Michelin awarded its first stars in Australia on Wednesday, and all 11 of them went to restaurants in South Australia.
The big picture: Magill Estate Restaurant in Adelaide took two stars, the only venue at that level, and 10 others received one star each. The announcement comes more than a century after the guide was first published in France.
Between the lines: South Australia's government paid for incognito inspectors to visit the state, according to national broadcaster ABC, which is why the rest of the country sat out this selection.
- Michelin approached Australia's national tourism board more than once over the years with no deal reached, so South Australia pursued its own.
By the numbers: New Zealand agreed to pay NZ$6.3m, about $3.5m, over three years to join the guide in July, becoming the first destination in Oceania to feature. South Australia has declined to disclose its own figure.
What they're saying: "It is enabling us to create a tourism destination and put us on the world map," Tourism Minister Emily Bourke told ABC News, defending the investment.
- Magill chef and owner Scott Huggins, who has worked in starred kitchens in Europe and Japan, said he had dreamt of working in Michelin star restaurants as a youngster.
The backstory: Brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin created the guide in 1900 to get motorists driving, which sold more tyres. Stars arrived in 1926.
Zoom in: The wider selection covers more than 70 other South Australian restaurants, some recognized in the Bib Gourmand category for good food at moderate prices.
Why it matters: A state bought itself a global dining reputation as a budget line item, and the price New Zealand paid shows roughly what that reputation costs.
