Michelin hands out stars to 13 Toronto restaurants as city gets first guide

Toronto has finally sealed its reputation as an international culinary destination after 13 of its restaurants received Michelin stars for their quality - the first time a Canadian city has featured in the prestigious guide.< /p>

Canada's largest city has long been keen to compete on the world stage, and many residents were thrilled when the French publication announced in May that it would include Toronto in its next guide.

< p class="dcr-1vtk2mf">At an event in downtown Toronto on Tuesday, Michelin said 74 restaurants had impressed its team, handing out stars to more than one dozen.

“What's important to us is finding…the unique flavors that Toronto adds to the well of culinary conversations,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the guide, to the Canadian Press. "And here there's a lot to be said for the diversity, the local talent, and we really think it's not just a great start, but Toronto has great potential."

Twelve restaurants have been awarded a Michelin star for the quality of their cuisine, which the guide says falls into the "very good in its class" category and is worth stopping by. These included Frilu, Alo, Don Alfonso 1890, Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto and Shoushin.

Despite Toronto's sprawling geography and ethnic diversity, most restaurants Starred restaurants are located in the city center and are Western European or Japanese cuisine. In some cases, customers can expect to spend upwards of CA$600 (US$455) per person for a meal.

The French tire manufacturer has released its guide to notable restaurants for more than a century. Over the years the guide has expanded outside of Europe and its reviews can make or break a restaurant's fortune.

Originally developed as a means of getting tourists on trips (and buying tires), the guide's recommendations are always underpinned by the philosophy of the road trip.

Only one restaurant - Sushi Masaki Saito - earned two Michelin stars, which means worth a visit”. Chef Masaki Saito, who previously ran a two-star restaurant in Manhattan, resumed his success in Toronto after it opened in the spring of 2019.

The guidebook touted the "melting slabs " from its menu. of chutoro buried under a blizzard of white truffles".

None of the city's restaurants have received the coveted three stars - one of the highest honors in the food industry and an indication for readers that they should plan an entire trip around food.

Of the 16,120 Michelin restaurants, only 137 have received three stars .

Despite the guide's influence, little is known about how restaurants are rated.

Overall, restaurants are judged on quality of ingredients, skill of flavor and technique, as well as value, consistency across visits, and "chef personality portrayed in the dining experience".

There are few clues about the review team, how often they visit a restaurant or how they come up with their final list.

Michelin also awarded 17 restaurants the Bib Gourmand, for "restaurants where you can have two dishes and a glass of wine or a dessert for less than $60". These included Fat Pasha, Bar Raval, R&D and Indian Street Food Company.

Others, such as Tipsy, Chubby's Jamaican, Actinolite, Canoe and Mother's Dumplings have been recognized for their sommeliers, service and choice of cocktails.

Vancouver will be the next Canadian city to appear in the Michelin guide.