COURSE Restaurant was featured in two azcentral/The Arizona Republic articles following the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Southwest ceremony, where Arizona’s dining community reacted to the state receiving no MICHELIN stars.
The first article, written by restaurant critic Bahar Anooshahr, reflected on the results of the inaugural guide and the broader conversation surrounding Arizona’s restaurant scene. While 19 Arizona restaurants were recognized across MICHELIN Recommended and Bib Gourmand categories, no restaurant in the state received a star.
The coverage explored both the excitement surrounding MICHELIN’s arrival in Arizona and the questions that followed the ceremony, particularly around which restaurants were recognized and how the guide evaluated the state’s established culinary talent. Anooshahr ultimately noted that Arizona having 19 restaurants represented in the guide was still worth celebrating, while leaving room for the guide to evolve in future years.
A second azcentral article, written by Eddie Fontanez, focused on reactions from Arizona diners and content creators following the announcement. In that coverage, COURSE was specifically named as one of the restaurants many believed had been overlooked.
Content creator Ian Simon called COURSE one of the biggest snubs of the inaugural guide and said the Scottsdale fine dining restaurant deserved a star. The article also noted that COURSE was not included in the MICHELIN Recommended section.
The conversation extended beyond one reaction. azcentral reported that multiple users also mentioned COURSE by name when discussing restaurants they felt were missing from the guide, placing COURSE alongside several of Arizona’s most talked-about omissions.
For COURSE and Executive Chef Cory Oppold, the coverage reflects the strong connection the restaurant has built within Arizona’s dining community and the recognition of an experience centered on creativity, technique, seasonality, and thoughtful hospitality.
We’re grateful to azcentral/The Arizona Republic, Bahar Anooshahr, Eddie Fontanez, and the Arizona dining community for including COURSE in the conversation surrounding this milestone for the state’s culinary scene.
Read the Full Features
Explore bothazcentral features for more on the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Southwest and the reactions surrounding Arizona’s results.
Experience COURSE
Discover Chef Cory Oppold’s approach to seasonal ingredients, creative technique, and thoughtful storytelling through COURSE’s evolving tasting menus and dining experiences.
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