Why do Cape Town’s world-class restaurants never get Michelin stars? Neocolonialism?

As seven more overpriced London restaurants join the prestigious Michelin Guide, South Africa’s exceptional dining scene remains entirely absent from the famous red book.

The snub has nothing to do with quality and everything to do with money and geography.

It’s not about the food

Let’s get this straight from the start. South African restaurants aren’t in the Michelin Guide because Michelin doesn’t operate in Africa. Not in Cape Town, not in Johannesburg, not anywhere on the continent.

The Guide simply doesn’t send its anonymous inspectors to Africa. No inspections means no stars. It’s that straightforward.

This doesn’t reflect on the quality of South African cuisine. Far from it. Three Cape Town restaurants made the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2025: La Colombe at number 55, FYN at 82, and Salsify at 88.

The colonial question

So is this just another example of European institutions ignoring Africa? The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.

The Michelin Guide was created in 1900 by French tyre manufacturers André and Édouard Michelin to encourage car travel and sell more tyres. It began as a European marketing tool and has remained largely Eurocentric in its coverage.

But here’s the twist. Michelin’s modern expansion isn’t about colonial control. It’s about cold, hard cash and tourism board funding.

Follow the money

Since the late 2010s, Michelin has fundamentally changed how it expands. Cities and countries now pay for the privilege of being included in the Guide.

The figures are eye-watering. Thailand’s tourism authority pays around $880,000 annually (roughly R15 million). South Korea shells out approximately $350,000 per year (about R6 million). Texas recently committed $2.7 million over three years (nearly R50 million) to bring the Guide to five cities.

Boston’s tourism board paid over $1 million (R18 million) for three years of coverage. North Carolina is paying $345,000 annually (R6.2 million). Even individual Colorado cities contribute between $70,000 and $100,000 each year (R1.26 million to R1.8 million).

These payments don’t guarantee any restaurant will get a star. They simply ensure Michelin inspectors will actually visit the region.

What South Africa would need to enter Michelin Guide

For the Michelin Guide to come to South Africa, our national or provincial tourism boards would need to pay similar sums. We’re talking millions of rand annually, likely for a minimum three-year commitment.

That funding would cover inspector salaries, travel costs, and the operational expenses of reviewing restaurants across the country. Given South Africa’s size and diverse culinary landscape, the bill could easily run to R20-30 million over three years.

Cape Town Tourism, Gauteng Tourism Authority, or national body SA Tourism would need to make the case that this investment would generate sufficient return through increased culinary tourism.

Our chefs are already winning

Meanwhile, South African expats are earning Michelin stars abroad and flying the flag for our culinary talent. Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen was the first African chef to receive a star in 2016 for Restaurant JAN in Nice, France.

Cape Town-born Jean Delport earned his star for Interlude in Sussex, England. Hylton James Espey picked up his star for Culture in Falmouth. And Nick Honeyman, another South African expat, earned his for Le Petit Léon in France.

These achievements prove South African culinary talent is absolutely world-class. The difference is that their restaurants operate in regions where Michelin already has inspectors on the ground.

Does it even matter?

There’s a valid argument that South Africa doesn’t need Michelin validation. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list provides international recognition without the controversial pay-to-play model.

Local award systems like the Dineplan Reviewers’ Choice Awards and World Culinary Awards already celebrate our best establishments. And frankly, anyone who’s dined at La Colombe, FYN, Wolfgat, or dozens of other exceptional South African restaurants knows the quality speaks for itself.

The absence of Michelin stars doesn’t diminish South African cuisine. It simply highlights the financial realities of a global restaurant rating system that has evolved into a tourism marketing tool.

The bottom line

South African restaurants aren’t in the Michelin Guide because no one has paid for Michelin to come here. Not because of colonial bias, not because of quality issues, but because of straightforward economics.

Whether that changes depends entirely on whether South African tourism authorities believe the investment would be worthwhile. Given budget constraints and competing priorities, it’s not surprising that spending millions on restaurant inspectors hasn’t topped the list.

In the meantime, South African cuisine continues earning international acclaim through other channels. We don’t need a French tyre company’s approval to know our food is world-class.

The restaurants speak for themselves. And if you’ve ever eaten at them, you already know that.