The MICHELIN Guide has arrived in the province of Québec, as Michelin and l’Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec today revealed the MICHELIN Guide Québec. The MICHELIN Guide Québec will be the third destination in Canada, in addition to Toronto and Vancouver.
Québec is home to a rich and diverse food scene with international influences and farm-to-table dishes thanks to the variety of locally grown ingredients found throughout the region. The province is home to both renowned chefs and up-and- coming talent looking to mix traditional and avant-garde cooking techniques into their dishes.
“We are excited to plant our flag in Québec as the newest destination for the MICHELIN Guide in Canada,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “Québec’s culinary scene shines a light on the rich heritage and traditions of the province attracting travelers on the lookout for remarkable and tasty experiences. I look forward to revealing what my famously anonymous Inspectors discover for the inaugural selection.”
The first MICHELIN Guide Québec selection will be revealed in 2025, and it will feature culinary gems throughout the province.
The anonymous MICHELIN Guide Inspectors award the iconic MICHELIN Stars – one, two or three – to unparalleled cuisine. The Guide is also renowned for its Bib Gourmand selection, highlighting restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices. The MICHELIN Green Star is given to restaurants that are leaders in sustainable gastronomy. Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the Inspectors.
The MICHELIN Guide’s anonymous Inspectors are already in the field, making dining reservations secretively and paying for all their meals to ensure they are treated the same as any other customer.
“Québec is a rich multicultural mosaic, which gives Québec’s cuisine an invaluable uniqueness,’’ says Geneviève Cantin, CEO of the Alliance. “It is with immense pride that all of our partners welcome the arrival of the MICHELIN Guide across the Province of Québec, which will further showcase our local artisans on the international stage.
The MICHELIN Guide is constantly observing the evolution of culinary destinations around the world. The MICHELIN Guide selections process remains completely independent. While selections remain fully independently determined by anonymous Inspectors, the MICHELIN Guide is working with the Alliance on marketing and promotion activities only.
History and methodology
The upcoming Québec restaurant selection will follow Michelin’s historical methodology, based on five universal criteria, to ensure each destination’s selection equity: 1) quality products; 2) the harmony of flavors; 3) the mastery of cooking techniques; 4) the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; 5) consistency between each visit and throughout the menu (each restaurant is inspected several times a year).
The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking a great meal. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage tire sales by giving practical advice to French motorists. Michelin’s Inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by Inspectors in the very beginning, now applied in destinations around the world.
Michelin announced its first North American Guide in 2005 for New York. Guides have also been added in Chicago (2011); Washington, D.C. (2017); California (San Francisco in 2007, statewide 2019); Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Florida (2022); Toronto (2022); Vancouver (2022); Colorado (2023); Atlanta (2023); Mexico (2024), Texas (2024) and today Québec (2024).
About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin is the leading mobility company and manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. For more than 130 years, Michelin has made contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications for demanding fields, including mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies and healthcare and offer the finest experiences, from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America has approximately 23,500 employees and operates 35 production facilities in the United States (michelinman.com) and Canada (michelin.ca).
About l’Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec
Representing more than 12,000 businesses and 50 regional and sectoral tourism associations, the Québec Tourism Industry Alliance (Alliance) is the largest provincial tourism business federation in Canada. It embodies the commitment of the private and associative sectors to highlight the significant contribution of the tourism economic sector to the vitality of the regions while advocating on behalf of its members. All the Alliance's actions aim to help make Québec a sustainable, responsible, and prosperous world-class tourist destination.
Collage Image: Mélanie Jean, Destination Québec cité | Cantons-de-l’Est © GouvQc / M. Dupuis | Montréal © GouvQc / L. Romer | Gaspésie © GouvQc / J-F Frenette
