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Essence the only Restaurant Awarded Two Stars in New Zealand's First Michelin Guide
Essence’s two stars cap New Zealand’s first Michelin Guide, which named 100 restaurants and gave 14 venues one star.
- On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the inaugural Michelin Guide New Zealand awarded stars to 15 restaurants, with Queenstown's Essence receiving the country's only two-star honour.
- Tourism New Zealand invested $6.3 million to secure the guide's three-year presence, aiming to increase food-related tourism and support the hospitality sector's economic contribution.
- Inspectors selected 100 restaurants for inclusion across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown after months of anonymous dining, while 35 additional eateries earned a Bib Gourmand designation for good value.
- Tala co-owner Henry Onesomo celebrated the first Michelin star for a Samoan restaurant, saying the award proves "Samoan food can be fine dining and that Samoan food can compete with the rest of the world."
- Michelin Guide international director Gwendal Poullennec described the launch as "the beginning," with plans for two additional guides over the coming years under the partnership.
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Disgraced Amisfield chef Vaughan Mabee is the new govt-backed Michelin man
Comment: This may read as my bitchiest editorial yet. Nobody will thank me for raining on the parade of 15 hardworking teams of chefs and front-of-house staff whose restaurants have just been awarded the country’s first Michelin stars. There was a proud and celebratory atmosphere at the awards at Auckland’s International Convention Centre. Intense music, a dramatic tone, Newsroom business journalist Alice Peacock tells me. I have no doubt most o…
·Auckland, New Zealand
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left5Leaning Right3Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Left
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources lean Left
46% Left
L 46%
C 27%
R 27%
Factuality
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