Cuprins
On June 19, the winners of the annual competition were solemnly announced at the Euskalduna Palace in the Spanish city of Bilbao The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018.
The awards ceremony brought together world stars of the restaurant business. More than 100 establishments and chefs from 23 countries from six continents competed for the title of the best. And as the members of the jury admit, it was not easy to choose. But everything was fair!
The best restaurants were chosen by a vote in which over 1000 international restaurant experts and seasoned gourmets from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy took part.
New leader of the rating – Modena Osteria Francescana
The main award of the competition was taken by Massimo Bottura – chef of a gourmet restaurant Osteria Francescana from the city of Modena, Italy.
The institution already took first place in 2016, and has now regained its leadership. Prior to that, Osteria already had three Michelin stars and the title of the best restaurant in Italy, so the new award only confirmed the highest skill of the local chefs. The secret of Osteria Francescana’s success lies in Bottura’s ongoing commitment to developing the unique features of his restaurant. This modest Modena restaurant serves traditional Italian cuisine using the finest ingredients from the Emilia-Romagna region.
Osteria Francescana is called the pearl of Italian gastronomy. Although his story may not have begun. In the early days of its operation, the restaurant was on the verge of closing: conservative locals did not recognize Bottura’s bold approach to cooking. But the talented chef survived and won.
All dishes on the restaurant’s menu seem to tell unusual stories. Massimo plays with tradition and experiments with ingredients. Combines the famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and products for the Adriatic soup: sea clams, blue lobster, truffle. On the plate, the dish looks like an old pirate ship. By the way, in Osteria Francescana there was only room for 12 tables, and all seats are scheduled and booked for many months in advance.
Restaurants entered the top ten:
1. Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy
2. El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain
3. Mirazur in Menton, France
4. Eleven Madison Park in New York, USA. In 2017 he was ranked first.
5. Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand
6. Central in Lima, Peru
7. Maido in Lima Peru
8. Arpège in Paris, France
9. Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain
10. Asador Etxebarri in Akspe, Spain
Interesting facts about this year’s competition:
• The 2018 ranking includes nine new restaurants: six have made their debut, and three have already been on this list before.
• A restaurant Den from Tokyo (Japan), climbed 28 points to 17th in the rankings, for which he received the Highest Climber Award.
• A restaurant se bucura from Barcelona (Spain) debuted at number 18 on the list and won the Highest New Entry award.
• Dan Barber, restaurant chef Blue hill at stone barns in Pocantico Hills (USA), colleagues awarded the Chefs’ Choice Award – the choice of chefs.
• A restaurant Geranium from Copenhagen (Denmark) won the Art of Hospitality Award – for the art of hospitality.
• A restaurant azurmendi received the Sustainable Restaurant Award for Consistency.
• Chef Cédric Grolet was named a French sensation and the best pastry chef in the world.
• The best female chef was recognized by the restaurant chef Nucleu from London Claire Smith (Clare Smyth).
And the remaining contestants are also some of the best, take a look at the list just in case, maybe on your trip you will just pass one of these famous establishments:
11 Quintonil in Mexico City, Mexico
12 Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, USA
13 Pujol in Mexico City, Mexico
14 Steirereck in Vienna, Austria
15 White Rabbit in Moscow, Russia
16 Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy
17 den in Tokyo, Japan
18 Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain
19 Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark
20 Attica in Melbourne, Australia
21 Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée in Paris, France
22 Narisawa in Tokyo, Japan
23 Le Calandre in Rubano, Italy
24 Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet in Shanghai, China
25 Cosme in New York, USA
26 Le Bernardin in New York, USA
27 Boragó in Santiago, Chile
28 Odette in Singapore
29 Alléno Paris at the Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris, France
30 DOM in São Paulo, Brazil
31 Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain
32 Tickets in Barcelona, Spain
33 The Clove Club in London, UK
34 Alinea in Chicago, USA
35 Maaemo in Osla, Norway
36 Reale in Castel Di Sangro, Italy
37 Restaurant by Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany
38 Lyle’s in London, UK
39 Astrid and Gastón in Lima, Peru
40 Septime in Paris, France
41 Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo, Japan
42 The Ledbury in London, UK
43 Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, Spain
44 Mikla in Istanbul,
45 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, UK
46 Saison in San Francisco, USA
47 Schauenstein Castle in Fürstenau, Switzerland
48 House Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia
49 Taken in Bangkok, Thailand
50 The Test Kitchen in Cape Town, South Africa
If you’ve been to these restaurants before, share your impressions with us.
Enjoy your travels and new gourmet experiences!
Photo from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants page.