Michelin stars shine at area restaurants

| June 27, 2019 | 0 Comments
KALI chef Kevin Meehan

Renowned dining guide Michelin released last month an inaugural statewide edition for California that awarded stars to 24 restaurants in Los Angeles, including several local favorites. 

Michael Cimarusti’s seafood-driven Providence is one of only six two-star recipients in Los Angeles. And among the city’s 18 one-star distinctions are Kali, Le Comptoir, Osteria Mozza and Trois Mec. 

First published by Michelin in 1900, the guide’s star ratings are now considered among the most coveted honors a restaurant can earn. 

“It’s still sinking in that we got a Michelin star,” Kali chef Kevin Meehan told the Chronicle. “We were bombarded with so much love from all of our friends, and then, the restaurant got super busy overnight. We haven’t really had a moment to enjoy it yet. When the smoke clears and we even out, we are looking forward to engaging with our new clientele.” 

According to Meehan, a Michelin star can make all the difference in the brutal restaurant business: “When we opened Kali, we had so many ideas for the restaurant that we wanted to do, and did do. Over time, however, we had to just focus on keeping the place going and paying the bills. Growing wasn’t part of the conversation — we were in survival mode, like most restaurants.”

More than just a star rating, the designation will generate more sales, which means that growth and progress are, again, on the horizon, explained Meehan. 

“The guests are super excited about it,” said Meehan. “It’s a real positive thing for the hospitality and travel industry in Los Angeles.”

Michelin Guide California 2019 — the first regional guide for the United States — includes restaurants in greater Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego and Santa Barbara. 

“With access to many of the world’s best farms, food producers and vineyards, California cuisine is respected worldwide, not only for the quality of its ingredients, but also due to the creativity displayed by its chefs,” says Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides. 

The guide did not award three-stars — its highest rating — to any restaurant in Southern California. 

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