![\""For](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-chef-working-in-a-kitchen-55RVORVOQBCP5FRNMY7HR4XQKM.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNew Zealand\u2019s dining scene is about to join one of the most exclusive clubs in global gastronomy.<\/p>\n
After more than a century of awarding stars to the world\u2019s best restaurants, the Michelin Guide is officially coming to New Zealand – its first expansion into Oceania.<\/p>\n
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says the move will showcase the country\u2019s food and wine to a global audience while boosting visitor numbers and economic growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Michelin Guide\u2019s arrival in New Zealand marks its first expansion into Oceania after 125 years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the first selections and potential star ratings due out next year, Michelin Guide inspectors are already on the ground, dining anonymously in some of our very best restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Government estimates Michelin\u2019s arrival could bring up to 36,000 additional international visitors, with \u201ctrying local cuisine\u201d ranked as the number-one motivator for travellers considering New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\u2018A giant leap\u2019 for the Michelin Guide<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“For restaurants, it can be a game-changer – but it can also be a life-changer for the people working in the industry,” said Gwendal Poullennec. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n
International director Gwendal Poullennec told 1News the move reflects how far New Zealand\u2019s culinary scene has come and how closely Michelin\u2019s inspectors have been watching.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a giant leap for the Michelin Guide,\u201d he said. \u201cNever before have we travelled so far, and New Zealand will be the first selection for Oceania.\u201d <\/p>\n
He revealed the inaugural New Zealand edition will launch mid-2026, covering Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown – cities already visited by the guide\u2019s famously anonymous inspectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cInspectors have been working in New Zealand for a couple of years now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been following the emergence of new restaurants and trends, assessing the dynamism, and we believe New Zealand is a very promising culinary scene.\u201d<\/p>\n
Poullennec says the country\u2019s unique flavours and sense of place have impressed inspectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat really impressed our inspectors is the predominance of local culinary style in the cuisine, with deep cultural heritage, indigenous influences, and a very modern twist,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
He emphasised that New Zealand\u2019s authenticity and diversity are what make it stand out on the global stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Zealand has a specific identity and indigenous heritage reflected in its cuisine,\u201d he said. \u201cThis authenticity is key for the Michelin Guide. It\u2019s what makes a destination worth travelling for, because it leads to memorable experiences.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u2018A life-changer for chefs\u2019<\/p>\n
Poullennec says inclusion in the Michelin Guide can transform not only restaurants but entire destinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor restaurants, it can be a game-changer – but it can also be a life-changer for the people working in the industry,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor chefs, it\u2019s worldwide recognition. And it\u2019s a catalyst for the whole local ecosystem – restaurants hire more people, earn more revenue, and that success benefits local producers too.\u201d <\/p>\n
The guide, founded in France in 1900 by brothers Andr\u00e9 and \u00c9douard Michelin, started as a free manual for motorists and evolved into one of the most trusted global arbiters of dining excellence.<\/p>\n
It now covers more than 50 destinations across 25 countries.<\/p>\n
Government partnership<\/p>\n
The Michelin Guide\u2019s arrival in New Zealand is being funded through a $6.3 million partnership between Tourism New Zealand and the International Visitor Levy.<\/p>\n
Upston says the partnership recognises hospitality as a key driver of tourism and regional growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cMichelin represents an incredible opportunity for the food and beverage industry in four of our key culinary centres,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIts presence here will mean more visitors dining in those restaurants and enjoying all New Zealand\u2019s hospitality has to offer supporting small businesses, jobs, and local economies in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Poullennec, the guide\u2019s first Oceania edition is about more than stars.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope the Michelin Guide will be a booster, leading international travellers to discover hidden gems, and reminding locals how exciting their own culinary scene is,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cChefs are the best ambassadors for their destinations and their producers. With New Zealand, we\u2019re confident the world is about to discover something truly unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including new speed cameras rolling out, fireworks start fires around the country, and Bluey\u2019s new Christmas project. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Zealand\u2019s dining scene is about to join one of the most exclusive clubs in global gastronomy. After…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":119920,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[219,144,42,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-119919","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-economy","9":"tag-food-drink","10":"tag-headlines","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-top-news","13":"tag-top-stories","14":"tag-topnews","15":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119919"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119919\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}