The Michelin mystery gripping New Zealand’s hospitality industry
Sunday, 14 June 2026
Tourism New Zealand invested $6.3 million to secure Michelin's first expansion into Oceania to boost food tourism.
New Zealand's first Michelin-starred restaurants will be revealed at a ceremony in Auckland on June 30.
Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods says even industry insiders do not know which restaurants will receive stars.
The judging is over. The inspectors have come and gone.
Somewhere, hidden inside Michelin's famously secretive organisation, the list of New Zealand's first Michelin-starred restaurants already exists.
The chefs, however, are still guessing.
In two weeks, New Zealand's first-ever Michelin stars will be revealed at a glittering ceremony in Auckland, ending months of speculation and secrecy surrounding one of the biggest moments in the country's hospitality history.
Nowhere is that anticipation more palpable than in Queenstown, a town increasingly recognised as one of New Zealand's culinary capitals.
At Sherwood Bar and Restaurant, executive chef and creative director Chris Scott is harvesting produce from the restaurant's kitchen garden as he waits for a verdict he cannot influence and knows nothing about.
Sherwood has built a reputation around locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menus.
'Hyper seasonal menus, we've got a kitchen garden 10 metres away from our back door'
Like many chefs around the country, Scott knows Michelin inspectors assessed New Zealand restaurants months ago. What he does not know is how Sherwood fared.
“I don't think anyone has any idea.”
The uncertainty is part of the mystique. Michelin's inspectors operate anonymously and the judging process is notoriously secretive.
The Michelin Guide's arrival in New Zealand was only announced after inspections had already taken place.
Even invitations the awards ceremony are no guarantee of success.
Sherwood may not fit the stereotype of a traditional Michelin-starred restaurant, but Scott says the guide has evolved far beyond white tablecloth fine dining.
'They're recognising places like ramen shops in Japan… will get a star… or a taco place in Mexico… these sorts of things.'
That wider approach has only made predicting the winners more difficult. Scott laughs about looking for clues.
'I was looking out for a few berets or some sort of incognito persons of interest'
Across town, Toast & Oak executive chef Giulio Barducci finds himself in a similar position.
He has received an invitation to Auckland's ceremony but has no idea whether he is attending as a winner or simply as a guest.
Toast & Oak offers both tasting menus and à la carte dining, alongside an extensive international wine list.
'We have a very good food offering, in this case we're doing à la carte.. we're doing tasting menus.. pairing.. we have wine from all over the world.'
For Barducci, who moved from Italy to New Zealand and helped establish the restaurant, the possibility of a Michelin star remains difficult to comprehend.
'It's a dream.. everything is still surreal.. moving to NZ, opening a restaurant . you walk away from those dreams a bit to create your own dreams but Michelin coming here is just something else'
He believes Michelin's arrival will elevate New Zealand's international food reputation and attract more culinary travellers.
'Michelin is such a massive name for foodies around the world.'
Tourism New Zealand invested $6.3 million to secure Michelin's first expansion into Oceania, betting that the guide's global reputation will boost food tourism and help showcase New Zealand's hospitality sector to international visitors.
Queenstown is expected to be a major beneficiary.
The resort town is home to more than 150 restaurants and bars and has quietly built a reputation as one of the country's most dynamic dining destinations.
Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods says even those within the industry are no closer to solving the mystery.
“I think it's one of those best-kept secrets actually, no one seems to know.. and we're all going, ‘Who’s it going to be?’.
“But it's exciting actually to see a celebration like this, to look at the wonderful food and wine that we have in this country and showcase it to the world and say come down here and try out our wonderful cuisine.”
For now, the speculation continues. The chefs are reading tea leaves. The restaurant industry is swapping rumours. And diners are making their own predictions.
On June 30, New Zealand will know where Michelin believes the country's best food can be found.
An earlier version of this story said the ceremony would take place in “less than a week”. The ceremony is set for June 30. (Amended at 9.30am on June 15, 2026)