We’re raising our glass to all the Texas restaurants recognized by the Michelin Guide this week. Here’s to the hard work and dedication of those who won, and to an even better run of awards next year.

Michelin recognized 15 Texas restaurants with a 1-star distinction, 44 with the Bib Gourmand award for good food at a good price, and another 57 with Recommended status, our colleagues reported.

From steak — chicken fried or otherwise — to brisket, smoked sausage and Tex-Mex, the Lone Start State has been home to fantastic food since long before Michelin arrived. All the same, it’s exciting to see our local cuisine recognized on an international stage.

There were no 2- or 3-star winners in the state, and Deep Ellum’s Tatsu is the sole 1-star winner for Dallas, but we’re not discouraged. After all, this is our state’s first year as part of the guide. The longer Michelin is in Texas, the more restaurateurs will do their best to wow the meticulous food critics. Texas’ food scene will keep improving, and our fantastic food writers will be here to tell you all about it.

We’re glad Michelin didn’t ignore Texas’ barbecue scene in favor of more traditional white-tablecloth establishments. Four out of the 15 stars awarded this year went to barbecue joints, our colleagues reported. Sadly, Mexican and Tex-Mex had a smaller showing in North Texas, with only two of the 28 restaurants recognized serving these quintessential cuisines. We hope more of them will appear on Michelin’s lists next year.

There have been a couple of little hiccups along the way. Two similarly named Dallas restaurants owned by the same parent company, The Charles and Mister Charles, got mixed up for a Recommended rating. And in a second incident, Michelin removed Kâu Ba, a Viet-Cajun restaurant in Houston, from the guide after discovering that it had temporarily closed ahead of the award ceremony.

But the good far, far outweighs the bad. There’s even a chance for economic gain with Michelin’s arrival. After the guide arrived in Atlanta, many restaurants that were recognized saw a jump in sales, our colleague reported. Even after the hype died down, some restaurants continued to outperform their pre-Michelin baselines. And to a smaller extent, Atlanta’s entire food scene saw a boost in sales. We’re hoping the Michelin Guide has the same effect for Dallas-Fort Worth.

All this is happening at a good time. Food culture is front-and-center for many Americans, and it feels as though there’s a self-proclaimed “foodie” around every corner. Look no further than the titanic success of FX’s The Bear to see what we’re talking about.

So here’s to the great round of Michelin awards, and a fantastic future for Texan food.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com