The MICHELIN Guide has made its debut in Québec, as Michelin and l’Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec have officially introduced the MICHELIN Guide Québec. This marks Québec as the third Canadian destination to be featured in the MICHELIN Guide, alongside Toronto and Vancouver.
Québec boasts a vibrant and diverse culinary landscape, with a blend of international influences and farm-to-table cuisine made possible by the province’s wide array of locally sourced ingredients. The region is home to both esteemed chefs and emerging talents who skillfully incorporate a mix of traditional and innovative cooking techniques into their dishes.
“We are thrilled to establish our presence in Québec as the newest MICHELIN Guide destination in Canada,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “Québec’s culinary scene highlights the province’s rich heritage and traditions, drawing travelers in search of extraordinary and flavorful experiences. I eagerly await the discoveries of my famously anonymous Inspectors for the inaugural selection.”
The first MICHELIN Guide Québec selection will be unveiled in 2025, showcasing culinary treasures from across the province.
The anonymous MICHELIN Guide Inspectors are responsible for awarding the prestigious MICHELIN Stars—ranging from one to three—to exceptional cuisine. The Guide is also known for its Bib Gourmand selection, which features restaurants offering excellent food at reasonable prices. The MICHELIN Green Star recognizes restaurants that excel in sustainable gastronomy. Additionally, the Inspectors highlight recommended restaurants and present special professional awards.
These Inspectors are already at work, making undercover dining reservations and paying for their meals to ensure they receive the same treatment as any other guest.
“Québec is a rich multicultural mosaic, giving its cuisine a distinctive uniqueness,” says Geneviève Cantin, CEO of the Alliance. “We are immensely proud that all of our partners are welcoming the arrival of the MICHELIN Guide across Québec, further elevating our local artisans on the international stage.”
The MICHELIN Guide continuously monitors the evolution of culinary destinations worldwide. While the selection process is entirely independent and determined by anonymous Inspectors, the MICHELIN Guide collaborates with the Alliance on marketing and promotional activities.
History and Methodology
The forthcoming Québec restaurant selection will adhere to Michelin’s time-honored methodology, based on five universal criteria to ensure fairness across all destinations: 1) the quality of ingredients; 2) the harmony of flavors; 3) the mastery of cooking techniques; 4) the chef’s unique voice and personality as expressed through the cuisine; and 5) consistency across multiple visits and throughout the menu, with each restaurant being inspected several times a year.
The MICHELIN Guide has long been a trusted resource for travelers in search of exceptional dining experiences. Originally published in France at the turn of the 20th century, the Guide was created to promote tire sales by offering practical advice to French motorists. Today, Michelin’s Inspectors still rely on the same criteria and selection process established in the early days, now applied to destinations worldwide.
Michelin introduced its first North American Guide in 2005, starting with New York. Subsequent Guides have been launched in Chicago (2011), Washington, D.C. (2017), California (San Francisco in 2007, statewide in 2019), Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Florida (2022), Toronto (2022), Vancouver (2022), Colorado (2023), Atlanta (2023), Mexico (2024), Texas (2024), and now Québec (2024).