ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Putting down their tasting spoons and strutting their finery — we spotted at least one bow-tie; one velvet blue dress that wouldn’t be out of place at the Tonys; lots of carefully curated Carmy Berzatto-like bed-head — these folks were just part of the makeup at this third annual event, held inside History on Queen Street East, courtesy of key partners like Destination ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ and newcomers such as Evian, the OG swanky water here to keep folks hydrated during the night’s many moving parts. Pre-party. Ceremony. Post-party. Feeders and journos and enthusiasts. Sommeliers and sauciers. The entire ecosystem that makes the local resto world go ’round. And, of course, one very bouncy Michelin Man.

Unsurprisingly, the poster man for tires had no shortage of what the kids call rizz — glad-handling his way through the massive space, posing in photos and shaking his booty with winners and commoners alike — even though some of us couldn’t help but note that Michelin Man seemed … well … less roly-poly than usual. Tauter, even. “Is Michelin Man on Ozempic?” asked long-time reveller and writer Leah Rumack. Welcome to 2024, ladies and gents.

“Michelin Man is looking buff,” likewise joked Nick Di Donato. He, incidentally, was clearly in good spirits having bagged one of the new stars this year, for his year-old restaurant DaNico on College, helmed by chef/partner Daniele Corona. (OK, I worship at the umami alter of his spaghettoni al funghi: pasta boiled in an extraction of organic Ontario mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24 months, topped with fresh black truffle. But I digress …)

Of the 100 total restaurants checked in the starry guide, representing 30 different cuisines, plus its niche list of Bib Gourmands and four restaurants grabbing a star for the first time, in this newly broadened selection (the guide expanded to ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ and region this year) the biggest buzz this night seemed, perhaps, to belong to Hexagon in Oakville. It nabbed one of those new stars. And if there was one newly baptized darling on this night it would be their guy, Rafael Covarrubias. Winning rising new chef on his first of two trips to the stage, Rafael, who is from Mexico, ribboned the most poignant moment of the night when he said his award was for all “the migrant people who come to this country for a better future.”

Not to mention, who make it tastier.

If, however, there was any sotto voce shocker coming out of the ceremony — going purely by the number of unsolicited times it was brought up to me from varying corners of the room afterwards at the party — it was that the much-lauded Langdon Hall in Cambridge did not receive a star. An early sighting of chef Jason Bangerter in the room seemed to foretell that it would — especially given the expansion of the Michelin guide beyond the borders of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½. “I am upset for him,” a prominent restaurateur told me. And they were not alone. “He is most deserving,” added veteran gourmand Sara Waxman.

OK, sure. But the great Donald Sutherland, who recently died and starred in hundreds of projects, was also never nominated for an Oscar: fact. In other words, these are the rolling roulette dynamics of any “best” list, arguably. And the kind of inside-foodie debate that only heightens the halo of Michelin. One that’s considerably raised the restaurant stakes in this town, and why brands like Evian are on board (starting in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ this week and up next with the Vancouver roll-out).

“Diners seeking out restaurants from the Michelin Guide are discerning consumers who are looking for excellence at every touchpoint,” Alexandra Latendresse, marketing director, beverages, at Danone Canada, says. Plus, from a synergy perspective, it only made sense because Evian’s iconic glass silhouettes are already part of the tablescape, and brand of choice, at such Michelin-starred restaurants as Edulis (a forever gem!).

One cautionary tale about doing the Michelin shindig every year? For moi? Seeing chefs whose names I cannot place, and who I cannot connect to which restaurant, because you are so used to see them in chef’s whites or in another context. Oy vey! The particular case of chef dysnomia — yes, that is the scientific word — hit me tons, as much as it did my friend, food writer Amy Rosen, at one point, both of us only deducing the name of one chef long after!

“You can name every taste,” I told her. That is the important thing. “You just can’t name names!”

If there was a sentiment that simmered the best this night, it came when Shayne Herbert accepted Michelin’s exceptional cocktail award on behalf of Azura (a new spot on the Danforth that’s earned Michelin love after debuting with an adventurous “blind tasting menu” concept). When asked why he loves what he does, Herbert dreamily said: “ … getting that little nod that you see when somebody drinks a cocktail, that’s all I work for really. Just that little nod that someone gives you that says, ‘Oh yeah, this is good.’â€�

Enough said.