July 19, 2023 – Last night, about an hour before their professional lives would change forever, Monique and Jonny Black were queuing to enter Chabot Space & Science Center’s planetarium in Oakland.
There they’d find a seat among a few hundred fellow chefs, restaurateurs, wine pros and members of the media for the 2023 announcement of the Michelin Guide awards for California.
“How’s your Zen doing?” I asked.
Monique, who runs the front of the house at the restaurant downstairs and plays mom upstairs—where they live with their two young kids—smiled, a wry sparkle in her eye.
“Tired,” she said.
Jonny stuck closer to the script.
“We’re just happy to be invited,” he said. “More than anything it’s great to see so many friends.”
They would be that much happier soon. A star was bestowed.
The couple inched through the tight aisles and joined a handful of other restaurants onstage as first-time one-star Michelin recipients, beneath a fitting sweep of galaxy on the full-dome ceiling above.
Earlier in the evening—which featured plenty of Tsar Nicolai caviar scoops, Gozu tallow caramels and Champagne served in branded Yeti goblets—Jonny was similarly succinct.
When asked if the Michelin investigators making special note of his abalone skewers on their “Favorite Dishes of California” was an omen, his demurred.
“Let’s just hope it’s not a fluke,” he said.
To review, the guide—which originally launched in 1900 to encourage car travel on a nice set of Michelin tires—bestows one star for “high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” two stars for “excellent cuisine, worth a detour” and three for “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
It returned to parts of California and started evaluating Central Coast restaurants in 2019.
In recent years it has added distinctions like Green Stars for exemplary eco-mindfulness (with California restaurants earning the vast majority of them) and leading cocktail programs.
Given the patience and precision with which the Blacks shaped what they like to call “the restaurant we would want to eat at,” which debuted to great fanfare in October, the star wasn’t a stunner.
Neither was the fact Aubergine, Monterey Bay area’s first Michelin honoree, retained its own.
But some surprising news arrived before that:
1) Last week, Maligne in Seaside learned it earned a Bib Gourmand;
2) Earlier in the evening, in a state with upwards of 68,000 restaurants and other eating outposts, the one and only Michelin’s 2023 California Sommelier Award went to Aubergine’s John Haffey, who curates the 1,800 wines to pair with chef Justin Cogley’s atmospheric tasting menu.
After taking the stage to receive the outsized star, he discussed his approach in two parts.
Part one: Complement the cuisine.
“People are coming to have an experience and it’s the food that brings them in the door,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to flatter the food and never take away from it. I also like to highlight the growers who are thoughtful with their farming.”
Part two: Honor the moola.
“I want to make sure people feel they’re getting their money’s worth,” he added. “We all work hard for our money and want it to go as far as we can, so whether it’s a Grand Cru Burgundy or Chenin from the Loire Valley, we want to make sure…people enjoy what they’re spending their money on.”
Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau chief Rob O’Keefe was among those eager to celebrate the collective achievements.
“Monterey County is reaching new heights as a world-class culinary destination,” he said in a release. “Michelin is a beacon for travelers interested in culinary experiences and with our wide range of lush vineyards, a wealth of seafood and bountiful agriculture, our destination offers an unparalleled collection of epicurean adventures.”
More at guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/michelin-star-revelation/michelin-guide-california-stars.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
