French restaurant bible Michelin is launching a new California guide, meaning it will once again rate restaurants in Los Angeles.

The move comes almost a decade after Michelin pulled its Los Angeles guide following financial woes and its former director Jean-Luc Naret famously stating that “the people in Los Angeles are not real foodies”.

Currently, Michelin only publishes a guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area, which features 57 starred restaurants, including eight holding three stars, the most in the United States. The new Michelin Guide California, which will be published in the summer, will also include restaurants in greater Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego and Santa Barbara.  

Los Angeles chef, Josiah Citrin, whose Santa Monica restaurant Melisse formerly held two stars in the Los Angeles guide, told Urbanologie the launch of the California guide, including Los Angeles, was great for the city. "Any recognition for Los Angeles is good," he said. "As a guide Michelin is there to reward those who go above and beyond. I have been seeing quotes about whether it will recognize taco trucks or all the different great food we have in the city. All cities the guide rates have their local gems but that is not what Michelin is about. It is a fine dinning guide."

Commenting on the new guide, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, said: ‘With access to many of the world’s best farms, food producers and vineyards, California cuisine is respected worldwide not only for the quality of its ingredients but also due to the creativity displayed by its chefs. In addition, our inspectors have been impressed with the talent and innovation within the gastronomic community across the state.”