Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
On Oct. 28, Mamani was awarded one star in the 2025 Dallas Michelin Guide, despite being open for only about 50 days. When D Magazine interviewed chef Christophe de Lellis after the ceremony, one of the chef’s comments was “Why?” We were thinking the same thing — or more specifically, “How?” Below is what Hank Vaughn was able to piece together, including an explanation from Michelin.
First things first, and as a huge caveat to get that out of the way right from the start: My opinions and views on food and restaurants don’t really mean much. I like fine dining and have been lucky enough to eat at several three-star Michelin spots across the country, but I also enjoy pub grub and a good hot dog, a slice of pizza or an Italian beef sandwich. I’m also a data geek to a certain extent, which is part of the reason I love baseball (the intersection of the Venn diagram of hot dogs and baseball is just a happy accident). So the hows and whys of the awarding of Michelin stars tick all my boxes, and I was excited last year when the tire company finally decided to include Texas in its eponymous guide.
The maiden Texas guide in 2024 awarded one star to one restaurant in the Dallas area: Tatsu. Several others received Bib Gourmands and recommendations in the guide, but Tatsu was our lone star recipient. Not a bad start, really, for a geographic location new to Michelin, but all of us who care about eating (and stats) were waiting with anticipation to see if there would be any changes when Michelin announced its updates to the guide on Tuesday.
Mixed Results, 6-7
The results were not really surprising for the most part, if a bit disappointing to the home team. Tatsu retained its star but did not gain a new one. All Bib and recommended restaurants from last year retained their statuses, and the only addition to the recommended list was Sushi Kozy. Mister Charles earned an Exceptional Cocktail Award, so cheers to them.
The two biggest surprises, however, include Quarter Acre and Mamani. The former did retain its recommended status, but we all were hoping for more. If not a star, at least a Bib Gourmand. Lord knows chef/owner Toby Archibald had put in the work and effort and has the talent to warrant more than recommended, but Michelin’s selection process is mercurial for a reason, one supposes.
Mamani, on the other hand, received a one-star distinction. The Observer had great things to say about this French-Italian restaurant headed by executive chef Christophe De Lellis in August. It opened in Uptown in early September in The Quad to rave reviews. The pedigree is obviously there: stints in Vegas for De Lellis at a three-star restaurant, a Michelin-recognized bartender curating the cocktail menu and the Cohanim brothers (Bar Colettte, Namo). The dining seems to be fine in the truest sense of that word.
‘Consistency Is Very Important’
So why was this a surprise, then? Well, again, Mamani opened less than a couple of months ago, and the review process probably didn’t start the day it opened or finish a day before Tuesday’s announcement, so that leaves maybe a two- or three-week window for those undercover Michelin Guide inspectors to do their thing. Usually, “their thing” involves multiple visits over multiple seasons and multiple meals, both lunch and dinner if both are offered.
Why the multiple visits over time? Because there are five criteria Michelin uses to assess the quality of a restaurant: quality of ingredients, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef de cuisine, harmony of flavors … and consistency between visits.
That last one is important, as Michelin elaborates on its website,
“Consistency is very important when awarding Michelin Stars, so we need to be sure that customers will receive the same high standard of cooking whenever they visit. Various inspectors will visit throughout the seasons: for lunch as well as for dinner, both at the weekend and during the week.”
So, you see the potential issue here. How could Michelin have assessed the consistency of cuisine over such a small window? If a single great meal was enough for a Michelin star, then North Texas would look like the Milky Way. But it doesn’t.
Maybe one day we’ll join the firmament that is Chicago (19 stars) or New York (73 stars), but our area is new to the guide, and two stars isn’t really a bad beginning. However, it was always believed that one reason new areas might start slowly with Michelin awards is because of a lack of data points for consistency. The Mamani selection, coming just a scant few weeks after its opening, therefore, raises questions about the importance of all the selection criteria.
Of course, this isn’t a science; the anonymous Michelin inspectors do not arrive on scene with test tubes and spectrometers. There isn’t a checklist with various points attached to each, and a number arrived upon. It’s more of an art, a feeling one presumes based on those five criteria, yes, but also just years of inspecting. I’m sure certain criteria can outweigh others, too, in certain circumstances. And that appears to be the case here.
What Michelin Had to Say
The Observer reached out to Michelin and asked about what appears to be a lack of measured consistency in the Mamani award, in particular, and the potential impact that could have on the integrity of the awards in general. They relayed the response below on behalf of their chief inspector for the Michelin Guide North America:
“Suffice to say, Chef Christophe De Lellis has had a consistent background before opening Mamani and multiple meals there proved the level of the cuisine at this new Dallas restaurant to be indicative of cuisine at the One Star level.”
So there you have it, from the gourmand’s mouth. Evidently, the star power and past consistency of Chef De Lellis, along with presumably great food featuring quality ingredients, cooking techniques, and a harmony of flavors, was enough for them. The consistency was implied and transferred to this new endeavor.
Which is interesting and does offer some clarification, but is it enough to make people like me stop scratching their heads? Doubtful, but it’s a start. Michelin is being parsimonious with stars in its new Texas guide, and given that, it would seem unlikely they’d hand out a star willy-nilly with some ulterior motive or cigar smoke-filled backroom deal. And again, to be absolutely clear, I’m sure Mamani is wonderful and will be consistent over time.
Let’s just hope they are just as flexible in their criteria next year, and we add a few more points of Michelin light to Dallas.
[*Editor’s note: Michelin published a Las Vegas guide in 2008, but discontinued it after 2009 due to the local economy. Joël Robuchon at MGM earned three stars in both those guides. De Lellis began working at Joël Robuchon in 2010 as a sous chef. He was the executive chef there for nine years before moving to Dallas. We’re left to suppose that Michelin inspectors have since regularly visited Las Vegas in a quasi-working capacity. Who wouldn’t?]
