Chef Paul Froggatt was honored with a standing ovation during an event in Auckland celebrating the recipients.
“Being the sole restaurant in New Zealand to receive this recognition is astonishing,” he said. “It was a dream I had as a young boy many years ago… Moving to New Zealand and reaching this goal is simply incredible.”
Tala, a Samoan restaurant, earned one Michelin star, marking it as the first of its kind in the world to achieve this honor.
Chef Henry Onesemo explained, “Tala means story. I’m just one of the few trying to narrate the Samoan food story.” He humorously added that he needed a moment to “go out the back and throw up” before responding to any questions.
New Zealand’s Michelin Guide, published this month, features 100 selected restaurants.
Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide international director, noted that inspectors dined anonymously for months across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown, assessing the quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, culinary mastery, chef’s personality, and consistency over time.
In total, 14 restaurants were awarded one star, including: Inati in Christchurch, led by Chef Simon Levy; Ben Bayley’s Ahi; seafood-focused Ortega in Wellington; The Estate on Waiheke Island in Auckland; Rātā in Queenstown; Logan Brown and Jano Bistro in Wellington; the lunch-only Tussock Hill in Christchurch; Kika in Wānaka; Paris Butter in Auckland; Mudbrick on Waiheke Island; and Sherwood and Amisfield in Queenstown.
Additionally, Michelin’s Bib Gourmand honors restaurants offering quality cuisine at good value. There are over 3,000 globally, with new entries from New Zealand announced. These include: 1154 Pastaria, Amano, Aosto, Apero food and wine, Atalier, Bianca, Bistro Saine, Boda, Bombay Palace Wānaka, Cazador, Cico Cacio, Fire and Slice, Francesca, Gatherings, Gemmayze Street, Goat, Hummingbird, Indian Alley, Londo, Mileta, Muttonbird, Odeon, Osteria Uno, Paloma Taqueria, Pasta & Curore, Roca, Soul Quarter, Sundays, Tempero, the Cow Queenstown, The Athens Yacht Club, The Monday Room, and Treehouse.
Poullennec highlighted a shared theme in New Zealand’s dining scene, characterized by “a deep respect for exceptional produce, strong connections to land and sea, inclusion of Māori and Pacific culture, and genuine hospitality warmth. Here, seafood, produce, wine, and landscape are integral to the story they tell.”
A set of special awards was also presented.
Robert Fairs from Londo in Christchurch received the Michelin Young Chef award.
The Service Award, recognizing “someone who makes every single guest feel welcome,” was given to Stina Persen from Graze in Wellington.
Matthew Aitchison from The French Cafe in Auckland earned Michelin’s Sommelier Award.
Tourism New Zealand is investing $6.3 million to introduce the Michelin Guide to the country.
The Michelin Guide, along with its iconic star system, was first created in 1900 by the French tire company Michelin and now spans nearly 50 destinations, with its first foray into Oceania occurring now.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston remarked that the guide will “showcase everything we excel at, but being included in the guide makes it even more special.”
Prior to the New Zealand entries, 161 restaurants globally held three-star status, indicating exceptional cuisine worth a special journey. There are 544 restaurants with two stars, indicating “excellent cooking worth a detour,” and 3,162 with one star for “very good restaurants” where dishes are consistently prepared to high standards using top-quality ingredients.
