Are Texas Schools Using AI to Ban Books? Plus, Driverless Cars in Austin and New Michelin Stars

So two lucky Austin restaurants earned a coveted Michelin star in this year's Texas guide, bringing the city's total to a whopping seven Michelin-starred restaurants.

It's a big win for Austin's dining scene, and creative producer Alyssa Cassels is here to break it all down for y'all.

I mean, this is a, this is a different type of thing.

I didn't, don't know if everybody even knows what a Michelin star is.

So can you tell us what restaurants got it this year and what a Michelin star actually is?

Yeah, for sure.

Okay, so to explain the Michelin Guide, um, Michelin is this old French company, um, that's been doing these guides for, like, well over a century now.

Um, and it is divided up into three stars, two stars, one star, Bib Gourmand, um, and Michelin recommended, and then they also have things like Green Star.

Um, and essentially, it's like they train these tasters to go to these restaurants and-

Mm

... rate these places based off of quality, technique, flavors, chef personalities, and consistency.

And then they have this whole, y- you know-

Criteria or something like

... mathematical equation.

Yeah.

To, like, put it all together and rate these restaurants.

So, um, five Austin restaurants held onto their stars from previous-

Okay

... years.

Those were Leroy and Lewis, it's a barbecue place, Interstellar Barbecue, Hestia, Craft Omakase, and Barley Swine.

Um, and then two restaurants got their first stars, and that was Fabrique, which is, like, a vegan restaurant-

Mm.

.. here in Austin, and Kapo Kapo, which is a Japanese restaurant located inside the Proper Hotel.

Um, so it's really interesting, too, because Austin has actually never received more than one star.

Ooh.