[Photo/China Daily]

He expressed hope that local foodies could use the Michelin stars to explore the dynamics of Shanghai as well as China, seeing as to how the guide was released in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, earlier this year.

But the guide is not merely expanding geographically in China. In May, the tire company announced a strategic and long-term partnership with Chinese e-commerce giant Tmall which would attempt to "leverage the power of online retailing to explore possibilities of localizing global delicacies".

As part of this partnership, three Michelin-starred chefs in Shanghai have been commissioned to create nine recipes using imported foods sold on Tmall such as New Zealand salmon and Australian wagyu beef. Supported by instructional cooking videos, the recipes have been specially designed for the country's young and tech-savvy households who value home cooking as a healthier, instead of cheaper, alternative to eating out or ordering in.