Michelin inspectors have awarded Hiroshima the city's first three-star restaurant in the inaugural issue for the region, which now expands the brand's coverage of Japan’s culinary landscape from three guides to four. Nakashima restaurant, which serves traditional Japanese dishes using seasonal ingredients, puts the overall tally of triple Michelin-star restaurants in Japan at 37, giving the country another leading edge over its closest rival France, which holds 27 three-star restaurants.

The foodies gathered behind a velvet rope at this Chicago bistro may have been francophiles, but the servers still had trouble tempting them into eating frog's legs and snails. Chef Keisuke Matsushima of Nice -- the star of the gastronomical event -- was undaunted by the American palate. Those were canapes, after all, and the diners didn't need to eat them. His goal was to expose them to a fundamental piece of French cuisine and cultural heritage before introducing them to his renowned Mediterranean and Japanese fusion.

Atelier Amaro, an eatery in the heart of Warsaw, on Thursday became the first in Poland to earn a Michelin star for culinary excellence. "It's the first time ever a restaurant in Warsaw has received its first star. Atelier Amaro uses local produce to create innovative cuisine and original combinations which won over inspectors," Michelin said in a statement. "We're overjoyed, euphoric," said Agnieszka Amaro, the woman and self-proclaimed brain behind the intimate, 32-seat restaurant created with her husband and chef Wojciech Amaro.