion that he could barely speak while on stage.
But he later summed up his feelings up, saying, “We have always believed that Samoa deserves a place on the international culinary stage and Michelin agrees! The world is ready for Samoan food.”
And the stars kept flowing. Thirteen more establishments received one star, including Waiheke Island’s Mudbrick, Wellington’s Logan Brown, Christchurch’s Inati and Queenstown’s Sherwood.
Essence in Queenstown, led by executive chef Paul Froggatt, is the only recipient of two Michelin stars.
One star recognises “high quality cooking worth a stop”, two stars are for “excellent cooking worth a detour” and the yet-to-be-claimed three stars celebrate “exceptional cuisine worth a special journey”.
The list also includes 35 Bib Gourmand nods highlighting high-quality food at affordable prices and 60 Michelin Selected mentions for other eateries whose cuisine impressed inspectors.
While Tourism New Zealand invested $6.3 million to bring the Michelin Guide here, the three-year agreement did not guarantee any stars would be awarded, as Saudi Arabia found to its cost earlier this year.
