Kimmel Center to Host Michelin Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony

Hundreds of top chefs from five cities will attend an invitation-only Michelin Guide Northeast Cities ceremony at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Since the event is invitation-only, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau has reached a deal with 6abc to live stream the ceremony on its website and apps. The bureau is hosting its own watch party at McGillin's Olde Ale House, at 1310 Drury St., the city's oldest bar and one of the oldest bars in the country.

The ceremony, expected to run about an hour, will begin at 7 p.m., following a cocktail reception.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Northeast Cities ceremony will highlight dining in Chicago; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and, for the first time, Boston and Philadelphia. Chefs were invited to attend the ceremony to discover whether their restaurants have received a Michelin Star or another Michelin Guide recognition.

As noted by the Inquirer, Philadelphia civic boosters have long wanted Michelin's attention, especially after the city's restaurant scene had been praised routinely for at least the last decade by the James Beard Foundation and national food publications. In a statement released earlier this year, Michelin said its inspectors had already begun exploring the city's dining community.

Better restaurants receive one star (“worth a stop”), two stars (“worth a detour”), or three stars (“worth a journey”). Casual restaurants that offer “good quality, good value cooking” are designated Bib Gourmand selections, while some restaurants are reviewed and presented without star ratings. Other categories also exist, such as Green Star (sustainable gastronomy).

“We are excited to honor and celebrate the talented culinary community of the Northeast Cities in the iconic city of Philadelphia, which is a shining example of hospitality,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, in a statement from an August news release.

“Philadelphia's culinary scene has been making waves on the global stage for a long time, and welcoming the Michelin Guide to our city is a milestone years in the making,” said Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, in the media release. “Hosting the Northeast Cities Ceremony at the iconic Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts makes it all the more special, as we'll see Philadelphia's restaurants earn their first Michelin accolades right here in their own backyard.”