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Behind the velvet rope and the red carpet of Michelin’s first Southern awards, held Monday, Nov. 3, I found myself feeling like the luckiest fly on the most luxurious wall. I caught anxious whispers exchanged between the New Orleans delegation and witnessed emotional embraces backstage during the event, which marks a new chapter for the region’s dining scene.

As I stood in line to enter the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina, I hoped to catch a glimpse of some of my favorite chefs (both from Memphis and beyond) before the night was over.

Forever a “girl’s girl,” I noticed a small issue with the woman’s dress in front of me. I discreetly helped her, and she smiled warmly before introducing herself and her partner Chef Leonard Yu of the Michelin-starred Omakase Table in Atlanta. I was gobsmacked. Southern culinary stars were everywhere. You could literally reach out and touch them.

The Lobbyist comes up on the screen at the Michelin ceremony celebrating the South in Greenville, S.C. (Ellen Chamberlain/The Daily Memphian)

Inside the Peace Center, cocktails flowed freely — some poured over-oversized, Michelin-stamped ice cubes — while servers passed trays of tiny Southern staples: sweet potato biscuits, one-bite pot roast, buttery crawfish and grits served in miniature martini glasses and more.

When we eventually filed into the concert hall’s theater, we were addressed by the Michelin Guide’s highest-ranking official. The irony of a Frenchman telling an auditorium full of Southerners exactly how much Southern cuisine is responsible for shaping global culinary trends was not lost on me.

After all, the French gave us Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern kitchen management and mother sauces. But here was Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, telling us the American South’s recognition is long overdue.

“Let’s celebrate the talent putting the American South on the global map,” he said in his thick, melodic French accent.

Michelin hosted its 2025 American South Guide ceremony Nov. 3 at the Peace Center Concert Hall in Greenville, S.C. (Courtesy Stacey Greenberg)

Being in the room was overwhelming. I fan out for two kinds of people: restaurant owners and chefs. Yes, ridiculously nerdy — but think about it: These are the people who shape the way we live most. 

“Andy (Ticer) and I grew up watching the great chefs of the world,” said Michael Hudman, co-owner of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog & Hominy and Catherine & Mary’s, along with Ticer. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that Michelin would be in Tennessee, let alone Memphis. And to have five representatives, it’s pretty freaking awesome.”

Hudman doesn’t realize I see him — and the rest of Memphis’ newly recognized chefs and restaurateurs — the same way. They were already heroes to the city’s culinary landscape, offering high-quality options to help balance our barbecue diets.

But it took everything in me not run up to Michelin-starred celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and gush about how much he’d changed my life. His flagshship restaurant Emeril’s was awarded its second star that night.

To some people, honors like those bestowed upon these chefs and restaurateurs at this week’s Michelin ceremony are only about food. But in my opinion, food is only the beginning.

Hog & Hominy was one of the restaurants recognized in the Michelin’s new guide. (Cuortesy Lauren McGoff)

Memphis has long been a destination for music, history, culture and cuisine, but imagine what a Michelin-starred restaurant could do for the city and its economy. People will travel to Memphis even more than they already do, book rooms at our hotels, patronize other businesses and maybe catch a Grizzlies or Tigers game. Michelin opens the doors of the Bluff City to a different kind of traveler, but one who would love this city as much as we do.

The Michelin Guide first entered the North American market in 2005 with a guide of New York restaurants. Since then, they’ve done guides for Chicago; Washington, D.C.; California; Florida; Colorado; Atlanta, and Texas.

This is the first year Michelin has done a guide for what it’s calling the American South, a region that includes Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi and South Carolina. 

Hudman said his and Ticer’s restaurant teams were motivated by the Michelin ceremony to elevate the already-quality dining experiences they offer.

“They’re like, ‘Alright, let’s get it! Let’s see what we have to do to get that star,’” Hudman said. “It’s 100% rejuvenating and 100% enthralling and exhilarating.”

The Michelin man, which dates back to 1894, took the stage Nov. 3 at the 2025 American South Guide ceremony. The Michelin guide began as a way to help motorists plan their road trips and thus boost car and tire sales. (Courtesy Stacey Greenberg)

Chefs who are awarded Michelin stars don’t only get their restaurant’s name listed in the Michelin Guide. There’s also a trophy — but for many, it’s the jacket that matters most.

Similar to a professional golfer winning the Masters in Augusta and earning the tournament’s signature green blazer, chefs who earn one, two or three Michelin stars are given a chef’s jacket embroidered with their stars. 

“I told my team, ‘I want that jacket next year,’” said Daniel Zheng of Petals of a Peony, only half jokingly. “I feel really motivated. I feel like what I’m doing is actually a meaningful thing, not only to me but to my team and to this city.”

I’m old enough to remember when Zagat reviews were all the rage on the East Coast. Michelin had been the golden standard for dining recommendations for nearly 100 years at that time, and Zagat felt like a rebellion, an opportunity to say we were cool regardless of Michelin recognition. We were absolutely pretending like we didn’t care about their approval, but we did.

Today, I’m in a city that doesn’t have to pretend. Memphis typically isn’t concerned with outside opinions. But this particular opinion feels pretty darn good.

This week on the Memphis food scene

Be sure to catch up on all of our Memphis Michelin coverage with profiles on each of the recognized restaurants. 

Sophia Surrett went in-depth with Felicia Suzanne’s owner Felicia Willett-Schuchardt. I got to chat with the only Memphis chefs to have two restaurants represented at the ceremony, Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. Christin Yates tells the story of Jimmy Gentry from The Lobbyist while I learned about the Petals of a Peony team through the lens of general manager Bo Zou. And you definitely don’t want to miss the ceremony recap.

The Lobbyist Chef Jimmy Gentry and Chef de Cuisine Jessica Lambert attended the Michelin Guide 2025 American South event Nov. 3. (Courtesy Stacey Greenberg)

Relief may soon be on the way for households receiving SNAP benefits. Lydia Williams explains how a court filing will affect program funding.

The Daily Memphian’s Recipe Exchange is back with two new holiday-worthy dishes for you to try: Thanksgiving dressing and apple strudel.

In Food Files, Sophia Surrett let us know about a new spot coming to Brookhaven Circle and two other Memphis restaurants that have decided to permanently close their doors.

In the latest edition of Ask the Memphian, French fries take center stage as I explore what the heck Memphis restaurants are using to season their tasty spuds.

Drew Hill explores an eight-season-long Grizzlies tradition that supports a Downtown restaurant and honors the team’s spirit.

Vince Williams Jr. and South Main Sushi owner Lee Vichathep take a selfie. (Courtesy of Lee Vichathep)

Erica Horton discovered the sausage and pepperoni calzone from Little Italy for her latest $15 Deal.

After the closing of Raven & Lily in Collierville, the owners of the restaurant’s space sold it.

And bar-hopping takes on a new meaning at The Memphian as I explore what to order at both Complicated Pilgrim and Tiger and Peacock, located inside the Overton Square boutique hotel. 

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