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Photograph by Myrydd Wells
The second annual Michelin awards ceremony in Atlanta will be held October 28 at the Georgia World Congress Center. After last year’s big announcement of five One Star awards (Atlas, Bacchanalia, Hayakawa, Lazy Betty, and Mujo) and ten Bib Gourmands, plus numerous Recommended restaurants, local chefs and restaurateurs can’t wait to hear this year’s winners. But aside from the excitement elicited by the esteemed awards, how do they impact business? We spoke to three of last year’s winners to find out.
Between Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips of Lazy Betty, J. Trent Harris and Fred Castellucci of Mujo, and Peter Chvala of Banshee, which was awarded a 2023 Bib Gourmand, there was a clear consensus on the “Michelin effect.” It falls into three categories:
- Increase in business
“Overall it was a massive boom,” Chvala says. “As soon as the award ceremony happened, people got excited, and we saw a 20 percent increase in revenue.” He thinks it helped that people could make a reservation using a widget on the Michelin website, and the wealth of news coverage helped spread the word to those who don’t normally follow the dining scene as closely. That influx of diners allowed Banshee to hire more sous chefs and prep cooks, as well as promote from within. Existing staff were given raises.
Hsu says Lazy Betty also saw a 20-to-30 percent jump in business. “Our Star was announced at 8:22 p.m. By 8:45, I had random people on Instagram messaging me saying they were trying to get a reservation.” At the time, Lazy Betty already had plans to move from its original home on DeKalb Avenue to a larger space in Midtown. “The award made us feel more comfortable with the decision. We figured the additional seats would fill,” Phillips says.
- Greater interest from prospective staff
Prior to Michelin coming to Atlanta, the tire company-turned-dining experts only sought out restaurants in six areas in the United States: New York, Illinois, California, Colorado, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The definition and qualifications for the awards are intentionally a little murky, as inspectors are notoriously secretive. According to Michelin, One, Two, and Three Stars indicate “exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed, and infused with the personality of a talented chef.” Bib Gourmand designates “good quality food for a good value.”
Nevertheless, Michelin recognition in Atlanta gives chefs around the country another reason to consider working in the Peach State.
“It’s really changed the talent we can attract for hiring,” Harris says. “There’s more interest from people outside the market who want to work with us. In the next couple of years, you’ll see the city retaining talent it otherwise would’ve lost.”
“We’re getting potential employees with a deeper resume,” Hsu agrees. Phillips adds that the number of resumes they’ve received has increased, too.
- Raising the standard
Michelin looks at all kinds of restaurants, from the smallest taco shack to white tablecloth, prix fixe establishments. So just having the awards to aspire to motivates many hospitality professionals. “As a whole, it’s been very positive for the city. I notice other places trying to elevate,” Harris says. “You need that arbiter of quality to give people the goal to rally behind. It’s something the team can visualize. Plus, people will choose to do an ambitious project in this market because they know they can be recognized for it.”
Castellucci says he’s had more landlords and developers approach him about opening a restaurant on their property since Mujo won its Star, opening the door for him to try new things.
It’s also changed diners’ expectations, attracting more well-traveled diners and encouraging guests to try new things. “We’ve always been a little riskier—a lot of Banshee menu items are things you wouldn’t find at other restaurants. But this gave Ben [Lee], our chef de cuisine, more freedom. He got more excited because the guests were more excited,” Chvala says.
Furthermore, it motivates staff. “Everybody is taking to the gravity of what Michelin means,” Phillips says. “We’ve always had high expectations. We try to be better today than we were yesterday.”
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