Now that all the cheering and congratulatory posts messages have been posted, it may be time to look back at the entry of the Michelin Guide Philippines of Thursday, Oct. 30; and analyze what it truly can mean for us – whether there’s a sound return on investment to anticipate, and how we can even measure this.

But first, kudos to the Department of Tourism and Secretary Frasco for embarking on this in the first place, fast-tracking it, and putting the Philippines on the proverbial “global culinary map.” While the Michelin Guide has been around for 125 years, one cannot dispute how it still holds sway as an arbiter of culinary excellence via its awarding of stars, how the Bib Gourmand signifies high-quality, yet affordable dining, and its selected list recognizes quality dining that’s on the cusp of earning a higher distinction. For countless travellers to the countries where the guide exists, it’s a go-to for where to dine, recognizing diversity in price points, and consistency in quality.

And congratulations to our dining and restaurant industry; the fact that 108 establishments earned distinctions of some kind is indeed a worthy accomplishment. Seventy-four made it to the selected list, 25 earned Bib Gourmand ratings, eight earned one star, and one was the sole two star recipient. For a maiden year, that is something to be very proud about. In the 2024 edition of the Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang, there were 127 restaurants recognized.

For context, Michelin Guide Singapore 2025 has 288 establishments, while Thailand’s 2025 Guide lists 462. The Thailand Guide is a reflection of the deep infrastructure of its restaurant industry, and the government’s commitment to guiding visitors who arrive in the country on where to dine – there were 35 million visitors to Thailand in 2024.

As to what the Guide means to our restaurant industry, to the people who populate it, and to the LGUs where they are located, one only had to wait for the next morning, and witness the proliferation of social media posts that demonstrated how much pride and breast-beating is attached to the Guide. For the chefs attached to the awarded restaurants it was definitely a dream come true, the calling of their establishment’s name a moment they’ll always hold dear to their “kitchen hearts,” and how they shared the honor with their staff.

Whether fairly or not, when the general public think of the more prestige restaurants, they’ll think Makati, and by extension, BGC in Taguig. So Quezon City was quick to post a congratulatory note to all the QC dining establishments that made it to the Guide. Cebu City was quick to ‘adopt’ the ones found within their city limits; and you had to smile at the posts that pointed out how so many on the list consisted of chefs and resto owners with Bacolod roots. Bragging rights, in various permutations, were up for grabs!

I really liked how the Guide’s Bib Gourmand had several establishments that we don’t hear all that much about. Morning Sun Eatery and its Ilocano comfort food at Project 4, Quezon City had a long line of Friday customers, according to social media reports. I hope the Pares Batchoy Food House in Cebu City got the same reaction; as did La Pita in Poblacion, where Issa and I have tried their wonderful Middle Eastern comfort food. As for Pilya’s Kitchen at the Grid, Power Plant; I was witness to the long lines that appeared for their Friday evening business.

The launch was a show of the industry’s camaraderie. Host Issa Litton brought this home in a big way, and the comments from the Michelin France people, and their ASEAN contingent, was how, by far, this was the best launch they had attended. The significance of what was happening had Issa commenting after that she wasn’t hosting with her mouth, but with her heart – and it showed!

The question now is, can we keep the Michelin Guide Philippines “alive;” and not some one-year phenom? In 2017, the Thailand Tourism Authority reportedly paid $4.4 million over five years, for the inclusion of their country. While the Guide is an inspiration to our local food industry and the community, our maintaining the Guide keeps these restaurants on their toes. Some will want to maintain their stars, others aspire to gain a higher distinction.

We live in “our” Philippines, so of course, the next day also had its share of kibitzers – those complaining why a favorite resto didn’t make the list, or whether some who earned stars were deserving. At this point, can we just be proud that impartial judges under the Guide system, were suitably impressed by as many as 108 local eateries?

I recognize that the Michelin Guide is not the only reference that visitors can be guided by when dining here. We have Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, where Toyo Eatery is #42, and Gallery by Chele lies at #72. But let’s also accept that the ones making it to Asia’s 50 Best will be on the pricey side. So I welcome how the Michelin Guide is a globally accepted standard, that has its list of affordable eating places. The Michelin Guide tries to democratize quality dining, and I’m sure visitors to our country will find that very useful – and may their numbers increase exponentially.