Stellar Plates: The Polish Tourism Organisation has been operating for 26 years now and has celebrated its 25th anniversary. How does it feel that such a spectacular moment for Polish gastronomy has taken place precisely under your leadership? Because this needs to be said directly. Poland had been waiting for this moment, for the first national Michelin Guide selection to appear.
Magdalena Krucz: I am filled with pride because this year the entire country is being covered by the Michelin selection and an even greater number of restaurants will be included in this guide, of course with different titles and distinctions. We have already become somewhat accustomed to the presence of the Michelin Guide in Poland, because for several years it has been present in selected cities and regions. We started with a few places and regions, until we reached this national selection. So we already have some experience with the presence of the guide and the effects of its presence in our country. However, the fact that today this is a national selection is absolutely a reason for pride.
S.P.: For clarification, let us add that until now the guide covered the main cities and regions, including Warsaw, Kraków, Pomerania and Małopolska.
M.K.: Yes, these were regions together with cities, because this was the formula in which the Michelin selection in Poland had functioned so far.
S.P.: On our continent, for years Western Europe dominated the Michelin world. It was there that the largest number of restaurants distinguished by the guide were located. Today Poland is becoming one of the first countries in our region with a national Michelin selection. Do you feel that we have just entered the European gastronomic premier league?
M.K.: Definitely, yes. Western Europe has been in the Michelin Guide for many years, but the history there looks completely different. All this coincides with the huge fashion for Poland and the fantastic image we currently have in Europe and beyond. Joining the guide in the form of a national selection raises our prestige even further and adds more stars to our image. It is simply confirmation that Poland is worth visiting, that you can eat very well here and that this is confirmed by such a renowned guide as Michelin.
S.P.: We see it too. When we publish in English, many tourists from abroad write to us privately asking where it is worth going and what we recommend. It is clear that the Michelin Guide is of enormous importance to people planning culinary journeys around the world. It is basically the only guide in the world that can really make a tourist come to a new country just to visit a restaurant. After all, that is the definition of three Michelin stars, that it is worth travelling halfway around the world for that restaurant.
M.K.: And I think it is not only about the stars themselves. Recommendations and Bib Gourmand are also very important. There is a huge group of foodies, mainly European, who travel precisely for restaurants in order to test them.
S.P.: That is true. Even restaurants without a star, but present in the guide, represent a certain level and give guests confidence in high quality.
M.K.: Exactly. Recommended restaurants also have enormous importance. We often speak in shorthand about stars, but in reality most places in the guide are recommended restaurants and Bib Gourmand. However, they are still places marked by Michelin, meaning worth visiting.
S.P.: So tourists from abroad can be sure that they will not fall below a certain level. If someone does not know the local gastronomic market, they simply look at what Michelin recommends.
M.K.: And they can be sure they will not be disappointed…
S.P.: When did the idea of creating a national Michelin selection for the whole of Poland first appear?
M.K.: In fact, we had been thinking about it from the very beginning of our cooperation with Michelin. If I remember correctly, it was an agreement from 2022. Michelin had its rules. First, audits were carried out of a given place, region or city. At the beginning, we could therefore only afford a few regions. Over time, we gained the guide’s trust and showed that in these regions there were more and more restaurants deserving of a place in the Michelin Guide. So naturally, together, we reached the moment when there was no longer any sense in adding further regions, but instead the whole country had to be covered by the selection.
S.P.: Did Michelin itself notice the development of Polish gastronomy, or did the initiative for the national selection come from the POT?
M.K.: It was a joint initiative and a natural course of events. I do not know the opinion of the Michelin inspectors, because no one knows it. However, the number of restaurants grew year by year and there was even informal competition between regions. How many restaurants Lower Silesia has, how many Pomerania has, what the year-on-year growth looks like. All this shows that Michelin saw potential in Poland and in our restaurants. It certainly also sees that today we are very strong in terms of the culinary product.
S.P.: Last year, during the gala, chefs had very big appetites for new stars. This year these expectations are even greater.
M.K.: I am curious to see how these appetites will be satisfied. However, I think recommendations and Bib Gourmand will still prevail.
S.P.: As in every country where the Michelin Guide is present.
M.K.: Exactly. If we compare ourselves with Western Europe, where Michelin’s history is much longer and looked completely different, we are only just building our position. But calmly, step by step, we will reach that level. Restaurants of course want to win stars, but everything takes time.
S.P.: How long did the talks with Michelin regarding the national selection last? Were there moments when it seemed that it might not succeed?
M.K.: No, there was no such moment. Talks about the national selection had been taking place from the beginning of our cooperation with Michelin. Regions and cities had to meet certain conditions. More than one hundred restaurants from these regions have already entered the guide and that was the moment when there was no sense in expanding the selection to further regions. The natural step was to cover the whole country with it. We had no problems convincing Michelin to adopt this solution.
S.P.: What, in your opinion, is the greatest strength of Polish cuisine today in the eyes of a foreign tourist?
M.K.: Authenticity and experience. Today, a foreign tourist, but also a Polish guest, no longer expects merely a meal as an element of a travel programme. They want to experience, taste and try local cuisine based on regional and healthy products. Polish gastronomy meets these expectations perfectly. We have research showing that, for foreign tourists, trying local cuisine is already the third most important reason for coming to Poland. More than 60 percent of visitors perceive Poland as a destination with very good gastronomy. Representatives of Generation Z and millennials care the most about such experiences. They want to leave restaurants deeply impressed and with exceptional memories.
S.P.: Which elements of Polish gastronomy might have surprised foreign Michelin inspectors the most?
M.K.: I think, above all, the quality of the products. We have fantastic local products from local suppliers. Restaurants that compete for distinctions very often use precisely such organic, high-quality products. In addition, there is the excellent quality of service. Poland is perceived as a country offering a very high level of services. And then there is the atmosphere of the places. Of course, inspectors assess various aspects, but I think the overall impression also has a significant impact on their evaluation. Poland is perceived as a hospitable, attractive, safe and clean country, and all this affects the perception of gastronomy.
S.P.: The POT press release mentions the topic of premium tourism. How much economic potential do you see in culinary tourism?
M.K.: I would very much like Poland to be perceived as a premium destination. We have plenty of places that can be treated this way, but we still have something to improve here. This is primarily about the organisers of such trips, because premium tourism means comprehensive service from the moment of planning the journey until returning home. Restaurants included in the Michelin Guide are part of such an offer. Culinary tourism has enormous economic potential and I think we are moving in a very good direction, and the excellent tourism results for last year are also thanks to our restaurateurs.
S.P.: Speaking with chefs, we hear that after receiving a distinction the number of guests increases significantly.
M.K.: Already in the first weeks after the results were announced, we observed increases reaching around 30 percent. There are also studies showing that foodies, meaning people who travel for Michelin restaurants, stay in the city one day longer. So everyone benefits from this.
S.P.: Eastern Poland has an extremely rich culinary history. Do you think this region has a real chance of Michelin stars already in the first national selection?
M.K.: It is difficult to say, because the final decisions belong to the inspectors. However, I definitely believe that the local character and culinary traditions of Eastern Poland deserve distinction. It would also be an opportunity to change the perception of these regions, because there is often a mistaken belief that they are less safe or less attractive. That is absolutely not true. These are very safe regions, extremely rich culturally and culinarily. I wish them as many restaurants as possible in the guide.
S.P.: Will Poland ever have a restaurant with three Michelin stars?
M.K.: Yes, definitely yes. I think we are on the right path. We already have a restaurant with two Michelin stars, so Mr Przemysław Klima is probably hoping for another star. This is a huge challenge. Winning a star itself, keeping it until the next selection and trying to move to a higher level require enormous work. Restaurateurs are perfectly aware of this and work for it throughout the year. I definitely believe that we are capable of having a restaurant with three Michelin stars.
S.P.: Can the national Michelin selection also help small towns and smaller regions, and not only the largest agglomerations?
M.K.: Definitely yes. This can already be seen in restaurants located off the main routes. One can look, for example, at places in the Pomeranian or Małopolska regions. There, one really cannot complain about a lack of guests. These are not only visits to a restaurant. They also mean overnight stays, sightseeing in the area and using local attractions. All this makes a given place gain a great deal.
S.P.: This is also crucial from an economic point of view for Poland, so that a foreign guest stays with us even one day longer.
M.K.: We care about foreign tourists staying in Poland even one day longer. Poles usually travel for five or seven days, whereas in the case of foreign tourists, every additional day is of enormous importance.
S.P.: Is the POT planning further investments in promoting Poland as a gastronomic destination?
M.K.: Regional culinary routes have been functioning in Poland for many years now. They encourage tourists to discover regional cuisine based on traditional recipes. They include restaurants which, according to what I have heard, may also be included in the Michelin Guide. Today, practically all our promotional activities contain elements related to gastronomy. In the past, a meal was only an addition to the travel programme. Today, culinary tourism has ceased to be a niche. It is present in most of our campaigns, study trips for foreign tour operators or influencers. Even when promoting cultural events, we always also show Polish cuisine. All this overlaps very strongly.
S.P.: What is the one thing you would like the world to learn about Polish gastronomy?
M.K.: I would like to break the stereotype that still exists somewhere, that Polish cuisine is only fatty dishes, traditional pierogi and bigos. Meanwhile, these same traditions can today be shown and presented in a very modern, attractive way, while still being based on old culinary roots. Polish cuisine really has a great deal to offer.
S.P.: And the final question, a more personal one. Could you name two or three places in Poland where you simply like to go for lunch? What cuisine do you like the most?
M.K.: I like many different cuisines. Of course I like Polish cuisine, but precisely in a modern version, less traditional, more fusion. I also like Asian and Georgian cuisine very much. I have my favourite places, but I will not reveal the names of the restaurants.
S.P.: Thank you very much for the conversation.
M.K.: Thank you very much.