Michelin Guide to launch in Dubai?

An official announcement will be made at Dubai’s Museum of the Future on 29 March

Rumours of its arrival in the region have been around for years but it looks as though the renowned Michelin Guide will finally make its way to the region this year.

Invitations have been sent to media and senior members of Dubai’s culinary community to an exclusive Michelin Guide event set to take place at the Museum of the Future on 29 March 2022. Though very few details have been provided on the invitation, it’s assumed by most that the launch date of the guide will be announced.

Following the launch of the MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants list in February and the announcement that the Gault & Millau guide is coming to the UAE, the launch of the Michelin Guide would complete a trifecta of renowned dining guides in the region, which speaks to the quality of the dining experiences that are currently being created.

The restaurants included in the guide are visited by anonymous inspectors and awarded one to three stars. The Guide defines a one-star restaurant as a very good restaurant in its category; two stars, excellent cooking, worth a detour, and a three Michelin-starred restaurant is defined as exceptional, worth a special journey.

Commenting on what the arrival of the Michelin Guide would mean to the local dining scene Himanshu Saini, the chef behind modern Indian degustation concept Tresind Studio, said: “I feel that the landscape of restaurant industry is changing rapidly and the Michelin Guide coming in will surely increase food tourism and motivate the talent in the town to do better. It will make us responsible for the dining scene in the UAE.”

Omar Shihab, the founder of Mediterranean-inspired sustainable concept BOCA, was also optimistic about the effect that the guide could have on the country’s F&B sector saying: “This can only be good news for our industry. At last, the myriad restaurants that prepare exceptional cuisine, regardless of size or category, are being recognised. This is perhaps what makes these guides so unique, their broad representation of unique establishments. Hopefully it will be a step in the right direction for our industry and recognition for some of the hardest working people in this country.”

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The guide recently introduced the Michelin Green Star, a special award in recognition of a strong commitment to sustainable gastronomy. 

Leading sustainability advocate Shihab said: “The Michelin Green Star may also make its debut in the region. The Green Star recognises restaurants that work directly with growers, farmers, and fishermen, forage in their environments, are mindful of the restaurant’s environmental footprint, use advanced food waste systems, and are generally at the forefront of sustainability.

“This list includes icons of gastronomy and sustainability from around the world, some of whom we have had the privilege of working with over the years at BOCA, including Taller in Quintanilla de Onésimo and La Botica in Matapozuelos, Spain and Tèrra and Amass in Copenhagen, Denmark.”

Though some Michelin Guides cover an entire country, as is the case with France and Italy, this guide may be specific to Dubai, following the City Guide format used for Shanghai and New York.

For more information, visit www.guide.michelin.com