François Lurton, from the eponymous winegrowing dynasty in Bordeaux, not only vinifies excellent wines in South America and Europe, but also has a great passion for distinctive distillates. After the rousing success of his Sorgin, a gin distilled from Sauvignon Blanc, he and his partner Sabine Jaren have now created a vermouth – from this same grape variety. Hardly anyone in the world knows the Sauvignon Blanc as well as Lurton, and even fewer have the opportunity to vinify this grape variety on as many diverse and exciting terroirs as he does, in Spain, France, Argentina & Chile. This has led him in recent years to go one step further and see – in addition to the wine – what outstanding specialty items he could create from it. For a long time, he had played with the notion of making a vermouth. After the great success of Sorgin, he did not hesitate for long and began to develop the new idea. A tribute to his great-grandfather The vermouth is called … Continue reading
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Junghyan Park to cook at Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong
On the evenings of 28 and 29 May, Vicky Lau, chef of one-Michelin- starred Relais & Châteaux member Tate Dining Room will host a highly anticipated culinary collaboration with guest chef Junghyun ‘JP’Park of Atomix. This is the first visit of the guest chef Junghyun Park to Hong Kong. Praised by critics as one of New York City’s hottest new restaurants, Atomix is the innovative one-Michelin-starred Korean fine dining concept by husband-and-wife team Junghyun and Ellia Park. Successfully fusing traditions from their native Korean roots with a progressive vision, the couple launched Atomix in the heart of NoMad as a follow-up project to their first-born restaurant, Atoboy. Not even a full year into its opening, Atomix was awarded one Michelin star amid glowing reviews from the nation’s top publications. Among its many accolades include New York Times’ Top 10 New Restaurants 2018, Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America, OAD’s Top 100 North American Restaurants 2019 … Continue reading
Death of Belgian chef Eric Martin announced
Belgian gastronomy is mourning Eric Martin, chef and owner of Maison Lemonnier who was unexpectedly found dead in his room last Saturday during a holiday abroad. His son, Tristan and the team at Maison Lemmonier said that just like Eric would have wanted, they will remain open and will continue to receive guests as they have done for the past 15 years from Thursday 19th April. The father and son duo had been working together since 2008. Their hotel and restaurant, Maison Lemonnier is found in the idyllic Lavaux-Ste-Anne in the Belgian Ardennes. Eric studied law but had already made his decision that he would cook instead. His son followed in his footsteps and after studying at Paul Bocuse Institute joined him in Maison Lemonnier in spring 2008. Eric's philosophy was always that of taking all the necessary time to prepare food and to eat food. Their restaurant had one of the most impressive wine lists in Belgium. Pierre Resimont, chef of L'Eau Vive and a friend of … Continue reading
Afton Halloran, the roast beef rebellion and 10 European food trends
At the age of 11, Afton Halloran decided to become vegetarian. A year later, at school, she had to learn to cook during a home economics class. The class started with how to make a proper English tea but as weeks went by things became more sophisticated and the pupils learnt to make cookies, soup etc. One day, they had to learn how to make a proper roast beef dinner. “When I heard this, I went to the teacher and told her that I had no reason to learn this recipe because I had become a vegetarian. At first the teacher looked in shock, then she became angry and asked and just how do you think that you will ever find a husband.” Afton Halloran was speaking at the European Food Summit organised in Ljubljana last month. Dr Halloran has over the past 12 years built up a robust background in the field of sustainable food systems and she is also consultant to the Nordic Council of Ministers working on a project called the Nordic Food Policy Lab. Although she is no longer vegetarian … Continue reading
Alberto Landgraf: Silence is underrated
Most chefs you speak have that aha moment when they realised cooking was going to be their vocation. For some it was cooking with their mother or grandmother or remembering something they had eaten which triggered that spark. Not for Alberto Landgraf, chef of Rio de Janeiro restaurant Oteque. "For me it was different because I went to London to study English and finish my studies. My mother was an English teacher and wanted me to finish my studies in England. For some reason, I ended up working in a kitchen," he told Food and Wine Gazette in an interview. The chef who is slowly but surely putting Rio de Janeiro on the food map thanks to his work at Oteque could not crack an egg when he arrived in London. He found himself working in a kitchen to be able to extend his stay and this triggered his interest. "I thought this was the best place to be because I am a very active person, have always been involved in all kinds of sports, loved adrenaline and the rush it brings to you." … Continue reading
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Sauce by The Langham to launch soon
Sauce by The Langham is an expert-led cookery school located within The Langham, London that is set to launch in mid-May 2019. It will offer a range of classes that have been enthusiastically designed to put the joy into cooking. Tucked away in the heart of the five star hotel, Sauce’s top of the range kitchen is the place in which trade secrets will be shared and the best ingredients will be available for preparations. Experiences inspired by all of The Langham’s renowned outlets including Palm Court, Artesian, Roux at The Landau, and The Wigmore will be offered, alongside classes led by executive chef, Chris King and Michel Roux Jr who … Continue reading
Playfood 2 at L’Air du Temps: Andreas Caminada cooks for the first time in Belgium
Sang Hoon Degeimbre of L'Air du Temps (left) welcomes Andreas Caminada (Schloss Schauenstein) in Liernu, Belgium. Andreas Caminada, chef and owner of three Michelin star Swiss restaurant Schloss Schauenstein was recently in Liernu, Belgium to cook at L' Air du Temps, the restaurant of chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre. Under the theme PLAYFOOD, the Belgian chef is inviting a number of international top chefs to cook at the restaurant following the refurbishment of the restaurant last year. The first guest of Sang-Hoon was Swedish chef Magnus Ek who visited the newly refurbished restaurant with its impressive dining room overlooking the … Continue reading
Falling in love with Uruguay: Discovering La Barra and Borneo Coffee
Isabel walking to the shops in La Barra Wedged between Brazil in the north and Argentina to the west, Uruguay has become Isabel Gilbert Palmer’s latest “I’ve fallen deeply in love with” part of the world. On the road during the month of January she travelled along the Uruguay coast, from Montevideo to Punte Del Esta tracing the coastal Ruta Gastromica from the seaside villages of Puente La Barra to Jose Ignaico and on the dusty ribboned backroads to Pueblo Garzon. Isabel shares some of her southern hemisphere summer finds and later stories during the same month, of travelling further afield to Argentina, the city Buenos … Continue reading
Odprta Kuhna: Bringing a taste of Slovenia to Ljubljana and the world
In his own words, Lior Kochavy did not know how to crack an egg and make an omelette for himself. If he knew how to cook, Open Kitchen or Odprta Kuhna as it is known in Slovenia would not exist. Earlier this month it opened for the European Food Summit. This year will be the seventh edition of the project, the brainchild of Lior and his wife Alma. This one of a kind food market attracts around 50 restaurants to Slovenia’s capital to showcase what the country has to offer. Every Friday from March to October, hungry visitors flock to the market to savour food from some of the city’s best establishments as well as restaurants from other … Continue reading
Summa 2019: a family reunion in Northern Italy organised by Alois Lageder
The historic buildings of Hirschprunn and Löwengang set the scene for the Summa. Photo courtesy of Weingut Lageder For over twenty years, Weingut Alois Lageder has been inviting winegrowers from all over the world to an annual collaborative event in Magrè at the Alto Adige Wine Road. While a few dozen kilometres down the A22 at VinItaly in Verona, everything is about business, the Summa is more like a friendly family gathering of winegrowers, individuals who not only care deeply about the authentic expression of their wines, but also about the preservation of natural resources in their vineyards. It is no coincidence that numerous … Continue reading
Odette in Singapore takes top spot in Asia’s 50 Best restaurants 2019 awards
Odette in Singapore has taken top honours at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 awards ceremony, succeeding four-time winner Gaggan in the No.1 spot. Chef Julien Royer’s Odette claims the coveted titles of the best restaurant in Asia and the best restaurant in Singapore. Housed in the iconic National Gallery Singapore, Odette serves Asian-inspired modern French cuisine, each dish presented with impeccable style and characteristic perfection. Taking its name from Royer’s maternal grandmother, Odette earned Asia’s Highest New Entry Award in 2017 before debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list last year at No.28. The 2019 list … Continue reading
Charlotte Collard: The model turned digital food entrepreneur
Food may come as an afterthought when you are modelling but for Charlotte Collard it was another story. A former model turned digital entrepreneur, she has lived in cities like New York, Los Angeles and London to mention a few before returning back to her roots in Belgium where she lived for 18 years before leaving to New York to pursue her modelling career. She has today established herself as a TV presenter and also set up a digital food business as well as a big presence on Instagram. “I’ve always loved cooking. My grandfather lived in Canada when I was young and he had a very big house with a lot of land and all the vegetables … Continue reading
Henry Harris reunites with Dennis Gustafsson for one-off supperclub at Bouchon
On Sunday 7th April, chef Henry Harris will be taking to the kitchen at Bouchon, Malmö in Sweden, joining owner and executive chef Dennis Gustafsson, for one night only. The dinner is particularly significant, as the pair have a longstanding relationship, with Dennis having worked under Henry at his critically acclaimed restaurant, Racine in Knightsbridge between 2002 and 2015. The friendship Dennis and Henry formed, is a testament to the importance that Henry places on mentorship and young talent. Bouchon shares many similarities to Racine in its approach to offering a bourgeois style of cooking. Dennis embraces the philosophy and … Continue reading
‘There will be a crash point if we don’t act now’ – Roberto Flore
The future will happen whether we like it or not and it is therefore essential to take action. “People are afraid of the future because they feel that they are not in control,” Roberto Flore who runs the DTU Skylab Foodlab in Copenhagen said at the European Food Summit. “We should design utopias or positive futures rather than speak of dystopia,” he said. Technologies, he said, need to be human centric. “We need to find people who can help to create and design machines. We do not have this concept at the moment. Machines are toady designed with efficiency but they are not efficient. They are only driven by numbers. There will be a crash … Continue reading
Fourth edition of Foodfest to be held in Cadzand in June
The fourth edition of FoodFest, the event organised by Cadzand, the Netherlands by Sergio Herman, Syrco Bakker and Iman Soomers will be held on 2 and 3 June. The event which used to held at the former Strandkerk in Cadzand will move to the platform Maritiem Plaza next to restaurant AIRrepublic with a breathtaking view of the North Sea and the Royal Yacht Club of Cadzand-Bad. This year's festival will take place over two days unlike previous events that took place just on a Monday. For this year's edition the organisers are teaming up with the founders and creators of WECANDANCE, elrow Town Antwerp & Fire Is … Continue reading
The Belgian conundrum: This is not Belgian cuisine
Photo courtesy of ifeelslovenia.com At the European Food Summit organised in Slovenia last week between Saturday 16 March and Tuesday 19 March, I used the country I know second best (after my home country Malta) to make the point that collaboration today is key. Why is Belgium not so well known as a gastronomic destination? Has it been a missed opportunity as interest in food peaks globally? Food can unite, it can also divide as very well able presented by colleague Georges Desrues. The following is my speech at the conference: Speech I would like to thank Ana and Andrea for inviting me to speak today. It is an honour and a … Continue reading
Gastronomic imperialism: ‘Diversity is being killed by quest for success’ – Andoni Luis Aduriz
Spanish Andoni Luis Aduriz, chef of one of the most innovative restaurants in the world, Mugaritz, has warned that guides, lists and social media are all contributing to a lack of diversity in gastronomy to the extent that if chefs and restaurants want to be successful they need to follow a particular model and be the same. “Isn’t this colonialism, isn’t this imperialism?” In a passionate presentation at the European Food Summit held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the chef said that in the past, guides like Michelin or Zagat served as the mediators between what was going on in the kitchen and what came out to the public. “These guides were written … Continue reading
Collaboration is key, we cannot exist in a vacuum are main themes of European Food Summit
Chefs, food writers, scientists, winemakers convened in Ljubljana, Slovenia for the European Food Summit to discuss not just the state of food today but also the importance of making connections, thinking outside the box, thinking beyond the confines of borders and to listen to what nature is telling us. Slovenian chef Ana Ros and Andrea Petrini, the conference curator came up with a very interesting lineup of speakers to tackle a wide range of topics. Andrea Petrini conference curator set the mood for the conference with a video which showcased beautiful images of gastronomy. It started off like a tourism video but turned darker as he … Continue reading
SAN chef Toshiro Fujii to open Toshiro restaurant in Brussels
Sang Hoon Degeimbre and Toshiro Fujii at San Sablon. Toshi, as he is more commonly known will take the helm of a new Brussels restaurant which opens later this month BRUSSELS: Toshiro Fujii, known as Toshi, who has worked for more than 10 years with San Degeimbre at L'Air du Temps as his sous-chef and who has been at the helm of the SAN group of restaurants in Brussels and Gent for the past four years will open his own restaurant together with chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre this month. This will be the third Brussels restaurant of Sang Hoon Degeimbre though this time he will be partnering and supporting Toshiro in creating and developing his … Continue reading
Sergio Herman becomes first international mentor of Fundazion Uccelin
CADZAND: Sergio Herman has become the first international mentor for Fundazion Uccelin, a foundation set up by Swiss chef Andreas Caminada to support new talents and help them gain experience internationally both in kitchens, in front of house and with artisans and producers.. "When I created the Foundation, there was nothing like it. This industry has given me a lot and I wanted to give back by helping young talents find their way through facilitating training." he told Food and Wine Gazette. In Cadzand, at Air Republic, one of Sergio Herman's restaurants, the Swiss chef announced that he was welcoming the Dutch chef as the first … Continue reading
MAD Symposium to set up gastronomic academy in Denmark
The Danish Government and MAD, the Symposium set up by chef René Redzepi have announced the setting up of a gastronomic academy in Denmark. The Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the Danish Minister of Environment and Food, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, have declared that they will support MAD (food in Danish) with a commitment of DKK 25.2 million (USD 3.8 million) over the next four years. Rene Redzepi said we want to make the academy a place to learn all the things we don't seem to learn when we are becoming cooks. Melina Shannon di Pietro who runs the MAD Symposium said the work begins now. "With this new funding we … Continue reading
Highlights
What’s on the menu at the new LESS eatery in Bruges
LESS Eatery (Love, Eat, Share, Smile) by Hertog Jan*** is the new concept created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens in the centre of Bruges following the closure of their flagship 3 Michelin Star restaurant Hertog Jan at the end of last year. The new all-day eatery serves food from morning till late in the evening. A lot has been written about this new opening. Here we look at what's on the menu. The day starts with breakfast that is served between 8.30am to 11am. Sweet dishes includes homemade Danish pastry which Gert has been … Continue reading
Jimmy Lim’s restaurant in Taiwan chosen by Asia’s 50 Best restaurants as rising star
Jimmy Lim, photo by Shinichiro Fujii Jimmy Lim's JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan has been announced as the One to Watch in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. The One to Watch title is presented to a restaurant that is outside the Asia's 50 Best list but is identified as a rising star in the region. Opened in 2017, JL Studio reflects the upbringing and cultural influences of chef-owner Jimmy Lim. Born in Singapore, Lim presents modern interpretations of classic dishes from his home city. Combining traditional Singapore flavours and refined cooking … Continue reading
Nobody injured following fire at The Jane: restaurant to be closed for four weeks
UPDATED: The Jane in Antwerp will be closed for at least 4 weeks, chef Nick Bril has announced following a fire that interrupted lunch service today 9 March and led to the cancellation fo the dinner service. "In view of the damage from the fire, we will unfortunately be closed for at least two weeks. We will have our vacation period and we will continue to work during those two weeks to repair the damage. We hope to open again in four weeks." The Dutch chef in charge of The Jane said luckily there were no injuries and the fire brigade … Continue reading
New LESS Eatery by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens in Bruges
Gert de Mangeleer (left) and Joachim Boudens (right) at the new LESS Eatery 'We wanted to create a cosmopolitan space, something new for the city' Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens have opened LESS Eatery in Bruges. The new ‘eatery’ as they call it welcomes its first guests on Monday March 11 and it is an impressive space. The eatery on one of the main squares in Bruges will be open from breakfast till late dinner with customers able to walk in for a coffee and a pastry in the morning, for bites during the mornings or afternoon … Continue reading
Exceptional 2016 Bordeaux vintage on show in Antwerp
The 2016 Bordeaux vintage has been billed as the best since 2010 and from a recent tasting of a number of wines in Antwerp that is really the case. The Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux brought together representatives from over 50 chateaux in Bordeaux for a unique dinner with the trade and press in Antwerp recently. It is not normal for so many representatives of Bordeaux wineries to be present for such a tasting. Among the wineries present for the dinner were Château Figeac, Clos Fourtet, Château Clinet, Château Beychevelle, Château … Continue reading
‘We need to be better humans’- Margot Janse
Things were looking bright for Dutch born chef Margot Janse just before disaster struck. Two years ago she decided to quit her job and focus on building her charity which she had set up as part of her work at one of most well known fine-dining restaurants in South Africa, The Tasting Room at the Le Quartier Francais. A change in the ownership of the hotel which housed her restaurant made her adjust her priorities in life. “I stayed to work for another year but then realised this was was no longer my world. It was time for change but the … Continue reading
26 hands Milan dinner at Trippa sells out in 60 minutes
A 26 hands dinner organised by Diego Rossi of Trippa Milano was sold out within 60 minutes. Called Amici Miei (my friends in Italian), the event brings together 13 young and promising chefs from across Italy. This unique event takes place at Trippa Milano on 9 April during Design Week. The chefs taking part in the event are Stefano Terigi, Benedetto Rullo and Lorenzo Stefanini (Ristorante Giglio), Juri Chiotti (REIS Cibo Libero di Montagna), Federico Sisti (Antica Osteria Il … Continue reading
Vicky Lau welcomes three female chefs for unique lunch at Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Chef Vicky Lau has invited three Asian female chefs to cook together at a unique collaboration lunch that will take place at the Tate Dining Room on 27 March. With Asia’s biggest culinary award ceremony just around the corner on 26th March, Hong Kong and Macau are preparing for the arrival of top chefs and esteemed gourmands from around the region. To celebrate this occasion, Chef Vicky Lau is organising a lunch bringing together four powerhouse chefs at Tate Dining Room to prepare a special lunch for discerning guests. … Continue reading
Sergio Herman set to return back to the kitchen with new restaurant in Cadzand, open Air Republic in Antwerp this year
Sergio Herman is set to return back to cooking with a new restaurant in the Cadzand by the end of 2020 or early 2021. He is reported to have told Belgian news agency Belga at the opening of the Frites Atelier in Brussels that he missed cooking and wanted to have a space where he will cook for an intimate number of guests. "At the end of the day, I am happiest when I cook." He told the agency that he made a langoustine dish for Pure C a few days ago and cut his hand in the process but he liked it. "It was good because I got the feeling of … Continue reading
Fundaziun Uccelin opens applications for scholarships
Fundaziun Uccelin, a charitable foundation set up in 2015 by Swiss chef Andreas Caminada in order to promote the quality of cooking and hospitality has opened its application platform till the end of March. Young chefs and people in the service industry are offered the possibility to carry out various training programmes in their respective fields for six months. Andreas Caminada, the chef behind the foundation said “It is very important to me to individually foster ambitious talent in the gastronomic industry by providing financial and … Continue reading
‘Brussels charity dinners a humbling experience’ – Margot Janse
Margot Janse, the chef who founded Isabelo Charity which focuses on feeding young children in schools in South Africa has described the Brussels charity dinners that were held last month as an 'amazing and humbling experience’. “It was amazing to see all these people in all the three Brussels restaurants (Bon Bon, Le Chalet de la Foret and Bozar) come to cook without any issues. All the chefs arrived, they put their heart into what they did and created amazing food with an added twist of using South African indigenous ingredients,” Margot … Continue reading
Rodolfo Guzman’s surprise relocation of Borago
Chef Rodolfo Guzman, has announced that Borago, the renowned Chilean restaurant has relocated. He had been secretly working on the move without publicising it. The new restaurant is at the foot of Cerro Manquehue (Place of Condors in Mapudungun Mankewe), the most important natural landmark of the city and one which demarcates the seasonality in Santiago. Borago is considered to be one of Latin America's best restaurants with Rodolfo introducing many Chilean ingredients, products and techniques to the world for the first time while rewriting … Continue reading
Garima Arora of Gaa is Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019
Garima Arora, executive chef and founder of Gaa in Bangkok, has won Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019. Arora will be presented with her award at the ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, on Tuesday 26th March 2019 in Macao. Arora worked briefly as a journalist before pursuing her interest in the culinary arts. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Paris in 2010, she worked at Noma in Copenhagen, learning alongside chef René Redzepi. Recalling her two-plus years of experience at Noma, she said the experience changed her approach to cooking … Continue reading
Stuart Pigott appointed Riesling ambassador for Gut Hermannsberg
When Stuart Pigott visited Gut Hermannsberg 35 years ago, then Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Niederhausen-Schloßböckelheim or Nahe State Domaine, for the first time he recorded that moment in his diary. On Thursday 26th April 1984 he noted “I’ll never forget my very first sip of Kupfergrube, I was totally amazed and fascinated." Since then he has devoted himself to studying Rieslings, but those from the Nahe have always had a special place in his heart. After many adventures in the world of wine, the last of which was as Contributing Editor for … Continue reading
The Willows Inn on Lummi Island tops 100+ OAD North American list
Photo courtesy of The Willows Inn The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Washington, has been named the Opinionated About Dining (OAD) number one restaurant of the OAD Top 100+ North American Restaurants List. This is the third consecutive year that Blaine Wetzel’s progressive restaurant has topped the rankings. The restaurant is known for showcasing local seasonal ingredients ‘fished, foraged, and farmed daily’. Japanese-influenced restaurants have earned the number two and three spots with California’s Single Thread … Continue reading
Sergio Herman’s Frites Atelier Brussels to open on 2 March
Sergio Herman's third Belgian branch of Frites Atelier in Belgium will open in Brussels on 2 March. This will be the third Belgian branch of the famous fries shop that the Dutch chef opened in Amsterdam first. Frites Atelier in Brussels will be opened in Rue Saint Catherine in central Brussels close to Dierendonck's meat shop. Just like the Frites Atelier in Gent, the one in Brussels is expected to have more seats and offer a more extensive menu compared to the current Ateliers in the Netherlands and Antwerp. The opening in Brussels is … Continue reading
Kobus van der Merwe: From journalist to Restaurant of the Year winner
Go back a few years and Kobus van der Merwe would have probably been sitting close to me for an event like the World Restaurant Awards organised in Paris on Monday 18 February. Instead he walked out of the auditorium of the Palais Broignart head held high to the tune of Toto's 1980s hit song Africa as he clinched the first ever Restaurant of the Year award. The lyrics of the song with the 'drums echoing tonight' and 'blessing the rains down in Africa' never felt more apt. A former journalist and food writer, he was writing about the … Continue reading
Please take memories not pictures
When you arrive at Nobelhart & Schmutzig you don’t know what to expect. The taxi driver that took me there nearly missed the place despite having his GPS on. The door to the restaurant is closed, the restaurant window is covered in a dark curtain. Nothing is visible from the outside. It is like Billy Wagner wants to keep the place a secret. For a while, nothing from a culinary standpoint was happening in Berlin. But things have started to change over the past few years. This part of Berlin is maybe most famous for Checkpoint Charlie and … Continue reading
25 chefs from 4 continents cook in 3 Brussels restaurants for Isabelo charity dinners
On Saturday 16 February, 25 chefs from 4 continents around the world cooked in three different Brussels restaurants simultaneously for a unique charity dinner in aid of Isabelo, Feeding Hungry Minds, a charity set up by South Africa based chef Margot Janse with the aim of feeding young children. The three Belgian restaurants that hosted the 25 chefs were Le Chalet de La Foret, Bozar Restaurant and Bon Bon. All proceeds from the evening, including spontaneous donations after the dinner went towards Janse's charity which feeds poor school … Continue reading
“I wish the team were here to celebrate this award with me” – Kobus Van Der Merwe
Kobus Van Der Merwe, chef of Wolfgat after winning the Restaurant of the Year award When Kobus Van Der Merwe, a former journalist was called onto the stage for the first time to receive the award of the Off-Map Destination he could barely believe it. For a few seconds he closed his eyes to let it sink in. But when he was called for a second time to pick up the Restaurant of the Year award he was left nearly speechless. He said he was already humbled to have been in the room with industry giants because making it to the short-list was … Continue reading
South African Wolfgat is Restaurant of the Year
Wolfgat, a restaurant run by Kobus Van der Merwe, a former food journalist turned chef was named as restaurant of the year in the first ever World Restaurant Awards that were unveiled in Paris at the Palais Brongniart, yesterday evening. The restaurant in Paternoster, South Africa also won the Off-Map Destination award. 160 kilometres away from Cape Town, this acclaimed restaurant draws on inspiration from the surrounding landscape and its dramatic season transformation. The chef serves his signature Standveld food menu which comprises of … Continue reading
A milestone reached
In May 2014, less than five years ago, I made a promise to myself. A number of attempts at starting to write after a long journalistic hiatus had dismally failed. That promise was to show up and to write and to keep at it even if the odds might be heavily stacked against me. With the incessant support of my wife Giulia, I am proud to have reached a first major milestone. What you are reading is the 1000th article on Food and Wine Gazette. This website took off in September 2014 after weeks of brainstorming with Giulia as to what the name of … Continue reading
Brand new interior for classic Milan restaurant
Photo Paolo Terzi MILAN: Studio Vudafieri-Saverino Partners have restyled the renowned Milan restaurant Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia. The two Michelin star restaurant has been given a new design concept that traces the past and opens to modern times. A fine line connects the desire for modernity and the attention to tradition, the expectation of something new and the warm sense of family comfort. This was the concept developed by the Milan-based Studio Vudafieri-Saverino Partners for "Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia”, since 1962 a symbol of Italian … Continue reading
World’s 50 Best Restaurants to be held in Singapore on 25 June
The 2019 ceremony of the World's 50 Best Restaurants will be held at the Sands Theatre within the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Tuesday 25 June. The event will be preceded by a full programme of associated events and activities for international culinary professionals and food lovers alike. Singapore will be the first city in Asia to host the world’s biggest annual gathering of chefs, restaurateurs, producers, media and VIPS, reflecting the city-state’s global reputation as an exciting and diverse foodie hotspot. William … Continue reading
Vicky Lau to organise series of charity events for International Women’s Day
HONG KONG: Vicky Lau, one of Hong Kong’s leading female chefs and chef of Michelin starred TATE Dining Room, as well as best female chef of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015, has unveiled a series of culinary events that will take place on Friday 8 March 2019 to coincide with the International Women’s Day. Proceeds from the events will be donated to the Women’s Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in Hong Kong through groundbreaking research, impactful community programs and education and … Continue reading
Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore to open a 12 room Italian inn this spring
Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore of Osteria Francescana fame will be opening a 12 room inn in Modena called Casa Maria Luigia. The house, in the middle of the Reggio Emilia countryside, is just 20 minutes away from the Osteria Francescana, one of the world’s most famous restaurants and currently no 1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list So far, Massimo and Lara have welcomed a few hosts for private evenings but the inn is set to welcome the first guests in spring and will offer Lambrusco, Parmiggiano Reggiano and the hospitality that the … Continue reading
Nick Bril’s new Antwerp restaurant to open in April
Nick Bril, chef of award winning restaurant The Jane in Antwerp will be opening a new restaurant in the Belgian city of Antwerp in April. The restaurant will be housed in a new hotel that is set to open on the site of the former military hospital right across The Jane. The hotel called August Antwerp is operated by the owners of Antwerp hotel Julien. The former Augustinian convent will become a modern retreat with a bar and restaurant, wellness with swimming pool. hidden gardens, a shop and 44 hotel rooms. The Dutch chef who … Continue reading
Some of the world’s best chefs are heading to Montpellier this weekend and most will not be cooking
Some of the world’s best chefs aged 50 and below are convening in Montpellier this weekend for Cookbook, the first exhibition of works by artists and chefs. Curated by Nicholas Bourriaud and Andrea Petrini, Cookbook 19 brings together chefs and artists as they explore the creative . The curators hope that the exhibition shows new relations between the food and art world, born of shared recent cultural revolutions. The chefs and artists taking part in Cookbook 19 are Inaki Aizpirarte of Le Chateaubriand, Maksut Askar of Neolokal, Davide … Continue reading
When tomatoes met Wagner premieres at Berlinale
The humorous and uplifting story of two ingenious Greek cousins and five village women, who tackle the world market with their homegrown tomatoes, premieres at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival (7-17 February 2019). The quirky and inspiring tale of how a village used organic farming to overcome the Greek financial crisis, screens at the Berlinale’s popular Culinary Cinema section, which offers food for thought with films about the pleasures and dark sides of food. This year, the 13th Berlinale Kulinarisches Kino under … Continue reading
Richard Ekkebus embarks on global discovery tour during Amber’s refurbishment
Richard Ekkebus, chef of acclaimed Hong Kong restaurant Amber that closed temporarily for refurbishment on 10 December has embarked on a global three month discovery tour. Prior to Amber’s scheduled reopening in late spring 2019, Richard and his team will host a series of pop-ups across Europe, North Africa, Asia with stops in Amsterdam, Marrakech, Aachen, Tokyo and Taipei. The tour started in January with a series of dinner at Rijks. It was Richard’s first time cooking in the Netherlands after leaving the country. These experiences … Continue reading
Rob Roy Cameron and the motorcycle trip that helped put stress into perspective
Rob Roy Cameron was no stranger to stress. He had worked at the legendary el Bulli before helping Albert Adria open 41 Degrees and Hoja Santo clinching a Michelin star for both restaurants in the process. As he said, the stress of opening a restaurant is huge but when he embarked on a motorcycle journey from Barcelona to South Africa to visit his family, this certainly helped put things in perspective. After having worked at Hoja Santo and 41 Degrees he was feeling not only under stress but he felt that he needed time for himself. He needed a … Continue reading
Peck, classic Milanese establishment, opens venue in new high-rise district of Milan
Peck, a temple of classic cuisine that has been open in Milan since 1883 has opened its doors at the CityLife Shopping District, the largest urban shopping district in Italy, adding a new location to the historic shop and restaurant in the centre of Milan. The new Peck, is opening a new space to explore a new concept in food and beverage and merge all its historic distinctive features in a single place from deli shop, restaurant, wine bar and cocktail bar. A temple of haute cuisine, Milanwhich been open in Milan since 1883, has … Continue reading
Line up for Fine Wines and Food Fair in Vila Vita Parc announced
Vila Vita Fine Wine and Food Fair May 20th 2017 - Kitchen Party Photo: Vasco Célio/Stills The line-up for the Fine Wines & Food Fair, one of Europe’s biggest gastronomy events, which will take place at VILA VITA Parc from 5 to 13 May 2019, has just been unveiled. VILA VITA Parc, a resort in the Algarve, Portugal, will host a stellar repertoire of world-renowned chefs, wine makers and gourmet producers. The fair, which takes place every 2 years, puts guests face-to-face with the chefs and producers, providing a unique … Continue reading
The crazy life of a World Restaurant Awards judge
It is 8.30am on Tuesday morning. 23 hours ago I landed in Brussels from New York via Dublin courtesy of a cancelled flight by Brussels Airlines. I am asleep in that zone between sleep and waking up when I faintly hear our youngest son, 19 months old chatting. I'm up with a jolt. Wide awake. And without prompting I know exactly what has happened. I did not need to look at the watch to know it was late, very late. I had fallen asleep without remembering to switch on the alarm that normally rings automatically every weekday morning at 6.50am … Continue reading
Crenn, Kornack, Bengtsson and Nakayama in New York for Steinbeisser vegan feast
Emma BengtssonNiki NakayamaDominique CrennElise Kornack On May 18 and 19, Steinbeisser will be partnering with the James Beard Foundation to bring renowned chefs Dominique Crenn, Elise Kornack, Emma Bengtsson and Niki Nakayama together for the New York City premiere of experimental gastronomy at 99 Scott in Brooklyn. Four of the best chefs in the United States will create a nine-course organic vegan tasting menu in collaboration with 15 artists who will craft custom cutlery and tableware especially for the occasion. Experimental … Continue reading
Season 8 of Villa Louise announced
The eighth season of Villa Louise, probably the World's most exclusive kitchen has been announced. It will welcome the likes of Tim Raue, Richard Ekkebus, Nick Bril, Syrco Bakker, Julien Royer, David Kinchand Arnaud Lallement to mention just a few names. Villa Louise started in 2012 as an offshoot of asset manager Creutz and Partners. Since that year, they have been inviting some of the world's best chefs into its private kitchen to collaborate, cook and share their creativity with their clients. Started through the passion for food of … Continue reading
Daniel Humm and Will Guidara to open restaurant in London
Chef Daniel Humm and restauranteur Will Guidara have today announced that they will open Davies and Brook, a restaurant at the Claridge's Hotel in London. The co-owners of the hospitality group Make it Nice that was established in 2011 and which owns and operates Eleven Madison Park, NoMad New York, NoMad Los Angeles, NoMad Bar and Made Nice said they were excited to finally share the news that they will open Davies and Brook this summer at the Claridges Hotel. "Having the opportunity to bring our cuisine and hospitality is such a … Continue reading
Tokyo: In Zaiyu’s DEN
Den or no Den? Tiramisu or Tea-ramisu? Coffee or no Coffee? Japanese chef Zaiyu Hasegawa loves what he does and he and his team do their utmost to put a smile on people's faces. As you walk into restaurant Den, there is a sign on the door. It is Le Gaulois. It is a bit confusing they tell me when they send an email with instructions of how to get to the restaurant. The name is that of a French restaurant which was there before Den. So why didn't they change it? It is because it was one of Hasegawa’s favourite restaurants and he decided to … Continue reading
Island Social Club to open at Curio Cabal showcasing British Caribbean culture
Island Social Club, a contemporary social space that shares modern British Caribbean culture through food and drink, founded by two Caribbean Londoners, Marie Mitchell and Joseph Pilgrim, is set to launch on 7 February. With a menu inspired by previous Island Social Club projects, Rumshop and Rotishop, a nightly combination of Rum and Roti sits alongside a curated events programme, which together re-roots British Caribbean culture in Hackney. Island Social Club will become a hub not just for Marie and Joseph’s individual … Continue reading
Richard Ekkebus to cook in the Netherlands at Rijks after 33 years
Dutch chef Richard Ekkebus will be returning to cook in the Netherlands at Rijks Restaurant on 26 and 27 January with Joris Bijdendijk. The restaurant is housed in the Rijks Museum. Ekkebus is chef of the world acclaimed Hong Kong restaurant Amber which is housed in the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The Dutch chef from Vlissingen has trained with some of the greatest three- star chefs in France including Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Passard and Guy Savoy. After an impressive career he became executive chef of Amber. The restaurant, … Continue reading