The historic French haute cuisine guide Gault&Millau announces its entry into our country: gradual debut from 2027, one hundred Italian inspectors and headquarters in Piedmont.
A new international guide for Italian restaurants
After fifty years of history and an established presence in twenty countries around the world, Gault&Millau officially announces the debut of its first Italian Guide, expected in January 2027. This is a highly anticipated entry into the national gastronomic scene, which will also bring to our country the famous rating system based on Toques, among the most coveted awards for chefs internationally (as well as Michelin stars).
A phased debut, region by region
The Gault&Millau Italy project was born with a progressive and structured approach: complete coverage of the national territory will take four years, with the goal of arriving by 2031 at a capillary guide on all Italian restaurants.
The first edition 2027 will include:
- Valle d’Aosta
- Piedmont
- Liguria
- Lombardy
- Trentino-Alto Adige
New regions will be added each year, following in-depth and independent mapping work.
Piedmont headquarters and collaboration with the region
The legal and operational headquarters of Gault&Millau Italy will be in Piedmont, thanks to a collaboration with the region. A choice that reinforces the territory’s role as one of the most important international food and wine hubs.
The President of the Piedmont Region Alberto Cirio emphasized that the arrival of the guide represents a further step in the strategy of international enhancement of Piedmontese and Italian cuisine.
One hundred Italian inspectors, strictly anonymous
About 100 inspectors, all Italian, will be engaged throughout the country. Journalists and food enthusiasts – and non-food professionals – will operate under the guide’s strict international guidelines:
- total anonymity
- stringent code of ethics
- compulsory proof of purchase
- independent and paid evaluations
The training will take place at the Gault&Millau Academy Center, hosted at the Réva Resort in Monforte d’Alba.
Evaluation system: from scores to Toques
The restaurants will be scored from 10 to 20, which corresponds to 1 to 5 Toques. The scorecards will consider:
- cooking and ingredients
- technique and creativity
- room service
- environment and atmosphere
- value for money
- beverage proposal
There are also special awards such as Chef of the Year, Young Talent, Best Sommelier and Pop of the Year.
Not only fine dining: the POP category also arrives.
Alongside gourmet restaurants, the Gault&Millau Italy Guide will also include a POP category, dedicated to more casual but quality dining. POPs will not receive Toques or scores, but will still be reviewed and recommended.
Printed and digital guide, in dual languages
The guide will be published:
- in paper Limited Edition
- online at the official website of Gault&Millau Italy
- With reviews in Italian and English, freely available
A format designed to strengthen the international scope of Italian catering.
