Will the South Island get a slice of the Michelin pie?

Friday, 7 November 2025

Vaughan Mabee is executive chef at Amisfield in Queenstown, one of the South Island’s top fine-dining restaurants.

Michelin inspectors have been quietly dining in Christchurch and Queenstown this spring, as part of a multimillion-dollar push to bring the global restaurant guide to New Zealand.

But not everyone is sure how far the benefits will reach.

At Amisfield, a vineyard restaurant near Queenstown, executive chef Vaughan Mabee is hopeful that the arrival of the Michelin Guide will finally put the country’s best restaurants on the world stage.

“This is gastro tourism at its finest,” he says. “We’ll capture a different type of New Zealand visitor we haven’t really seen before.”

Penelope Naish, co-owner of Black Estate in Waipara, a North Canterbury winery restaurant focused on sustainable, locally driven cuisine.

Four centres – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown – are included in the initial roll-out, with the first New Zealand star ratings expected next year.

The Government-backed initiative is designed to attract wealthy international travellers who value fine food and premium experiences, and are willing to spend accordingly.

But with only two South Island cities included, the question is whether the Mainland will get a fair share of the Michelin pie.

Diners enjoying fine weather along Oxford Terrace in central Christchurch on Thursday. Michelin Star judges are dining in the city this spring, as well as in other key centres around the country, as part of a push to bring the famous restaurant guide to NZ.

The Government has committed $2.5 million in the first year to bring the Michelin Guide to New Zealand, with $1.9m of that coming from the $100 international visitor levy charged to tourists. A further $3.8m is budgeted from the levy over the following two years. Tourism New Zealand has not said how much it will pay beyond that.

Tourism New Zealand says bringing the Michelin Guide here is a strategic move aimed at attracting international visitors who see food as a key part of their travel decisions – particularly in high-value markets like the United States, China and India.

In these markets, food is often cited as a major “trip tipping” factor – the final detail that turns interest into a booking.

A ‘landmark moment’ for hospitality

Marisa Bidois, chief executive of the Restaurant Association, said the partnership was a “landmark moment” for the industry.

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois. The organisation has backed Michelin’s entry into New Zealand.

“We’ve known for a long time that our hospitality offering is world-class, and this gives us further recognition on the global stage,” she said.

The association has been advocating for Michelin’s arrival for several years and says the industry supports the move.

Bidois said research showed that Michelin recognition tends to increase spending not just at the starred restaurants themselves, but also at surrounding venues and in nearby regions.

Cuisine magazine editor Kelli Brett sees Michelin’s arrival as long-awaited validation for New Zealand’s hospitality sector.

“I think it’s absolutely fantastic,” she said. “It showcases our restaurants and our amazing dining experiences to the world.

“Michelin is the best, and having them here just reinforces the quality we know we already have.”

Brett doesn’t see Michelin as a threat to local awards such as Cuisine’s own Good Food Guide. “Michelin is targeting the rest of the world. We’re here on the ground, and we know what’s happening across Aotearoa.”

She says international food travellers don’t come for a single meal – they build trips around dining.

“People that love food and drink design their holidays around where they’re going to eat. Breakfast, lunch, dinner – they’re going to be visiting a range of places, not just the fine-dining venues.”

Stars without silver service

Christchurch is one of two South Island cities included in the Michelin Guide’s initial New Zealand rollout, spotlighting its growing reputation for food tourism.

The Michelin Guide awards one to three stars to restaurants based solely on food, not service, atmosphere or design.

It uses five criteria to judge each dish: the quality of the ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, and consistency between visits.

Inspectors are anonymous, highly trained, and pay for their meals like any other diner.

For Penelope Naish, co-owner of Black Estate in Waipara, international recognition is always helpful, but warns against chasing overseas approval at the expense of local identity.

“It would be a shame if our staff were suddenly on edge because they were chasing Michelin stars when they already have a lot of purpose in what they do,” she said. “If everyone starts trying to meet some global standard, we risk becoming a little bit generic.”

However, she said if the guide helps highlight New Zealand’s truly unique food and wine experiences, that’s worth celebrating.

“We grow incredible produce here on two little islands at the bottom of the Pacific – if Michelin shines a light on that, then that’s just fantastic.”

The bigger tourism picture

Economist Shane Vuletich, managing director of tourism consultancy Fresh Info, says food and beverage is “an important driver of destination choice”, especially for high-income travellers. But he cautions that it’s difficult to measure the return on an investment like this.

“I don’t think people jump on a plane just because we have Michelin-rated restaurants,” he said. “But this adds another layer. It’s not the main reason to come, it’s part of a mix of things that makes a destination compelling.”

Vuletich says the Michelin Guide is likely to appeal to mid- to high-income travellers who already see New Zealand as a premium destination.

“People might not come here just for the food, but it becomes one of the key reasons to visit,” he said. “For visitors with disposable income, experiences like this add value and often make the difference in choosing where to go.”

Mat Woods, chief executive of Destination Queenstown, who sees Michelin as a chance to elevate the region’s reputation for food and hospitality.

Regional tourism leaders weigh up the benefits

Tourism agencies across the South Island broadly support the Government’s move to bring the Michelin Guide to New Zealand, seeing it as a chance to shine a global spotlight on local hospitality. But they also caution that long-term investment in regional infrastructure must not be sidelined.

ChristchurchNZ’s head of destination, Kath Low, said dining was already the top factor influencing visitation to the city.

Visitor surveys show 86% of people rate Christchurch’s food scene as good or excellent, and Low believes Michelin recognition would help define the city as a world-class culinary destination.

“The Michelin Guide is well-known for fine dining, but recent editions also celebrate casual eateries, street food, and sustainability-focused venues.”

Mat Woods, chief executive of Destination Queenstown, said the Southern Lakes region was well positioned to benefit but said the international visitor levy should return to its original purpose over time.

“Tourism investment needs to be across both supply and demand. We need to ensure we’re also investing in regional destination management initiatives alongside marketing.”

On the West Coast, Development West Coast tourism manager Andrew Aitken welcomed the international attention but said spending the levy on high-value marketing made sense, but it had to be balanced.

“It’s vital to attract high-value visitors in a competitive global market, but equally important to keep investing in the regional infrastructure that supports and sustains that growth.”