Designing Michelin-starred menus from the perspective of chefs: Is the presence of local food worth a trip?

Abstract

This article builds on the understanding of restaurants as food tourism attractions that contribute to the protection and promotion of terroir. This is specifically relevant in relation to Michelin-starred restaurants which are recognized as must-go places worldwide. Menu design is one of the elements that inform the relationships between locality and luxury in restaurants through food. Drawing on a qualitative study based on interviews with ten chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants in the region of Girona (Catalonia, Spain), the article analyses the role of local food in the design of menus in luxury gastronomy. Results show that while food with a local origin is crucial in menu design, chefs acknowledged the difficulty of building seasonal and sustainable supply chains and the impact of global influences on the restaurant experiences. Also, the article discusses the relationships between producers and chefs in terms of economic and environmental situations that inform the territorial connection between production and consumption. The implications for food tourism management and marketing are also explained.