We’re all in on food at The Post. And the exclusive Michelin Guide finally figured it out

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Do you change the way you view food, or does food change you?

I thought of that recently as our Food & Dining reporter Diana Biederman was working on the story about Palm Beach County being recognized by the exclusive Michelin Guide for the first time. Restaurants in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Boynton Beach got Michelin shout-outs.

So how impressive is that?

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, told Diana: “The Michelin Guide arriving to a destination helps to put a spotlight on its distinctive culinary scene and elevate it on a world map.”

OK. Palm Beach County. World map. For food.

I’m all in.

And while I would never refer to myself as a “foodie” (has too much of an elitist ring to it), I love food. In that I mean, I am not picky. My wife loves that in me, and so does just about anyone else who wants me to try new things.

Heck, I’ve eaten street tacos in Tijuana, tripe in Boston and fried bugs in Bangkok, so you’re not going to scare me with green bean casserole at Thanksgiving.

I’m not suggesting people need to live like Andrew Zimmern (host of Bizarre Foods), but if you are in Palm Beach County, and you are not an adventurous eater, I’d suggest getting outside your (Jack-in-the) box of comfort.

When I was little, I took for granted the food at my grandmother’s. We ate delicacies from Italy that they don’t normally serve in restaurants: beef braciole, chicken cacciatore, struffoli. When I was in college, we occasionally ate quasi-internationally (when we could afford it): Mexican, Thai, Brazilian.

Once I graduated and started moving and traveling, I embraced local cuisines and tried new things. My taste buds exploded. I was hooked.

And right now, Palm Beach County offers a smorgasbord of high-quality restaurants: We’ve really stepped up our game, from scrumptious American staples (burgers, pizzas and BBQ), to high-end eateries, to almost any international delight, whether it’s table-clothed, in a strip mall, at a pop-up or from a food truck.

I know this is happening in a lot of places. When I was young, my area of Boston had pizza places, Chinese restaurants and Irish pubs; that was about it. Now you can find food from Korea, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Lebanon and more only a short hop from my old house.

You don’t have to go to our Michelin-mentioned restaurants to savor a great meal. (Heck, you may not even get to go to our only Michelin “star” restaurant, Konro, in West Palm Beach, because on June 5, Konro was no longer taking reservations and appeared to be closed in the wake of the arrest three days earlier of chef and owner Jacob Bickelhaupt on charges of domestic battery.)

My point is we’ve become a food mecca, so get out of your comfort (food) zone and try new things.

You don’t have to dive into the deep end by downing barley risotto with enoki mushrooms and black truffle shavings. You can dip your toes by trying food from other countries, such as Peruvian, or French, or Middle Eastern, or Ethiopian. Just ask a friend, or your waiter, or follow Diana here at The Post.

We’re excited for you and your taste buds and we’ll continue to be all in on food here at The Post.

Because, as the Michelin Guide finally figured out, it’s worth it to eat out in Palm Beach County.

John Bisognano is the Executive Editor of the Palm Beach Post. If you have a question or a concern, reach out to him at [email protected]. You also can find him on X, formerly Twitter, @jbisognano. Feel free to send a news tip to [email protected]. If you’d like to support local journalism, subscribe by going to subscribe.palmbeachpost.com.