GREENVILLE, S.C. — The MICHELIN Guide has circled a date on the calendar for the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South ceremony. Nashville has been chosen as the host city for the ceremony, which will be held on the evening of Oct. 21 at The Pinnacle.
“Last year marked a momentous year for the American South as we proudly introduced the very first U.S. regional selection of restaurants to travelers both near and far,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “As our anonymous Inspectors prepare the restaurant selection for 2026, Nashville stood out as a fitting backdrop for the ceremony thanks to its vibrant entertainment culture, local food influences and shining culinary talent.”
As the MICHELIN Guide continues to be committed to promoting the gastronomy players of tomorrow and the diversity of cuisines across its destinations, the Guide seeks to hold its annual ceremony in different cities annually. With a strong culinary history focused on Southern culture and creativity, Nashville proved to be a perfect fit to host the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South Ceremony.
“Nashville’s culinary scene has evolved into one of the most exciting in the country and hosting the MICHELIN Guide American South ceremony in October will further elevate Music City as a dining destination,” said Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “From innovative tasting menus to beloved neighborhood spots, our culinary community reflects the creativity and authenticity of our city. We’re grateful for our partnership with the MICHELIN Guide and thrilled to welcome them to Nashville. Hosting the MICHELIN Guide ceremony in Nashville is a meaningful milestone for our city and a celebration of the incredible talent that’s been growing here for years.”
Chefs will be invited to discover whether their restaurants have received a MICHELIN Star or another MICHELIN Guide distinction. Attendance is by invitation only.
The MICHELIN Guide in North America
Michelin announced its first North American Guide in 2005 for New York. Guides have also been added in Chicago (2011); Washington, D.C. (2017); California (San Francisco in 2007, statewide 2019); Florida (Greater Miami, Orlando and Tampa in 2022, adding Greater Fort Lauderdale, The Palm Beaches and St. Pete-Clearwater in 2025, statewide in 2026); Toronto (2022); Vancouver (2022); Colorado (2023); Atlanta (2023), Mexico (2024), Texas (2024), Québec (2024), the American South (2025), Boston (2025), Philadelphia (2025) and the Southwest (2026).
About the MICHELIN Guide
Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants.
- The famous one, two and three MICHELIN Stars identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef.
- The Bib Gourmand is a designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value – often known as personal favorites among the inspectors when dining on their own time.
- The MICHELIN Green Star honors restaurants that are pioneers in mindful gastronomy.
- Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide inspectors.
The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin’s inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors in the very beginning.
The restaurant selections join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay around the world. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an amazing hotel.
Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN Guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently in more than 60 destinations, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in fine dining.
All restaurants in the Guide are recommended by Michelin’s anonymous inspectors, who are trained to apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence. As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full, and only the quality of the cuisine is evaluated.
To fully assess the quality of a restaurant, the inspectors apply five criteria defined by Michelin: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. These criteria guarantee a consistent and fair selection so a Starred restaurant has the same value regardless of whether it is in Paris, New York or anywhere else in the world.
About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin is the leading mobility company and manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. For more than 130 years, Michelin has made contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications for demanding fields, including mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies and healthcare and offer the finest experiences, from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America has approximately 23,500 employees and operates 35 production facilities in the United States (michelinman.com) and Canada (michelin.ca).
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
For more information, contact:
Carly Grieff
Michelin North America
[email protected]
###
