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 the website should be. When we decided on Food and Wine Gazette, we took the plunge without necessarily knowing what direction the website would take. All we knew was that this would be a way for me to express my creativity and feed my curiousity for stories, people, food and places. With no stretch of imagination on that September did I imagine that I would get to where I am today. One article at a time, most of them written after the … Continue reading
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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 culinary excellence throughout the world. The Milan’s 2-star restaurant presents restyled interiors and a new space dedicated to workshops and master classes. Tiziano Vudafieri and Claudio Saverino have designed a cosy and intimate place - enriched with erudite references and design details - where time seems to stand still and leave room to the real star of the restaurant: the kitchen. Vudafieri – Saverino Partners has interpreted … 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 Drew, Group Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “We couldn’t be more excited to host our upcoming edition of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants programme in Singapore, culminating in the gala awards in the iconic Marina Bay Sands integrated resort on Tuesday 25th June. The venue, and the host location as a whole, offers everything from street food and heritage dining to upscale celebrity chef establishments. The rich diversity of cuisine … 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 advocacy of the empowerment of the female voice. Vicky Lau uses visual artistry from her previous life as a graphic designer and is considered one of the top chefs of Innovative French Chinese fine dining in Hong Kong, Her innate creativity is evident in the seasonally-evolving tasting menu of “Edible Stories”, each course designed by the chef to evoke emotions and stir the imagination with an intriguing play on flavours and textures. Her … 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 couple with their team is famous for at the Osteria Francescana. The inn is being designed according to their tastes. The house, named after Massimo’s mother will have a tennis court, a swimming pool, a music room and will serve breakfast and a light lunch. What will make the place special is the collection of art books and records that will be made available for guests. Massimo and Lara will showcase their passions for contemporary art, classic … Continue reading
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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 partnered with Sergio Herman to open The Jane after working with him at Oud Sluis for many years … 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 Balula, Esben Holmboe Bang of Maaemo, Dorian Bauer, Nicolas Boulard, Dannie Bowien of Mission Chinese … 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 the title "A Taste for Balance" from February 10 to 15, features 10 documentaries and two fiction … 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 will help to shape Amber’s new menu. “Our intention is to visit local markets, discuss best … 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 break and he needed to decide on his future. “Do I work in pastry or chocolate or do I become 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 opened its doors at the CityLife Shopping District, the largest urban shopping district in … 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 experience for a selection of privileged guests. Besides the already famous Kitchen Party, a series of … 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 unless I switch it off. The eldest 2 children should have been at school 10 minutes ago. A mad rush … 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 gastronomy is a unique immersive experience that brings together acclaimed chefs and artists to create an … 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 Yves Creutz, executive member of the board of directors of Creutz and Partners, it is slowly … 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 remarkable feeling and a dream come true. It is the first time that I am opening a restaurant in Europe … 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 keep the decor in place when he moved the restaurant there. What was most important for him was 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 and combined projects, (Pop’s Kitchen, Rumshop, and Rotishop), but a hub for exploring and engaging … 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, which ranked 56th in the World's 50 Best restaurants list 2018 and 7th in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants … Continue reading
Surprises abound as shortlist of World Restaurant Awards announced
There were a number of surprises when the first ever shortlist of the World Restaurant Awards, an award created by IMG in partnership with Joe Warwick, Creative Director and Andrea Petrini, chair of the Judging Panel was announced. The awards, the first of their kind in the restaurant world will be announced in Paris at the Palais Brongniart on 18 February. Female chefs continue to make their mark with the ‘Arrival of the Year’ shortlist for new restaurants including Pía León’s Kjolle in Lima; and Chiho Kanzaki’s Virtus in Paris. Historic destinations such as La Mère Brazier and Restaurant Paul Bocuse, both in Lyon, and the … Continue reading
Significant changes for World’s 50 Best Restaurants list
After years of criticism about the opaque voting system and also issues relating to gender, the World's 50 Best Restaurants have announced changes as to how voting this year's awards will take place. Competition is always healthy and it seems like the new World Restaurant Awards which will be announced in February this year has forced some needed changed at the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. For the first time ever, and following in the footsteps of the World Restaurant Awards, they have announced a gender balanced voting panel with 50% of the 1,000 voting panel comprising of female voters. Probably the greatest change is the … Continue reading
Highlights
Aulis Hong Kong is open, Roganic to open next month
Aulis Hong Kong, the brainchild of renowned British chef Simon Rogan, has opened for soft launch in the heart of Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. As Simon Rogan’s first international restaurant venture, Aulis is a branch of his revolutionary chef’s table and development kitchen, bringing a taste of two-Michelin-starred L’Enclume to Hong Kong. In February, Simon and his team will open their second Hong Kong venture Roganic – mirroring Simon’s one Michelin starred London restaurant of the same name. The 12-seater Aulis arrived in Asia after the … Continue reading
Brussels to welcome world top chefs for 3 charity dinners on 16 February
Brussels, Belgium's capital city will welcome 25 international chefs to cook together in a unique event in aid of a South African project that was created by chef Margot Janse. Three top Brussels restaurants, Bon Bon, Bozar and Le Chalet de La Foret will welcome chefs from across the globe for a 10-course menu on Saturday 16 February at 8pm. All proceeds from the night will go to Isabelo, Feeding Hungry Minds which has been serving nutritious meals to South African kids every school day since 2009. Margot Janse, the top chef who quit … Continue reading
A new chapter begins for Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens
Gert de Mangeleer (left) and Joachim Boudens (right) Silence reigns in the kitchen that used to be so hectic in Zedelgem at Hertog Jan, the three Michelin star restaurant of Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens. The kitchen has been empty since the last service on 22 December. On Instagram stories, Gert is maybe feeling a bit nostalgic after the holidays. The kitchen is completely empty and on a photo of the empty kitchen he writes ‘It’s oh so quiet’. The next post however shows that the two are not resting on their laurels. The new … Continue reading
Q&A with Tom Kerridge
Tom Kerridge has recently published a new book Tom Kerridge's Fresh Start to coincide with a new BBC Two television series of the same name. We recently caught up with him for a long interview at the Corinthia Hotel London where he has opened the acclaimed Tom Kerridge Bar and Grill. This is the second part of our interview with Tom in our Q&A format. The first part of the interview can be found here. Your best ever meal? My best ever restaurant meal was at the Fat Duck. My best ever meal is Christmas Day with family and … Continue reading
The best of 2018: a year of Food and Wine Gazette
2018 has come and is about to go and it has been an incredible year for Food and Wine Gazette. Before I take you on a tour of what we covered during the year, I would like to thank you and express my gratitude for your constant support be it through reading, liking, sharing or even providing valuable feedback on a constant basis. We don't often hear about Maltese chefs but at the start of the year we put a spotlight on one of the most successful Maltese chefs Marvin Gauci interviewing him about his ventures, the opening of his … Continue reading
Retrobottega opens Retropasta in Rome
A week after Alessandro Miocchi and Giuseppe Lo Iudice of Retrobottega got to know that their restaurant has been short-listed for the no reservations category in the World Restaurant Awards they have launched a new project called Retropasta. Ever day, Romans will be able to buy eight types of fresh pasta. These include simple pasta (tagliolini, fettuccine, orecchiette, gnocchi) and stuffed pasta (tortellini, agnolotti del plin, ravioli and tortelli). The pasta is made with organic eggs and flour and reflects the philosophy they adopt for … Continue reading
Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon to cook with Agustin Balbi in Hong Kong dinner in January
Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon HAKU, the innovative Japanese restaurant led by Argentinian Chef Agustin Balbi, will be joining forces with Virgilio Martinez and chef Pia León of CENTRAL Restaurante in a one-night-exclusive collaboration dinner on Saturday, 19 January. The special 8-course menu include signature dishes that showcase the award-winning culinary prowess of the three chefs. Under the guidance of legendary Japanese chef Hideaki Matsuo (3*) of Kashiwaya in Osaka, the creations at HAKU have been curated through years of … Continue reading
Three weeks after clinching 3 Michelin stars Dani Garcia announces he will turn restaurant into hamburger joint
Photo courtesy of Dani Garcia Many in Dani Garcia's shoes will probably still be uncorking the champagne bottles after he clinched his dream of attaining 3 Michelin stars for his restaurant in Marbella, Spain. But 22 days after achieving his dream the Spain chef has shocked the gastronomy world by announcing he will close the restaurant on 21 October, eleven months after he was awarded 3 stars by the tyre company. "These days have been deeply beautiful but we will never reach this point again. We will never live something like this … Continue reading
Syrco Bakker (Pure C) and Nico Boreas (Sabero) clinch 2 Michelin stars in the Netherlands
Syrco Bakker chef of restaurant Pure C Two new two Michelin star restaurants were added to the Netherlands when the tyre company announced the results for 2019 red guide. The new restaurants are Syrco Bakker's Pure C which is found in Cadzand and Sabero of Nico Boreas who opened Sabero in Roermond last spring. "This year is a very good year for the Netherlands," says Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides. "Not only have our inspectors seen consistently good cooking at the highest levels by the established chefs, … Continue reading
Why 100 judges from across the globe are lending support to the World Restaurant Awards
The judging panel This is not another list, Joe Warwick and Andrea Petrini repeat as often as is necessary to point out why the World Restaurant Awards is different to what is already out there. Does the world need another list is often the question they are asked time and time again. We have become accustomed to lists from this year’s top books to the essential places you need to visit before you die, to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, the La Liste, a data driven list, the Best Chef’s list, the Chef’s Choice for chef of the … Continue reading
8 Belgian restaurants feature in first ever World Restaurant Awards longlist
Chambre Separee was nominated for Atmosphere category Eight Belgian restaurants feature in the first ever longlist published by the World Restaurant Awards which was released earlier today. Another, Belgian pop-up and concept features in the ethical thinking category. The restaurants are Chambre Separee in Gent, The Jane in Antwerp, De Jonkman in Bruges, Bon Bon, Bozar Restaurant and Humphrey in Brussels, L' Air du Temps in Liernu and Hertog Jan in Zedelgem. They join Mary Pop-in, a concept by Eatmosphere which raises awareness on food … Continue reading
First long list of World Restaurant Awards announced: full list here
The first ever long list of the World Restaurant Awards which will be held for the first time in Paris on 18 Feburary has been announced. The long list has been compiled with the input of 100 judges which include some of the top names in the restaurant world as well as food writers from around the world. In all, 37 nationalities are represented in the judging panel. The long list includes restaurants from 43 different countries in the world. The World Restaurant Awards which will be held for the first time in Paris on 18 February will … Continue reading
Low Food – the beginning of a small Dutch food movement
If you ask a Dutch about their food culture they will probably tell you about their snert (the famous slow cooked pea soup) or the stamppot (vegetables mixed with mashed potatoes). Ask anyone not Dutch what they know about Dutch food and they might mention Gouda cheese or stroopwafels if you are lucky. But chef Joris Bijdendijk wants to change that. As the successful chef of restaurant Rijks in Amsterdam, he wants to create a small Dutch food movement that can serve to bring about the change and show the world that some great things are … Continue reading
Lateral Cooking: Niki Segnit on the art of unleashing your creativity in the kitchen
Food writer Niki Segnit believes that by learning the basics of cooking you can unleash your creativity without needed to use a recipe book any longer. With the release of her second book Lateral Cooking, which she has been working on for the past 8 years, she explores the basis of 77 recipes which show readers how one dish can lead to another as they expand their culinary horizons and increase their confidence in cooking. Having worked on this book for 8 years, this is the companion to her first award winning book Flavour Thesaurus which … Continue reading
Serica (the Silk Road): Combining two cuisines at a new Milan restaurant
Chinese chef Chang Liu who has just turned 30 is the chef of a newly opened restaurant called Serica in Milan which aims to serve as a bridge between Chinese and Italian food. After three years working at the Michelin starred Yoji Tokojoshi which is known for Italian cuisine that is 'contaminated' with Japanese techniques, he has decided to open his own restaurant named Serica located in Milan, Italy. The young and talented Chinese chef has a range of experiences including at Daniel Boulud in Beijing, as well as an internship at Noma in … Continue reading
Tom Kerridge on British cuisine: “We have no shackles, we can go wherever we want’
British chef Tom Kerridge believes that the UK food scene at the moment is a phenomenal place to be in. That is not just due to the rich heritage that exists but also thanks to diversity that has emerged after 50 to 60 years of immigration from over the world which has created a wonderfully rich and eclectic mix of backgrounds and diversity in the food scene. "You can get a Michelin star for Chinese, Indian, curry houses, Japanese. All of these ingredients can become amalgamated or mixed together and could grow into our own food scene. We … Continue reading
Skiing, fine dining and wine in Austria this winter
For the first time ever, gourmet-skiing routes have been developed in five regions in Austria. Based on regional culinary traditions, they are designed to highlight the specialities of each region. The suggested routes combine leisurely skiing with getting to know both the ski resorts and the local cuisine. The regions are Salzburg Sportwelt, Schladming-Dachstein, Gastein, Grossarital and Hochkonig. From 16 to 23 March 2019, more than 20 hotels will be offering packages geared towards the theme of skiing and wine. For the whole week, wine … Continue reading
6 top chefs from Asia to cook in charity dinner at Hertog Jan
On Wednesday 19 December, just three days before the last service at Hertog Jan, 6 of Asia's top chefs will be guests of Gert De Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens and cook a dinner in aid of Music for Life. Together with Gert and the entire team of Hertog Jan, they will cook a special dinner that evening in aid of Music for Life 2019. Gert and Joachim announced the closure of their three Michelin star restaurant in Zedelgem on the outskirts of Brugge in January this year. They have decided to conclude the Hertog Jan chapter meaningfully. All … Continue reading
Diogenes the Dog: A wine bar in London that goes against the grain
With a laser focused vision Sunny Hodge is determined to shake up the London wine scene. He has set the bar high, wanting to turn a former pub in Elephant and Castle into one of London's top destination wine bars and after just a few weeks open he believes he is on the right track. The son of an Olympian and commonwealth games silver medalist and a graduate of Mechanical Engineering he has a contrarian vision just like Diognes, a Greek cynic who inspired the name of the wine bar. “I want Diogenes The Dog to be a place where people come to … Continue reading
The hunt for that elusive Belgian third star
When Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens announced they would be closing their flagship three Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan in Zedelgem, Belgium at the end of this year many started to speculate as to which restaurant or restaurants would clinch the third Michelin star. The closure of Karmelit, the restaurant of chef Geert Van Hecke in Bruges in 2016 had already been seen as a blow to a country that takes gastronomy so seriously. But, after last year’s announcements that the guide had visited a number of restaurants many times with … Continue reading
British chef Simon Rogan to open 2 restaurants in Hong Kong
Renowned British chef Simon Rogan is set to open two new restaurants in Hong Kong at the beginning of next year. This is the first time that Rogan is venturing outside the UK. The first will be Aulis Hong Kong.which is his first ever overseas chef's table and development kitchen concept in the heart of Hong Kong in early January 2019. It will be followed by the opening of sister venue Roganic Hong Kong in early February 2019. Simon already has five restaurants to his name including the 2 Michelin starred L'Enclume in the Lake District, … Continue reading
A tour of the world in 75 recipes: San book launched
Sang Hoon Degeimbre, Belgian chef of L’ Air du Temps in Liernu and creator of three successful San restaurants has launched a cookbook called San, Around the world in 75 recipes. The book is inspired by recipes of dishes that have been served in the San restaurants since the first one opened 3 years ago in Brussels. The concept behind the restaurant is to serve food in a bowl and to eat it with a spoon. The menu changes every month according to the seasons and the travels of San and his team and is always inspired by Belgium, Korea or … Continue reading
Arnaud Donckele from Le Vague d’Or places top in Le Chef’s 100 best chefs 2019 compilation
The awards season keeps on giving. Arnaud Donckele from the La Vague d'Or restaurant in Saint Tropez has been named the best chef in the world according to the Le Chef compilation of the 100 best chefs in the world for 2019. The second on the list Michel Troisgros also came from France while Jonnie Boer from the Netherlands placed third. The Le Chef list is compiled by asking two and three-starred chefs of Michelin restaurants to provide a list of five names they think best represent the cooking profession and the one name they would like … Continue reading
‘London opening at the Corinthia is a big deal for me’ – Tom Kerridge
Tom Kerridge, the first ever chef to clinch two Michelin stars for pub food at his restaurant The Hand and Flowers in Marlow has opened his first restaurant in London at the Corinthia Hotel. In London, it has been considered as one of the hottest openings of the year. "It is a big deal for me personally. I know it is massive but it is not daunting because I worked in London for 10 years before I opened the Hand and Flowers in Marlow," the British chef told Food and Wine Gazette in an interview at Tom Kerridge Bar and Grill. Tom is a … Continue reading
Four new grape varieties permitted for Austrian quality wine
Four new white wine varieties are now permitted for Qualitätswein (quality wine) in Austria, via a collective amendment to Austrian wine law. Three of these are fungus-resistant new crossings known as PIWIs. Blütenmuskateller, Goldmuskateller, Muscaris and Souvignier Gris, all white grape varieties, were elevated to the status of Qualitätswein varieties during the summer through a collective amendment to Austrian wine law. This increases the total of Qualitätswein varieties in Austria to forty. The inclusion of the Goldmuskateller (Moscato … Continue reading
How to make the perfect Prosecco based cocktails for Christmas
From Snowballs to Mulled Wine, no Christmas party would be complete without a festive cocktail or two. This year, Prosecco DOC has chosen their favourite Christmas cocktails to suit any kind of occasion and every kind of guest. With such a variety of styles and flavours available, the versatility of Prosecco DOC wines will take you through the entire festive period. At this time of year, in the lead up to Christmas, the month of December officially transforms into party season. Whether it’s a casual family get-together or a glamorous office … Continue reading
Get ready for disruption in the wine industry: How Gary Vaynerchuk and Empathy Wines plan to cut the middlemen and sell the best $20 wine
Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as Gary Vee has created Empathy Wines with a radical new way of selling wine. With the aim of eliminating the middlemen, Empathy Wines wants to sell the best possible wines at a $20 price point for wines that would normally sell at double the price. Jon Troutman, CEO of Empathy Wines told Food and Wine Gazette that staring a wine brand is something that Gary has been thinking about for two decades. "Gary finally had the right executives in place to help him. Both Nate and myself have been working with Gary across … Continue reading
No new 3rd Michelin star for Belgium but David Martin finally clinches 2nd star
Belgium has gone down from three Michelin star restaurants to 1 restaurant in the span of two years. Following the closure of Karmelit, the restaurant of Geert Van Hecke in Bruges in 2016 and the announced closure of Hertog Jan by Gert de Mangeleer in Zedelgem next month, the only restaurant to retain 3 stars in Belgium is Hof Van Cleve. Despite speculation that there could be potential candidates for a third star, the Michelin guide decided to retain all 2 Michelin star restaurants at that level and at least reflect for another year as to … Continue reading
New Alchemist in Copenhagen set to open early next year with 50 servings menu
A year after closing the former Alchemist, head chef and co-owner Rasmus Munk has revealed the features of the new 24,000 sq ft dream restaurant in Copenhagen. The new Alchemist is set to open its 100 sq ft bronze door early next year. The 27 year old chef opened the former Alchemist in 2015 with a vision of challenging the meal and serve more than just great food. When he designed the new Alchemist in 2016, his initial visions were accompanied by the dream of building a restaurant able to stimulate all the human senses to create complete … Continue reading
Brussels: Apero meets philosophy at Notos restaurant each month
In our rushed and busy times, we often don't sit down to reflect a bit about questions that impact our life, our relationships or our future. Brussels Greek restaurant Notos has teamed up with Apostrophos to organise themed philosophy evenings merged with an aperitif. Every month, on a Tuesday different themes from Greek philosophy will be explored. These will be mixed with a Greek wine and some traditional Greek dishes served by chef Constantin Erinkoglou. The first event was organised in October and centred around Philosophy vs … Continue reading
Uliassi gets third Michelin star in Italy
Uliassi was awarded with 3 Michelin stars in Italy when the French tyre company announced the publication of the new guide for 2019 in Italy. The 'seafood' restaurant of chef Mauro Uliassi is by the sea in Senigallia, Italy between the port channel and the beach. His cuisine is defined as simple and contemporary because it uses the best of today's technology while at the same time keeping to its traditional roots. The chef describes his cuisine as one that is continuously evolving and is influenced by his travels and his … Continue reading
Limited edition panettone by Niko Romito on sale
The famous Panettone Niko Romito, that is produced in the bread baking laboratory PANE in Castel di Sangro close to the three Michelin star restaurant Reale is on sale and available for distribution across Europe. Only 2,000 pieces are produced in two versions, the classic and one with chocolate. The daily baking process is long and accurate, the preparation takes place over three days and includes three progressive leavening phases. Flour, natural yeast, eggs, vanilla beans, butter, "Sulla" honey, home-made candied orange zests, … Continue reading
10 lessons we learned from Kasper Kurdhal (Le Chalet de la Forêt)
Kasper Kurdhal, executive chef of Le Chalet de la Forêt in Brussels, Belgium loves intellectual stimulation, discussion and reading. It is what guides him in his interactions with chef patron Pascal Devalkeneer and it is also what he cherishes in his friendships. Here are 10 lessons I've learned from my long conversation with this talented Danish chef. Learn to say no: At the age of 27, Kasper Kurdhal could have gone to Seville to open a restaurant for Ferran Adria. Most people would have jumped at such an opportunity but Kasper thought this … Continue reading
Impressive evolution at Risette, Valletta
In 2016, French chef Claude Bosi closed Hibiscus in London. On the closing night, Maltese chef Andrew Borg, who had worked at the two Michelin star restaurant with Claude Bosi, decided to surprise his mentor and former boss and booked to go for the final dinner. It is what the young Maltese chef loves doing. When he has the time, he is travelling in search of ideas and flavours and these experiences are starting to be reflected in Risette's cuisine. Since the end of 2017, he is at the helm of this restaurant that is housed in one of … Continue reading
New winemakers for Three Brothers Winery
Just two weeks before harvest began for the 2018 vintage, Kim White has joined the production team at Three Brothers Wineries and Estates as head winemaker. Paige Vinson was also appointed as assistant winemaker. The change came after winemaker Aaron Roisen announced he had accepted a new position at Dr. Frank Winery. White’s love of science and the ability to be creative are what attracted her to the wine industry and she enthusiastically describes her work as the best of both worlds. She has an impressive resume including harvest … Continue reading
Brussels: Russian night to inaugurate winter season at Le Chalet de la Forêt
Le Chalet de la Forêt, one of Brussels top restaurants will be organising a Russian night on Saturday 24 November at 8pm. Executive chef Kasper Kurdhal told Food and Wine Gazette that the dinner will inaugurate the winter season at the restaurant. "It is the start of winter. The restaurant will be decorated for Christmas from two days before the event and we wanted to initiate the winter season with this themed dinner. Russia provided the inspiration since the start of winter brings with it the cold, the Vodka, the sour cream," he … Continue reading
Record 2018 vintage for Austrian wine
The 2018 vintage, the earliest harvest ever recorded in Austria will exceed the previous year's volume with the most recent data from Statistik Austria estimating about 3.2 million hectolitres! Growers are reportedly pleased with the fine quality of the grapes, which could for the most part be harvested this year without much concern over potential diseases. Winegrowers were granted a nationwide increase of 20 per cent in the maximum yield per hectare to partially offset their crop losses from the 2017 vintage. More modest … Continue reading
Cake and Bubbles in London is Albert Adria’s first venture outside Spain
Albert Adria, voted the World's Best Pastry chef has opened Cakes and Bubbles, the first permanent location outside his native Spain. The dessert only venue opened on 7 November on Regent Street London at the Hotel Café Royal. The Spanish chef, brother of Ferran Adria who together worked at the legendary el Bulli and who today runs a restaurant empire in the el Barri area of Barcelona including Tickets had already opened a successful pop-up at the Hotel Café Royal in 2016 called 50 Days by Albert Adria. The hotel is located between … Continue reading
Niepoort’s 1863 port decanter sells for 100,000 Euros
A decanter by Lalique containing Niepoort's port wine from 1863 has been auctioned by renowned wine auction house Acker, Merrall & Condit in Hong Kong for more than 100,000 euros on 3 November. It was one of five precious decanters that contained the last few drops of this award-winning score that is not only rare but has scored 100 from US wine critic James Suckling and Jancis Robinson gave it 20 points out of 20. The wine comes from the 1863 harvest. Franciscus Marius Niepoort filled the great vintage in wooden casks and laid it … Continue reading
David Martin of Brussels restaurant La Paix is chef of the year for Gault & Millau
David Martin, chef of Brussels restaurant La Paix was named chef of the year by Gault & Millau when they announced the publication of the 2019 guide. A year after the chef had been told by Michelin that they had visited his restaurant more than 10 times but didn't consider him worthy of 2 Michelin stars, the French born chef who has been awarded the highest accolade by Gault & Millau for his personality, vision, expertise, creativity and courage. "He is inspired by French, Belgian and Japanese cuisine. This intelligent and … Continue reading