Michelin Guide to announce its 1st selection of Vancouver restaurants

A Vancouver restaurant patio is seen in this undated image. (Shutterstock)

Vancouver diners and restaurateurs will soon find out which local establishments have earned Michelin stars and other culinary distinctions after a debut ceremony Thursday night.

The Michelin Guide's expansion to Vancouver was announced this summer and is the second in Canada. The guide's first Canadian selections were announced in Toronto in September.

"Vancouver is a treasure. Our inspectors discovered many gems, and there’s still so much potential in the area," said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, in a news release.

"Our inspectors love the depth and breadth of flavors and cultures, and they can’t wait to reveal to worldwide gourmets and travelers all the great discoveries they enjoyed."

When the expansion was announced, Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver, called the guide "the gold standard in the culinary world."

"It recognizes the cuisine that we've had in this city for years," he told CTV News Vancouver in July. "Its incredible talent, the diversity of cuisine, the creativity in food offerings that we have … this just brings another level of recognition."

Chwin said Michelin recognized Vancouver's commitment to West Coast ingredients and sustainability, saying the city has a "well-entrenched history" of using local products.

"We've been doing that for decades," he said. "This is not a new trend in Vancouver."

The new Michelin Guide Vancouver will include restaurants awarded with Michelin Stars, the Bib Gourmand selection and the Michelin Green Star for sustainability.

The ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Spencer Harwood