Tatsu won Dallas’ only Michelin star. Watch owners react: nervous, surprised, elated

North Texas diners are already grousing about the Michelin Texas Guide announced Nov. 11, 2024. Austin and Houston won significantly bigger and a higher volume of awards than Dallas did.

But take a look at these 15 photos, one by one, from the owners of Dallas’ only 1-star Michelin-winning restaurant, and you might just change your mind. For this one family, at this one special restaurant, history was made in Dallas last night:

Chef Tatsuya “Tatsu” Sekiguchi and his wife Hiroko Sekiguchi relocated from New York City to Dallas during the COVID-19 pandemic. They had an inkling that Michelin might move into Texas, but it wasn’t a sure bet. They just wanted to serve their food, in their place — and Dallas was where they could do that, thanks to then-Dallasite Matthew Ciccone, who convinced them to move to Texas.

They opened 10-seat Tatsu in 2022. It was one of Dallas’ smallest restaurants and easily one of its best.

So when Michelin announced it would publish its first Guide in Texas in 2024, we called Tatsu. We expected him to say the opportunity was a dream come true — a lifetime of waiting, finally served. Nope.

“It’s not about aiming for a star,” the chef said.

“Whether we receive a star or not, we must continue to grow,” he told The Dallas Morning News in July 2024.

His humility was refreshing.

So when Michelin called Tatsu’s name at the awards ceremony on Nov. 11, 2024, Hiroko leapt up, hugging her husband. He went up on stage, took off his cowboy hat, and put on the Michein jacket — a signature move at the ceremony. Then back on went the hat, as Hiroko cried.

“We were scared,” Tatsu said after the Michelin ceremony. He expressed deep appreciation for the honor.

Tatsu is a fourth-generation sushi chef, but he’s the first in his family — and first in his hometown of Hasuda, Japan — to receive a Michelin star.

“I want to be a role model to young chefs,” he told The News.

“And I want more people to come to Dallas.”

Tatsu Dallas is at 3309 Elm St., Dallas. As Michelin notes, it was already hard to get a reservation. After the 1-star award? Good luck.

This story is part of The Dallas Morning News’ coverage of the Michelin Guide Texas. Read more about the restaurant picks in Dallas-Fort Worth and across Texas.

For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on X at @sblaskovich.