The Michelin star is one of fine dining’s highest honors. However, over the course of a century, only a handful of Black chefs have ever earned one. According to The Greasy Pen, just nine Black chefs worldwide have held Michelin stars. This is certainly a poignant reminder of the deep-seated inequities that are still ingrained in the global food industry.
A recent post spotlighting and celebrating Black-owned Los Angeles restaurant, Alta (co-founded by Chef Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson), hinted at its association with The Michelin Guide — an honor a few steps below the star. The Guide is the overall catalog of recommended restaurants, and stars are specific accolades for exceptional culinary quality that appear in the Guide. While the restaurant isn’t a star recipient, its inclusion — rooted in Chef Corbin’s elevated take on “California soul food”- signals how Black chefs are redefining what excellence looks and tastes like.
In that vein, raise a glass and a plate to these 9 history-making chefs who have earned a Michelin star.
Mariya Russell
The first Black woman in the U.S. to lead a Michelin-starred kitchen, making her the first Black woman to receive this honor.
Charlie Mitchell
The first Black chef in New York City to earn a Michelin star for his Brooklyn restaurant Clover Hill.
Gerald Sombright
The first Black man to earn a Michelin star in the U.S.
Michael Caines
One of the only Black men outside of the U.S. to earn a star.
Mory Sacko
French chef whose first restaurant, MoSuke (merging West African sensibilities with French fine dining), has earned a Michelin star.
Marcel Ravin
This Martinique-born chef is one of the few Black chefs to hold two Michelin stars.
Georgiana Viou
The first Black female chef in France to receive a Michelin star.
Adejoké “Joké” Bakare
The first Black female Michelin star chef in the U.K. and the second Black Michelin star chef in the world. Of note, Joké is self-taught.
Ayo Adeyemi
The restaurant where he earned the star, Akoko, is one of the three with a West African heritage chef to receive a Michelin star.
Dining and Cooking