Impressive sales increases. Applications from Brazil. "Was it worth it?" debates on Yelp.
In just two years, the Michelin guide has shaken up Denver’s food scene bringing in talent, boosting notoriety, and driving culinary tourism. It was all part of the plan.
“When you say a city has Michelin-rated restaurants, it's shorthand for a quality dining scene,” said Justin Bresler, vice president and chief marketing officer for Visit Denver. “The Michelin seal of approval really goes a long way for [people] to pay more attention to what we have going on here in Colorado.”
In 2023, a coaliton of the Colorado Tourism Office, local tourism boards and resort companies paid between $70,000 and $100,000 each for the Michelin Guide to expand to the centennial state. The goal was to promote Colorado’s culinary scene and boost tourism.
Bresler says Michelin diners are diverse.
“It's not just the most affluent customers, it's not just the foodies. Some of the groups most interested in cities that have Michelin programs are African-American diners. Some of the people most likely to plan a trip to go to a Michelin restaurant are millennials and Gen Zs,” he said. “And so in a world where everyone travels just a little bit differently, this really allows us to appeal to people really across the age, ethnic income spectrum.”
