The Inaugural Michelin South Ceremony to be Held in South Carolina
The ceremony will be held November 2 in Greenville
There is no denying that the cuisine of the United States South is truly remarkable. Dishes such as gumbo and barbecue pay homage to regional cooking styles, including Cajun, Creole, and Soul Food.
So it’s about time that Michelin is bringing a Guide to the American South, covering the treasures of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the existing Atlanta Guide.
South Carolina is the host of the first American South Ceremony, with chefs and restaurateurs from the region converging on Greenville’s Peace Center on November 3 to find out their standing in the newly minted Guide.
“We are excited to honor and celebrate the talented culinary community of the American South in just a few months,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. “South Carolina is home to southern staples, fresh seafood, and a homegrown culinary community full of passion and innovation, making it the perfect place to celebrate the region’s culinary talents. Our anonymous Inspectors look forward to finally sharing their discoveries with the world.”
The Guide comes to the American South in a partnership with Travel South USA, an organization that promotes tourism across the southern U.S. Though the exact amount of funding Travel South USA is providing, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Orlando has paid Michelin $800,000 since 2021 to bring its Guide to the city. The tourism boards for Miami and Tampa reached similar agreements, according to the article. Those funds, however, are to cover the cost of bringing the Guide to a particular region, including having anonymous inspectors eat their way through a city.
In recent years, Michelin has been expanding its universe. In 2005, it announced its first North American Guide. In 2011, it released its first Chicago Guide with Washington D.C. in 2017, California in 2018 (San Francisco has had a guide since 2007), Florida cities Miami, Orlando, and Tampa in 2022 (with Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beaches, and St. Pete/Clearwater added in 2025), Toronto in 2022, Vancouver in 2022, Colorado in 2023, Atlanta in 2023, Mexico in 2024, Texas in 2024, and Quebec in 2025. In addition to the American South, Boston and Philadelphia will also be added to Michelin’s roster this year.