Massimo Bottura, chef of acclaimed Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana reclaimed the no 1 spot in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list 2018 when it was announced in Bilbao. El Celler de Can Roca, the restaurant of the Roca brothers placed second while Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in Menton clinched third place. Eleven Madison Park, the restaurant which clinched top spot in 2017 placed fourth. After winning the award, Massimo Bottura said his first thoughts were with his teams in Modena and Florence but also Refettorio, the soup kitchen in Paris who sent him a photo saying they were all routing for him. “We built this together,” he told the audience. “I am not going to disappoint you. I will use this spotlight to show that chefs in 2018 are much more than the sum of their recipes. We can have a loud voice for change,” said the Italian chef. His wife Lara Gilmore said that it was an honour to win the award adding that all those present were winners because this was one of the … Continue reading
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Eneko Atxa opens Eneko in Bilbao
Eneko Atxa, chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant Azurmendi and Eneko, both in Larrabetzu in the Basque countryside has opened a new restaurant in the city of Bilbao. The Spanish chef from the Basque region also has restaurants in London and Tokyo. The Basque chef has opened the restaurant in the Euskalduna Palance on May 24 with the aim of serving traditional Basque dishes and showcasing the land, the culture, the traditions, the Basque producers and their work. This approach has already been recognised in the restaurant Eneko in Larrabetzu but he now takes the concept to Bilbao in the centre of this dynamic Basque city. The restaurant next to Azurmendi clinched a Michelin star late last year. Eneko Bilbao is based on traditional Biscayan cuisine, ancient recipes presented in an elegant and direct manner with all the intensity of Eneko's cooking style. The concept of Eneko Bilbao is based on Eneko's desire to recover and update recipes that are part of his personal culinary … Continue reading
Q&A with Karen Torosyan: ‘You need to eliminate the excess’
In the second part of our interview with Karen Torosyan, chef of Bozar Restaurant in Brussels we get to know more about the chef who earlier this year bought the restaurant from David Martin of La Paix. The chef of Armenian origin arrived in Brussels when he was 18 years old and has established himself today as one of the most artisanal chefs in the country if not Europe. He is known for his pate en croute which made him famous not just in Belgium but also outside the country particularly when he won the pate en croute championship in 2015. But it was the evening that Michelin awarded Bozar Brasserie with a Michelin star that marked his career. On that day, Karen knew that he would be the master of his own destiny. Your best ever meal? I would say there are three. One was at Hof Van Cleve in 2013. The other was at Astrance both for the philosophy behind the cooking and also the service. It was unforgettable. Pascal Barbot is on another planet. The last was at La Paix the … Continue reading
8 restaurants drop out of World’s 50 Best list including classics as 13 new restaurants get into 51-100 position
At least eight restaurants have dropped out of the World's 50 Best list according to a preliminary list of restaurants from 51-100 of restaurants published by The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. These include classic restaurants who have graced the list for many years like Amber in Hong Kong, De Librije in the Netherlands, Vendome in Germany and Hof van Cleve in Belgium. Other restaurants that have dropped places in the list include the Copenhagen restaurant Relae, Paris restaurant L'Astrance, Australian restaurant Brae and Argentinian restaurant Tegui. Among the newcomers to the list is the new restaurant by Albert Adria Enigma, the restaurant of Kristian Baumann and René Redzepi 108 in Copenhagen, Atelier in Munich, Alo in Toronto, Leo in Bogota, L'Effervescence in Tokyo, SingleThread in Healdsburg, Nobelhjart & Schmutzig in Berlin, Le Coucou in New York, A casa do Porco in Sao Paulo, Elkano in Getaria, Don Julio in Buenos Aires and Suhring in Bangkok. Two Belgian … Continue reading
Massimo Bottura brings together 24 chefs for Al Méni in Rimini on 23 and 24 June
It is sometimes called the G8 of international cuisine. On 23 and 24 June, close to the sea in Rimini, Massimo Bottura, chef of Osteria Francescana, will organise the fifth edition of 'Al Méni' an open air food festival where 12 chefs from Emilia Romagna and 12 up and coming international chefs join forces to serve top cuisine at 'street food' prices. Among others, there will be top Polish chef Adrian Klonowski, the Indian rising star Garima Arora or Tekuna Gachechiladze, the star of Georgian popular cuisine. 'Al Méni' is dialect in the region for hands and comes from the title of a poem by Tonino Guerra. Bottura came up with the idea for the festival 5 years ago. It is held under a circus tent inspired by the great Italian film director Federico Fellini in the square that is named after Fellini. It is aimed to be a celebration of the cuisine and produce of the region. The commune of Rimini turned the idea into an event. The chefs that are taking part come from all corners of … Continue reading
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No brunch, no well done steak and no fish on Monday: RIP Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain, a cook, a writer, a traveller, a TV personality and producer, a foodie at a time when food was barely on the radar screen and one of the main instigators of today’s culinary travels is no more. He sadly took his life away in what is an apparent suicide. It’s hard to think that someone you have never met could impact you so much but that was the case with Anthony. His two seminal books Kitchen Confidential and A Cook’s Tour where what triggered an interest in me for food, food books and food writing. He was a cook when he wrote 'Don’t Eat before reading this', a seminal piece in the New Yorker which was the prelude for his … Continue reading
Ana Ros, Emmanuel Renaut, Peter Goossens and Arnaud Lallement to cook at Bon Bon
Christophe Hardiquest, chef of two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Bon Bon has announced the line up that will complete his Bon Bon Origins collaborative dinner series this year. Ana Ros, Emmanuel Renaut, Peter Goossens and Arnaud Lallement will cook together with Christophe in separate events that take place from July to October. Christophe Hardiquest, chef of the two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Bon Bon launched Bon Bon Origins out of the desire to rediscover traditional Belgian recipes that have stood the test of time but deconstructing them and bringing them to life again in a contemporary way, he will be organising … Continue reading
Taking the doughnut to the next level: Niko Romito opens Bomba in Milan together with Autogrill
If Niko Romito has his way, he will revolutionise street food in Italy by turning the 'humble doughnut' or bomba as it is known in Italy into a protagonist of Italian street food. The chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant Reale in Castel di Sangro has opened a new 'fast food' concept in Milan together with Autogrill on 7 June. Called "Bomba" this is the first in a series of outlets that are set to open not just in Italy but also internationally. The 'bomba' is a doughnut that is being served in both a savoury and a sweet format at Bomba. Niko Romito has gone back to his father's roots. It was his father who made the 'bomba' at the pastry … Continue reading
Karen Torosyan: “To evolve you need to compete with yourself not with others”
The evening that Michelin awarded Bozar Brasserie with a Michelin star was the day that Karen Torosyan knew that he would become the master of his own destiny. His fate changed that day, he knew he was about to make the investment of a life time. It was not the star that changed everything but rather the realisation that now was the moment to turn his dream of owning a restaurant into reality. Since he started cooking in Georgia at the age of 13, he always dreamt that he would one day own his own restaurant. “The moment we clinched a Michelin star it became clear in my head that I needed to become independent. This would be the final step … Continue reading
New restaurant and noodle bar by the Bun team in Antwerp
Huibrecht Berends and Hoa Truong, the duo behind Bun Vietnamese Street Food, the popular food bar in Antwerp have announced new plans to expand their business and bring more authentic Vietnamese food to the Flemish city of Antwerp. Their current Bun Vietnamese Street Food restaurant which is on Sint Jorispoort will be turned into a Vietnamese noodle shop from 12 June 2018. Hoa Truong and Huibrecht Berends have announced that they will also be opening a new bar and restaurant in summer on Volkstraat in Antwerp. Hoa and Huibrecht told Food and Wine Gazette that the Bun Bar and Restaurant in Volkstraat will open in August and will have 35 … Continue reading
Noma to open bookings for Game and Forest season on June 6
Bookings for the Game and Forest season which starts on 2 October and runs till 22 December at noma will open tomorrow June 6 at 4pm (Central European Time). This is the only period of the year when René Redzepi will be serving meat at noma. Since the restaurant reopened in a new location in February, the restaurant has been working with three fixed seasons. The first focused on seafood and the vegetable season will follow when the restaurant reopens after a short break later this month. Redzepi said that meat will be playing a key role during this season and they will serve anything that they can get their hands on from a teal to … Continue reading
Great lineup of chefs for this year’s Flavour Fair in Vilvorde on 10 June
The third edition of the Flavour Fair organised by Big Green Egg Belgium and Luxembourg will be held at Kruitfabriek in Vilvorde on the outskirts of Brussels on Sunday 10 June, 2018. The Flavour fair offers an interesting list of chefs who will use their culinary talents to cook on the Big Green Egg. Among the chefs taking part are San Degeimbre of L'Air du Temps, Bart de Pooter of Pastorale, David Martin (La Paix and Ateliers de la Mer), patissier Joost Arijs, North Sea Chefs Broes Tavernier, Piet de Vos of Arto, Nicolas Decloedt of Humus Botanical GastronomyBruno Timperman of Bruut, Karen Torosyan of Bozar RestaurantJohan Yon and … Continue reading
Carbonara king Luciano Monosilio quits Roman restaurant Pipero
Luciano Monosilio, known for his legendary spaghetti carbonara which is considered to be one of the best if not the best in Rome announced on Facebook today that he has quit Pipero, a restaurant he has been chef of for the past eight years. The chef from Albano said these past eight years had been intense starting at Rex than moving to the new restaurant at Chiesa Nuova. "I have grown professionally and also personally but the cuisine at Pipero was becoming smaller and smaller for me. Many have asked me over the past years whether I felt the need to be independent as happened with many of my colleagues. I don't hide the fact that I had … Continue reading
SingleThread in California is restaurant to watch in World’s 50 Best
SingleThread farm restaurant in Sonoma County, California, a farm restaurant has been named this year’s Miele One To Watch by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Founded in December 2016, SingleThread is a partnership between husband-and-wife team Kyle and Katina Connaughton, comprising a restaurant, inn and farm built on the ethos of Japanese omotenashi — the spirit of selfless hospitality— bringing an infusion of Eastern philosophy and culture to the farm-to-table concept. SingleThread’s founders will be presented with this highly coveted award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in Bilbao on 19 June. The One To Watch Award celebrates … Continue reading
How Bozar chef Karen Torosyan became the ‘pie king’ of Belgium
To understand Karen Torosyan you need to understand his love affair with the pâté en croûte. In 2015, he became the World Champion of Pâté en Croûte and there has been no looking back since then. In many ways it has defined who he is but it also explains the philosophy of this talented chef who pushed Gault & Millau to create a category of Artisan of the Year to acknowledge his talents and skills. Today foodies who visit Brussels or Belgium on a food trip are known to head to Bozar Restaurant for a taste of his world famous ‘pâté en croûte’. He is the pie and pastry king par excellence. On a recent visit to Brussels, Andrea … Continue reading
René Mathieu wins restaurant philosophy award as Gault & Millau Culinary Innovators Awards 2018 are announced
René Mathieu, chef of Luxembourg restaurant La Distillerie has clinched the restaurant philosophy award at the Gault & Millau Culinary Innovators awards 2018 for Benelux that were announced on Monday evening at the beautiful premises of the Verbeke Foundation in Kemzeke. The chef is known for his use of nature in his cuisine and has recently launched a unique augmented reality book Vegetal. The focus of the awards was on sustainability, reasonable consumption and how we can all be more conscious about what we eat and how we handle food. Among the winners were Eatmosphere which emphasis the need to reduce food waste (Sustainability … Continue reading
Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens to open second L.E.S.S. in Ghent, a traditional Flemish bistro in Bruges
Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens, the co-owners of three Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan in Zedelgem, Bruges, Belgium have told Flemish newspaper Het Niewsblad they plan to open a second bistro L.E.S.S. in Ghent either next year or the following. At the beginning of this year they announced that they would be closing their 3 Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan on 22 December 2018. Originally, they had planned to sell the property when they announced that they would close the restaurant. They no longer have plans to sell the building. They told the newspaper that soon after the announcement a serious candidate emerged but a … Continue reading
14 top international sommeliers visit Douro Boys
14 top international sommeliers among whom Mattia Spedicato of Copenhagen 3 Michelin star restaurant Geranium and Melania Bellesini of the acclaimed The Fat Duck in the UK have visited the Douro Valley to visit the 'Douro Boys' which is composed of five wine estates, the Quinta do Crastro, Niepoort, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta do Vallado and Quinta do Vale Meao. Over the course of three days, the 14 sommeliers visited the five wineries. There, they were able to learn things that they had always known about the Douro Valley and experience wines that have always wanted to taste. They were given five detailed presentations addressing … Continue reading
Conversations around food: Voices at the Table in London
On Monday 25 June, Voices At The Table founders Miranda York and Anna Sulan Masing will continue their exploration into the conversations around food with the 7th event of the series. Drawing together voices from the realms of literature, theatre, history and food, speakers will read or perform pieces of writing that evoke a visual, sensory and emotive connection to food, sitting among the audience and joining them for a special three-course meal prepared by legendary chef Henry Harris at his Clerkenwell Pub & Dining Rooms, The Coach in London. If you happen to be in London that evening, consider getting the tickets fast because these … Continue reading
Bon Bon’s Christophe Hardiquest signs deal with RSC Anderlecht
Christophe Hardiquest, the chef of two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Bon Bon has signed a deal with the new chairman of one of Belgium's top football clubs RSC Anderlecht to cook at a flagship restaurant that the Brussels team will operate during the club's home matches. In a bid to boost the club's finances, Marc Coucke, the Anderlecht chairman is focusing a lot of his efforts on offering football supporters a culinary offering. Apart from signing Christophe Hardiquest, who has a 19.5/20 score in Gault & Mlllau and who will be cooking at the flagship restaurant, Anderlecht have announced that there will be various food outlets at … Continue reading
Second edition of alternative wine fair PURR to be held in Ghent on 2 and 3 June
Three youngsters from Ghent with a passion for natural wines are organising the second alternative wine fair in the old docks of the Belgian city of Ghent on June 2 and 3. PURR (with additional emphasis on the final 'r' as pronounced in the Ghentian dialect) was founded by Jason Zappa Janse, Stijn Demeulemeester and Tristan Lybaert. Starting off as a 'wine fair' it has evolved into an informative, socio-cultural and culinary concept, immersed in a relaxing atmosphere. The passion for natural wine of the founders has led them to create an event for what is commonly known as natural wine. The term “natural” was coined by winemakers who … Continue reading
Highlights
Dirk van der Niepoort is winegrower of the year
Dirk van der Niepoort, the Portuguese winemaker has been honoured as winegrower of the year at the Wine Awards gala presentation by German culinary magazine Der Feinschmecker. Over the past two decades, Dirk van der Niepoort has been the motivating force behind the quality revolution in the Douro. The region, which in the best cases, was producing grapes for Port wine has developed into a highly respected appellation for impressive red wines and mineral-driven white wines. Niepoort has played an extremely important role in the process. … Continue reading
Can you feed people for $1.25 without using processed foods? Former Noma head chef Dan Giusti thinks it is possible
Dan Giusti, the former head chef of Noma in Copenhagen is inviting 10 world class American chefs to Brigaid's hub in New London to compete in the first ever $1.25 throwdown. The chefs will be devising school lunches that fit within both the national school nutrition standards and the $1.25 budget. The event takes place on Saturday 2 June and the guest chefs will cook head to head serving school lunches to the public. The people attending the event will get to savour one of these school lunches and also to join Brigaid for the after party … Continue reading
Clamato: A must-have experience in Paris
A few years ago my wife was celebrating her birthday on a Sunday. Armed with a list of 10 restaurants I wanted to take her to, I discovered to my dismay that they were all closed on Sunday. This was Brussels but Paris, just one hour and 20 minutes away by train is no different. The reason for Sunday closure is understandable though frustrating for visitors who do not have a choice. Many restaurants want to give their staff a well deserved weekend break. Beggars cannot be choosers so finding yourself in certain cities on a Sunday or … Continue reading
World Restaurant Awards to be launched on 18 February 2019
Some of the world’s top chefs and food writers convened in Paris for a workshop that officially launched the World Restaurant Awards which will be held for the first time on 18 February 2019. The workshop was aimed to discuss the categories for the awards, the judging panel composition and the methodology and code of practice. Among the chefs that were present in Paris on Monday 14 May for the launch of the Awards (originally the first awards were planned to be announced on the day) and who will form part of the judging panel where … Continue reading
Applications open for Niko Romito year long cooking course
Niko Romito’s cooking school has opened the registrations for the next course which starts on 1 October 2018. The Professional Italian cuisine course of the Niko Romito academy is aimed to train future professionals in the restaurant world. It is aimed at those that have a diploma from a hotel school or those who are passionate and want to learn the principles and techniques of the Italian kitchen. The course lasts one year and is held at the Niko Romito academy, a cookery school that is annexed to Ristorante Reale and Casadonna, the … Continue reading
Young Maxime Maziers takes over Brussels institution Bruneau
Maxime Maziers, the 29-year-old chef of the one Michelin star Brussels restaurant L'Ecailler du Palais Royal has announced today that he will be taking over the legendary Brussels restaurant Bruneau. The young Belgian chef had been sous-chef at Restaurant Bruneau and worked under Jean-Pierre Bruneau for five years before moving on to clinch a star for L'Ecailler du Palais Royal. Maziers announced that he will become the chef-patron of Bruneau and will retain the name of the restaurant of previous chef who retired and closed the restaurant … Continue reading
Mélanie Englebin teams up with Philippe Limbourg to take Cécila on tour
Mélanie Englebin, chef of former Brussels restaurant Cécila which closed its doors in summer last year will be touring Belgium in what she is calling 'Cécila' on tour. The Brussels Gault & Millau young chef of the year 2017 has teamed up with Philippe Limbourg, former director of Gault & Millau to organise a series of events around Belgium. The first event will take place at Brussels gourmet supermarket ROB on Friday 1 June and Saturday 2 June at 8pm. Melanie Englebin will also be cooking in the Belgian province of Namur and … Continue reading
Alexandre Couillon is third guest of Christophe Hardiquest for Bon Bon Origins dinner
Alexandre Couillon, the French chef of two Michelin star restaurant La Marine in Noirmoutier will be the third chef to cook at the Bon Bon Origins collaborative dinner series. The dinner takes place on Tuesday 29 May at the restaurant in Brussels. Christophe Hardiquest, chef of the two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Bon Bon launched Bon Bon Origins out of the desire to rediscover traditional Belgian recipes that have stood the test of time but deconstructing them and bringing them to life again in a contemporary way, he will be organising … Continue reading
Moeder Lambic to open Pasta Madre in Brussels with top Bologna pizzaiolo Francesco Oppido
Francesco Oppido in Bologna, known for his contemporary pizza and his quality beers is set to open a new pizzeria in Bologna but Italian food magazine Gambero Rosso has announced that he is currently working on his first ever project outside Italy. The team at Moeder Lambic have recently signed a deal with the new owners of a hotel, A la Grande Cloche, that was built in 1840. The owner of the hotel will be completely restoring the hotel while the restaurant will be in the hands of Francesco Oppido, in partnership with Moeder Lambic. Pasta … Continue reading
The newspaper review that saved Belcanto – José Avillez
Things were looking bright for José Avillez six years ago. He had been through two life-changing experiences first as a trainee at Ferran Adria's legendary restaurant el Bulli and then clinching a Michelin star at the oldest and most prestigious Lisbon restaurant. The opening of Belcanto was the culmination of a journey that had seen him move from a business management degree to cooking. The restaurant was fully booked in the first few weeks for lunch and dinner. José's idea was to serve contemporary Portuguese cuisine, something that at the … Continue reading
A truffle kerfuffle in Provence
Foodies are always on the lookout for the uncommon and the creative. This does not always work out well. I once ate at a truffle-only restaurant in the Var in Southern France. The place was called Chez Bruno and was so pretentious you could only see waiters by appointment. When we turned up and announced we were ‘sans reservation’ the Gallic horror and hand wringing was pure comedy. Had Kim Jong Un sauntered over the border yesterday and told the S Korean president ‘I’m gonna nuke your nuts’, he would have taken it better than them. My wife, … Continue reading
First Belgian Whisky, rum and spirits festival to be held in Brussels in June
Belgium will finally have its whisky, rum and spirits festival. This will take place on the weekend of 1 June to 3 June at the Autoworld at the Cinquantenaire (Jubelpark) in Brussels. This unique festival is open to the general public. It will celebrate whiskey, rum and gin as well as cognac, armagnac, calvados, vodka, tequila, mescal as well as sake, pisco and cachaca as well as some associated products related to the theme such as cigars, chocolate as well as a selection fo Scottish kilts. This event is intended to increase the … Continue reading
The curious incident of the OAD European top 100+ list
When chefs gathered at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London for the launch of the Opinionated About Dining top 100+ European list, they were given a list of the top 100+ restaurants. As one would expect on such occasions, they took to social media to announce their positions and take photos of the list which they posted on their social media profiles. Little did they know that the list they had been given at the dinner was not the correct one. A quick look at the online list showed discrepancies from the 32nd place till the 62nd place. While … Continue reading
US chef Dave Chang launches podcast
Majordomo Media, co-founder by US chef Dave Chang has launched its first project featuring the outspoken Korean-American chef. The Dave Chang show is a new podcast that has just been released. The first five episodes feature the chef in conversation with Bill Simmons, founder of The Ringer, the producing partner of Majordomo Media about dining, anger management, living in Los Angeles and the difficulties of opening a new restaurant. Chang, who is mostly known for his award-winning Momofuku restaurant and group recently opened Majordomo, the … Continue reading
Nick Bril launches his first book
Nick Bril, chef of two Michelin star Antwerp restaurant The Jane has launched his first book 'Nick Bril 33'. At 33, the Dutch chef has been cooking at the highest level for a long time having been the sous chef with his business partner Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis, a 3 Michelin star restaurant that closed at the end of 2013. For his first book, Nick Bril 33, the Dutch chef has bundled together 33 recipes, thoughts and projects from inspiring trips. It depicts a year in the life of this talented chef. The book has been written by Pascale … Continue reading
Andreas Caminada takes top place in 2018 OAD Top 100+ European restaurants
Opinionated About Dining this evening announced the list of the top 100+ European Restaurants for 2018. Andreas Caminada managed to top the list for the first time, surpassing last year's no 1 Alain Passard of L'Arpege in Paris who placed fourth on the list. The second placed was Magnus Nilsson of restaurant Faviken while third place was Etxebarri. Eneko Atxa of Azurmendi placed fifth while Kobe Desramaults who opened Chambre Separee last year in Gent placed 6th. Jonnie Boer from De Librije in Zwolle placed 7th. The OAD list claims to be … Continue reading
‘Heroes of Oud Sluis’ to take part in 2018 Foodfest in Cadzand on 4 June
Syrco Bakker and Sergio Herman have announced that this year's Foodfest will take place on Monday June 4 in and around Strandkerk in Cadzand-Bad. This year, Syrco and Sergio have decided to invite a selection of former colleagues who worked with them at Sergio's restaurant Oud Sluis in Zeeland. They call them the 'heroes of Oud Sluis'. Most of these chefs today work in some great restaurants in the Netherlands, Belgium and even further afield such as New York and Singapore among others. Together, they will be working with beautiful … Continue reading
Christophe Hardiquest cooks rabbit with gueze at Brussels brewery Cantillon
Rabbit is the type of dish that you either love or you hate. It has a lot to do with culture. Belgium, like France, Italy and even Malta, the country I come from has a certain affinity to this dish. It is a lean meat with lots of nutritional benefits though in some places people are starting to lose the tradition of eating rabbit. Christophe Hardiquest, chef of two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Bon Bon has been on a mission to recreate a traditional rabbit Brussels recipe at his restaurant. Over the past months, he has been working … Continue reading
City of Gastronomy festival to be held in Parma in June
Parma has announced a series of events that will be taking place this year as Italy celebrates "Year of Italian food". The main event is the City of Gastronomy Festival, an event that aims to offer a 'taste experience' and express the creativity of the region. Temporary restaurants, show cooking by chefs from all over the world and a number of meetings and discussions will be held in the heart of Parma. The event takes place in the first weekend of June. It will showcase not just the produce of Parma and the region Emilia Romagna but … Continue reading
Italian chef Niko Romito wants to change the way we eat in hospitals and canteens
Every one of us has a horrendous experience of ‘canteen’ food. Whether it was in a hospital, at school, in an airport or at the workplace, canteen food has the tendency to be not only unappealing and unappetising but also not healthy. Niko Romito, chef of the three Michelin star restaurant Reale at Casadonna in Castel di Sangro, Abruzzo, Italy believes this should not be the case. He believes the nutritional aspects of food are often forgotten even when it comes to simple things like vegetables and he has set himself the task of changing … Continue reading
Enrico Crippa’s right hand man Antonio Zaccardi is moving to Puglia after 12 years at Piazza Duomo
Antonio Zaccardo who has been working closely with Italian star chef Enrico Crippa for the past 12 years at one of the world's best restaurants Piazza Duomo announced yesterday that he would be heading to Puglia to the region where his wife was born. He will be joining chef Maria Cicorella at Pasha di Conversano, a Michelin star restaurant in Puglia. "It is time for me to change even if it is with sadness that I leave Piazza Duomo, Enrico, the territory and a family that I have loved (the Ceretto who are owners of the restaurant," he said … Continue reading
‘Simplicity comes from within. When you remove ingredients it has to be perfect’ – Niko Romito
When Niko Romito clinched a Michelin star for his restaurant Reale in Rivisondoli, a village of only 450 residents in Abruzzo, the people in the region believed it was a miracle. “After we earned that first star, they told us we would never achieve a second star because the place was too small.” The restaurant was born as a trattoria, you opened the door and the first thing you saw opposite the door was the toilet. Just over a year passed and when Niko and his sister clinched a second star in 2009 no one could believe it. At the time, they … Continue reading
Zuma and the Blue Hill in New York
Zuma in Manhattan is a nightclub where people sit and eat, not dance. Like the best nightclubs - its a Japanese restaurant by the way - it is hard wired to spike sexual behaviour: The music pulsates, the lights are forgiving, the senses bathed in alcohol and the palate honeyed by its offerings. The absence of mirrors meant that I did not see even one unmuscled hunk of a man. They were mostly big and black and cool. The women were drawn from a broader group of the human pool and came in various styles of dress and undress. They all seemed hotter … Continue reading
Second Bon Bon Origins dinner features José Avillez with Christophe Hardiquest
Brussels based chef Christophe Hardiquest, chef of two Michelin star restaurant Bon Bon welcomed José Avillez, chef of Lisbon restaurant Belcanto for the second Bon Bon Origins dinner organised a few days ago. Working together with young Belgian Chef Kevin Perlot, they created a harmonious menu focusing in particular on the sea as their playground. The Portuguese chef has been working since 2007 to the highest levels showcasing the huge Portuguese heritage that exists and that is very often forgotten amid the stereotypical dishes of the … Continue reading
Konstanin Filippou: Creativity starts with quietness
When it comes to the creative process Konstantin Filippou loves quietness. As chef of a fine dining restaurant of the same name in Vienna, Austria, he finds that it is best to concentrate and to trigger ideas either in the dead of night after a dinner service or else when he is completely quiet. While he enjoys music on his days off, in the kitchen, he does not even allow music to be played because it makes him nervous. “Creativity starts with quietness,” he told Food and Wine Gazette in an interview. That sense of quietness, of focus and … Continue reading
Gaggan in Bangkok takes no 1 spot in Asia’s 50 Best restaurants awards, Zaiyu Hasegawa in second place
Gaggan, the restaurant of Indian born chef Gaggan Anand in Bangkok has clinched the no 1 spot in the Asia's 50 Best list for the fourth year in a row. The restaurant debuted on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2014 and has risen to no. 7 last year. Japan won most of the accolades when the list was announced in Macao at the award ceremony organised at Wynn Palace. Now in its sixth year, the 2018 list included eight new entries with Japan having 11 restaurants in the list. The event is sponsored by S. Pellegrino and Aqua Panna. Den … Continue reading
A dream come true for San Degeimbre as renovation of L’Air du Temps is close to completion
Six years after opening L'Air du Temps in its current idyllic location, in the middle of the Belgian countryside in Liernu, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre is set to embark on a new journey as he reopens the newly refurbished restaurant which will open the doors to many new possibilities. With a new dining room that is between the kitchen and the garden, clients are expected to get a completely new experience when they visit the restaurant next time. "It is what we wanted to do from the start," San told Food and Wine Gazette in an interview. "When we … Continue reading
Niko Romito and his meticulous work with vegetables: “Every bite has to be different”
What makes a chef serve a floret of a cauliflower in a three Michelin star restaurant as a centre piece without any additions except for a touch of olive oil infused in garlic? It is the knowledge that what he is serving has the necessary complexity and flavour to shine in a three star restaurant. That is exactly what Niko Romito has been doing since he started focusing on vegetables as centre-pieces. Is it the sense that he has attained perfection with a dish, one where the sum of its parts is greater than the whole? To get an … Continue reading
Six international top chefs to cook at L’air du Temps this year after renovation of restaurant
Sang Hoon Degeimbre, chef of L'Air du Temps has announced that six top international chefs will be cooking at the newly refurbished restaurant in Liernu, Belgium throughout 2018. The newly refurbished restaurant will be inaugurated on Friday 13 April. The announced chefs that will cook at L'Air du Temps under a new series called PLAYFOOD are Anne Sophie Pic, chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic in Valence France, Dominique Crenn of 2 Michelin starred Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, USA, Emmanuel Renault, chef of 3 Michelin … Continue reading
New Japanese contemporary cuisine in Milan with opening of Kanpai
A corner of contemporary Japan has opened in the heart of Milan. Named Kanpai, the new restaurant, designed by Milanese design studio Vudafieri-Saverino Partners proposes Izakaya rites and atmosphere accompanied by dishes from popular Japanese cuisine. Kanpai brings to Milan a mix of food, sake and Japanese culture but no sushi. It also has an oriental style cocktail list and is set to be a place to eat and drink late into the night. The aim of Kanpai is to recreate the post-work Tokyo evenings and the restaurant and bar could easily … Continue reading
Good 2017 for Austrian wine despite problematic weather
2017 was not easy for Austria's wine growers who had to do their utmost to cope with capricious weather during the year. And while the end result for the wine has been positive, it was not a sure thing.The coldest January in the last thirty years was followed by the warmest March since meteorological records have been kept, resulting in a very early bud-break. With the devastating frosts of 2016 still fresh in memory, a spate of winter weather caused substantial anxiety in April and parts of May. Fortunately, this cold snap did not persist for … Continue reading
Chefs Alain Ducasse and Yannick Alleno cook on opening of Massimo Bottura’s Refettorio Paris
French top chefs Alain Ducasse and Yannick Alleno joined Massimo Bottura for the opening of Refettorio Paris yesterday at the historic Madeleine church where celebrity chefs and culinary students will transform surplus food from supermarkets into meals for the homeless. The Italian chef, famous for his world renowned restaurant Osteria Francescana has set up a foundation Food for Soul after the Milan Expo with the intention of opening soup kitchens across the world with the aim of feeding the world's poor with food that would otherwise be … Continue reading
Toya Eatery in Manila is Restaurant to watch in Asia
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants has announced Toyo Eatery in Manila as the 2018 recipient of the Miele One To Watch Award. Selected by the organisers of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, in collaboration with its regional experts, the award is presented to a restaurant that is outside the Asia’s 50 Best list but is identified as the rising star of the region. Toyo Eatery’s owner-chef Jordy Navarra will formally accept the award at the sixth annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, on 27 March, in Macao. The name Toyo derives from the Filipino word … Continue reading
Thomas Bühner returns to Villa Louise
Thomas Bühner, chef of 3 Michelin star resturant La Vie, in Osnabrück, North West Germany was recently a guest at Villa Louise for a dinner which forms part of the 'seventh' season. Villa Louise, an offshoot of asset manager Creutz and Partners has been inviting some of the world's best chefs to cook at their premises to collaborate, cook and share their creativity with their clients. This was not the first time that the German chef was guest of Villa Louise which today has accumulated 78 stars. Bühner is chef of one of the best … Continue reading
Everything needs to change – René Redzepi’s aim to reinvent the restaurant goes way beyond the kitchen
'For things to remain the same, things will have to change'. That is probably one of the most famous quotes from The Leopard, a novel written by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. This is not what René Redzepi, chef of the world famous Noma has in mind. When he took the stage at Parabere Forum in Malmo last week he said that the problem is that everything needs to change. "My vision for Noma is not to be the best restaurant in the world but that it will be the best place to work in the world." The change he is looking for is not one that keeps … Continue reading
All roads lead to Lyon next weekend for attable festival
All roads lead to Lyon next weekend as the city welcomes European chefs from for attable festival, a prototype edition that starts on Wednesday but culminates in a series of events and dinners on Saturday and Sunday. The young Austrian collective for a progressive society will take over the Le Bistrot du Potager Gerland for what promises to be a unique dinner at Florian Remont's restaurant. The Austrian chefs need no introduction, they have all featured in GELINAZ! Does Upper Austria last summer. They are Konstantin Filippou, Felix … Continue reading
Gorka Izagirre wines: Making the impossible possible
Visitors to the Basque country will have definitely tasted the Txakoli, a local white wine that is drunk everywhere you go. But outside the region, the wine is extremely difficult to find despite the fact that it washes down well with food. When you visit the Azurmendi galaxy, a three Michelin star restaurant a few kilometres outside Bilbao in the idyllic Larrabetzu, you will not only find the sister restaurant Eneko, recently awarded with a Michelin star but also the headquarters of Bodega Gorka Izagirre, a newish and enthusiastically … Continue reading
Anchoas Royo: Making anchovies that are fit for three Michelin star Azurmendi
In a few weeks time, it will start to get busy for the small Basque anchovy producer Anchoas Royo located in the small fishing village of Bermeo in Spain. As the weather starts to get better, in the month of April, the boats will embark to catch the anchovies in the bay of Biscay. These are best between the months of April and June because the fish are bigger in these months. From here begins a long process of maturing the fish before they are ready to be sold on the market. After the fish reach the factory, they are salted and they will … Continue reading
Roscioli: When in Rome do as the Romans (and the chefs) do
There is the World's 50 Best Restaurants list and then there is Roscioli. If some 'rebel' voters would have their way, then Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina in Rome would be a permanent fixture on the list. And when you visit you can sort of understand why. If there was a price for the best curated salumeria in the world this would win hands down. At Roscioli it is not necessarily about the preparation that goes into the dishes but rather about the curation of the best ingredients that the Rosciolis can procure from the cheeses to the cold cuts … Continue reading
Noma opens bookings for vegetable season which runs from June to September on 5 March
If you are tempted to visit Noma, which reopened on 16 February, Monday 5 March is your opportunity to try and secure a table for the vegetable season which runs from late June through to mid-September. Cooking with vegetables has always been a favourite of Noma but it is the first time that they are daring to create a menu entirely out of vegetables and to make it as delicious as one with meat. Noma will be offering a vegetarian menu and a vegan menu. You can attempt to secure a table for 2, 4, 6 or 8 on the Noma website at 4pm (Copenhagen … Continue reading