Vancouver has joined the ranks of international culinary destinations after the Michelin Guide awarded eight local restaurants with a coveted star.
Guests made up of chefs, restaurateurs and food lovers gathered at the Vancouver Convention Centre West building for the inaugural ceremonial reveal Thursday night.
The controversial dining guide revealed the names of eight establishments deemed worthy of one star out of a possible three. They include AnnaLena, Barbara, Burdock & Co., iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House, Kissa Tanto, Masayoshi, Published on Main and St. Lawrence.
Twelve other restaurants earned a Bib Gourmand designation, which acknowledges great quality among outlets that offer two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for less than $60. The locations ranged from Chinatown Cambodian restaurant Phnom Penh to celebrity chef Vikram Vij’s namesake Indian restaurant, Vij’s.
Michelin stars are now considered a hallmark of fine dining by many of the world’s top chefs.
The guidebooks, which were first published in France more than a century ago, award stars annually to restaurants that exhibit culinary excellence.
Michelin’s arrival in Canada is due to a multi-year funding deal with tourism boards to help promote travel decimated by the pandemic.