Ever wonder why some cities don’t have Michelin-starred restaurants? It’s usually not about talent. It’s about who’s willing to write the check.
Senate Bill 2072 proposes using state general funds to pay Michelin to create a Hawaiʻi restaurant guide. That’s how this works in most markets. Tourism boards or governments fund the guide, Michelin sends inspectors, and suddenly a destination is deemed “world-class.”
Supporters argue it boosts prestige and visitor spending. Critics question whether taxpayer dollars should support a private rating system owned by a French tire company. (Backstory: the Michelin Guide was started by a French tire company in 1900 to encourage people to drive more, travel farther, and quite literally wear down their tires.)
Florida reportedly put up more than $1.5 million to bring Michelin in. Atlanta’s CVB paid around $1 million. Hawaiʻi’s bill leaves the dollar amount blank for now, but the funds would come from the state general fund and be handled by DBEDT. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is supporting the measure. The bill was recently deferred in committee, meaning lawmakers are hitting the brakes while they weigh the cost against other state priorities.
The real question isn’t whether Hawaiʻi has world-class restaurants. We do.
The question is whether we should be paying for validation.
BTW – If you want to check out my personal Michelin Guide of Oahu, you can find it here, wonder if the legislature will pay me a cool mill for it ;-). If you think I missed any great ones, or have neighbor island recommendations, please let me know!
