Michelin Guide to reveal which Florida restaurants will receive stars on June 9

The wait is almost over: On June 9, Tampa chefs and restaurant owners will finally find out whether they snagged a coveted Michelin star.

According to an announcement from the elite restaurant guide, Michelin star recipients will find out “in real time” during a live ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes. “Bib Gourmand,” “Sommelier of the Year,” and “Exceptional Cocktails” awards will also be announced at the ceremony, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. in Orlando.

Until now, the guide — arguably the most widely respected restaurant ratings system in the world — has never included Florida. Only restaurants from Orlando, Tampa and Miami were included in this round.

Founded in France in the late 1880s, the Michelin Guide’s foray into Florida is part of an ongoing expansion across the U.S. For many years, inspectors for the guide only visited four U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington D.C. In 2019, Michelin released the California guide — the first statewide guide from the organization.

Getting the guide to finally come to Florida was the result of monthslong talks with Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency. The new partnership, which includes tourism boards in Tampa, Orlando and Miami, will last at least until the end of 2022 and probably longer, though the exact details of the partnership have not been disclosed.

“We are so excited to let the world know just how special the culinary scene is in Miami, Orlando and Tampa,” Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of Michelin Guides, said in a prepared statement. “The inspectors have found that the chefs and restaurant teams in these cities are delivering amazing meals and experiences to their patrons.”