When a Michelin-Recognized Restaurant Will Open in Almaty, Akimat Says

Almaty authorities expect the city’s first Michelin-recognized restaurant to open before the end of this year, Orda.kz reports.

The Almaty akimat is working to bring a restaurant recognized by the Michelin Guide to the city, Olzhas Smagulov said.

We are working with restaurants that have received recognition from Michelin. This year, we expect the opening of the first restaurant. Negotiations are now underway, and we expect them to be completed within a few months. Smagulov said. 

He did not name the specific restaurant or its investors, citing commercial confidentiality, but said that information would be disclosed later.

Smagulov also said the city authorities are working to attract new foreign players in the convenience store and retail market segments.

I cannot say that the Japanese convenience store chain 7-Eleven will come to Almaty in the near future. This is not something that can be done in a single day. But we do expect to see new players in the near future. Work is ongoing. All of these areas are a priority for us, from retail markets to stores of various formats.he said. 

In 2024, the South Korean convenience store chain CU entered the Kazakhstan market. Its franchisee was Shin-Line, a company owned by Andrei and Natalia Shin that had previously specialized in ice cream production. By 2029, the partners plan to open 500 stores across the country.

More broadly, Smagulov said the Almaty akimat is working on the creation of a gastronomic cluster in the city. The project includes a themed quarter near the Green Bazaar, the opening of a branch of the French culinary school Ecole Ducasse, and the improvement of several streets in different parts of the city.

Original author: Alexey Afonsky

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