It was announced earlier today (26 April) that The Michelin Guide Thailand, which features best eats and stays in Bangkok, Phuket and Phang Nga in its current 2019 edition, will also be covering Chiang Mai in its new edition, which will be released before the end of 2019.
At the debut announcement ceremony at X2 Riverside Chiang Mai Resort, Michelin Guide reveals that food-savvy Michelin inspectors will soon be ascending to the north to assess and rate restaurants, from luxury fine-dining establishment to local street-food eateries, for its third Thailand’s edition of The Michelin Guide, officially named The MICHELIN Guide Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Phang-nga 2020.
Gaelle Van-Hieu, the Vice President of Michelin Experience for East Asia and Australia, unveils the decision for selecting Chiang Mai to become the next Michelin destination, agreeing the city’s dining scene has met the criteria to be featured in the Michelin Guide thanks to the quality of local ingredients, especially the produce from the Royal Project, as well as the strong local-sourcing activity.
Ms. Gaelle also states that the restaurant's responsibility for the environment will be taken into consideration in the case of Chiang Mai which recently became the world's most polluted city in April because of the on-going slash and burn by the locals to source wild ingredients like hed por (local mushroom) and ant eggs (which are the staples of Northern cuisine), after being asked about The Michelin Guide's responsibility in promoting environmental-conscious dining approach from a member of Blue Sky For Changmai, a local organization that supports firefighters who help cease the wildfire crisis.
According to Kitsana Kaewtumrong, Tourism Authority of Thailand's Executive Director of the Advertising and Publications Department, The Michelin Guide has been strengthening Thailand to become a leader in gastronomy tourism and will implement Chiang Mai to be a part of global culinary purveyor. With the hopes of drawing food-loving travelers to Chiang Mai, it is expected that the 2020 edition of The Michelin Guide will enormously contribute to local economy.
Thailand is the 29th country in the world to have a self-titled Michelin Guide, one of the world’s most respected gastronomic guides, known for star ratings, as well as Bib Gourmands and Michelin Plate, given by anonymous and independent inspectors following five criteria: (1) quality of ingredients (2) mastery of cooking methods (3) chef’s personality (4) value for money and (5) consistency.