Michelin Guide Finally Lands on Malaysian Shores, Bring On The STARS

Last month when we covered the news of Malaysians at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, we wondered when our country would bring in the Michelin guide –– but now we don’t have to anymore! The ‘Red Guide’ has officially made its Malaysian debut, with restaurants and hotel selections from Kuala Lumpur and Penang to be made first, with plans for more states to be added in the future.

The reviews were all done in secret in 2022 and evaluations are underway for the grand reveal for the Michelin 2023 guide. So, if you're a restaurateur and you remember seeing someone come in with a notepad, you might have faced a reviewer.

Representatives of the guide shared that both cities have their unique strengths such as KL being the country’s economic and business hub with independent restaurants as well as Penang with its Peranakan influence, small-scale restaurants, and street food.

For those who aren’t familiar with the food guide, it hails from the same company that produces tyres with the tubby white mascot and started off because the company wanted to encourage people to get on the road, travel around, and wear out their tyres faster.

First published in 1900, it has since become one of the most respected guides and is credited with aiding a country’s tourism, although not without controversy ––– there have been allegations of bias and dangerous levels of strains on the chefs to preserve their precious stars.

While not all cities pay to bring in the guide and Michelin doesn’t just allow any city to commission its guide, there were reports that the government-run Korea Tourism Organization paid over $1 million (or approximately RM4.7 million) to commission the guide for four years.

We hope there's no hanky panky for Malaysia's guide of course.

The reviews are made by famously anonymous inspectors and hail from 50 different countries. They are currently already in the country for reviews where multiple criteria will be considered including the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking, the harmony of flavours, and the consistency of the restaurant both over time and across the entire menu.

The full selection – which is the list of winners –– of the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2023 will be unveiled during a dedicated event in December 2022, but it may take more than a year for any establishment to be awarded the globally-renowned Michelin stars.

The guide is the Michelin Guide for 2023 so get the guide and get ready for some yummy noms next year!

Besides the coveted star ratings, the selection will also include the popular Bib Gourmand category, a distinction awarded to establishments that provide value-for-money meals.

The famous Hawker Chan was a recepient of the Bib Gourmand and not the actual Michelin Star like many was led to believe.

We can’t wait to see which restaurant in Malaysia will be the first to be awarded stars!

Visit the MICHELIN Guide website or download the free application for iOS and Android, to discover The MICHELIN Guide’s worldwide restaurants in the selection.

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