Louisiana Is Paying How Much to Be Included in Michelin Guide Book?

(KMDL-FM) If you ask anyone in the world what they think of when they hear the word Louisiana, chances are, "food" will be the most popular answer. I know, I've had conversations about the state that we call home with folks from Dublin, London, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Paris, and Rome, and if there hasn't been a hurricane recently, then food will be the subject that dominates our conversation.

It doesn't matter where you go in the world, people know Louisiana and its food. The Tabasco Brand is well known across the globe, and in almost every country I've traveled, you can find at least one reference to "The Blue Dog" of artist George Rodrigue.

Do You Have to Pay to Be Included in the Michelin Guide Book?

So, it's safe to say Louisiana is well known, but we're seldom mentioned in one of the "bibles" of international food and travel, the Michelin Guide. But what is the big deal about the Michelin Guide, and why would Louisiana have to pay to be included?

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The Michelin Guide was started by the Michelin tire folks back in 1900. They figured if folks were going to use their tires, they would need to travel. In order to get folks to travel, they needed places to go. Hence, the guide was introduced as a way to foster safe travel on Michelin tires.

Over time, the book became a handy guide for providing lists of great places to stay and, more so, great places to eat. This is where getting a Michelin Star comes into play. Having just one Michelin Star can make or break a restaurant, and we just recently learned that Louisiana, along with Alabama, North and, South Carolina, and Tennessee will now be included in a "regional" version of the Michelin Guide.

From what we have learned, to be included in this new guide, the travel and tourism departments of the states involved had to pony up some cash so the Michelin reviewers would be willing to come sample our food.

How Much Did Louisiana Have to Pay to Be Included in the MIchelin Guide Book?

That just doesn't seem right to me. According to reports I've read on the subject, the money paid to Michelin helps to offset the cost of developing the guides and in no way influences which restaurants are included in the guide. The French word for this is "connerie," or we would also accept la foutaise.

For its part to be included in the "impartial survey," the state of Louisiana is ponying up $350,000 per year as part of a three-year contract to be included in the Michelin Guide. Mississippi's total investment to be included is $375,000, and there are reports that North Carolina may have invested over $1 million to be impartially included in the new guidebook for 2028.

Let's meet again in a few years when the Michelin Guide for the southeast comes out and see how many North Carolina establishments are included compared to Mississippi and Louisiana. I bet they have more than we do.

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Regardless, the deal is done, and let's hope that a few Louisiana places earn a place in the Michelin Guide because that will help tourism. Let's hope it will help it enough so we don't go broke paying for "stars in a book" when you can waste less money "naming a star" for someone.