Michelin came for the food. It found what makes South Australia special

Last night, my husband and I watched Australia’s inaugural Michelin ceremony, live-streamed from Adelaide Convention Centre, with the anticipation usually reserved for a favourite series finale.

He is a Michelin-trained private chef. I spent over two decades in hospitality, managing restaurants and working in fine dining across Europe and Australia.

But I watched him almost as much as the screen. He recognised friends and peers being called to the stage, and his pride and emotion were clear as they received a distinction Australian restaurants had never previously had the opportunity to earn.

First published in France in August 1900 by tire manufacturers André and Édouard Michelin, the Michelin Guide now covers cities and regions in more than 25 countries and is one of the best-known culinary awards globally. Its first foray into Australia is the result of a deal with the South Australian tourism board.

In total, 77 South Australian restaurants received Michelin recognition at Wednesday night’s ceremony, with 10 earning one star, and Magill Estate Restaurant the only restaurant receiving two. The Bib Gourmand for high-quality food at an affordable price point went to 16 restaurants, and a further 50 were awarded “Michelin Selected” recognition.

The emotion on stage at the ceremony spoke to years of dedication and sacrifice, and what recognition can mean for a restaurant, a career and a destination.

Beyond the stars, what does this selection tell us about South Australia’s food culture and the people who sustain it?

Perhaps the strongest message emerging from Michelin’s selection is how deeply South Australian culinary excellence is connected to place.

Six of the 11 starred restaurants are located outside Adelaide, across the Adelaide Hills, Barossa, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley.

Contemporary Australian cuisine dominates the starred selection. At Aurora and LVN at Bird in Hand, open-fire cooking showcases the character of local ingredients, while Esmay, Aptos, and Botanic offer inventive, highly individual interpretations of seasonal produce and native ingredients.

Michelin international director Gwendal Poullennec praised the “unmistakable sense of place” running through South Australian cooking.