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South African Tourism from South Africa, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
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After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michelin Guide honored nine Southland restaurants Tuesday with its star designation, including a brand new two-star eatery in Santa Monica.
Overall, the Michelin Guide doled out 27 new stars statewide. Eight Los Angeles County eateries made the cut, along with one in Orange County.
Melisse in Santa Monica made its debut on the guide’s list, scoring two Michelin stars. Hayato in downtown Los Angeles was promoted from one star to two.
Landing on the Michelin Guide list with one star each were:
- Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills;
- Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa;
- Morihiro in Los Angeles;
- Pasjoli in Santa Monica;
- Pasta/Bar in Encino;
- Phenakite in Los Angeles; and
- Sushi I-NABA in Manhattan Beach.
“As an international culinary destination and leader in the industry, California continues to impress Michelin Guide inspectors with a commitment to sustainable gastronomy and creative cuisine,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement. “We are delighted to celebrate 19 promotions for restaurants that elevated their quality and consistency despite the challenges of the health crisis, and welcome eight new entries to our selection at the star level.”
Gucci Osteria chef Mattia Agazzi celebrated the restaurant’s achievement, calling it an honor for the entire team.
“It has been a very challenging time for the global hospitality industry, and we were forced to close after just a few weeks of opening, re-opening months later,” Agazzi said. “The team, however, has remained focused, united and driven to create dishes of style and substance. We’re lucky to have some of the best ingredients in the world on our doorstep, and we love exploring Los Angeles and the great state of California.”