One of Colombia’s most celebrated culinary figures and the chef-owner of Leo in Bogotá, Leonor Espinosa, has been named by The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 as the winner of The World's Best Female Chef Award. Previously recognised as Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2017, Espinosa has become one of the most important personalities in Colombia through her hard and consistent work, not only celebrating and promoting local Colombian products and flavours, but also highlighting the value of the country’s biodiversity and social aspects of gastronomy. A key figure in Colombia’s food renaissance, Espinosa relocated and reimagined her flagship restaurant last year in the upmarket Chapinero district of Bogotá. At the new venue, Espinosa has crafted a tasting menu with 100% of the ingredients sourced within the country and each dish forming part of a broader Colombian food narrative. The gastronomic experience is inspired by Espinosa’s ‘Ciclo-Bioma’ concept, which focuses … [Read more...]
‘It was time to return back home and execute my vision’ – Alvaro Clavijo on El Chato
BOGOTA: When Alvaro Clavijo returned to open El Chato in Bogota, Colombia after gaining experience in places like Noma, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Atera and Per Se it was a bit of a risk. With that CV, Alvaro could have not only have worked anywhere, he could also have opened a project in any part of the world and the odds would have been stacked in his favour for the venture to be successful. Returning to Colombia was, however, what he really wanted because it was here that he could showcase what he had learned in his travels around the world. He knew that the country offered lots of possibilities from ingredients that needed to be discovered to constraints of getting produce in a city that stands 1,600 metres above sea-level. Neither when things were not going as planned did Alvaro lose hope. Despite difficulties to get recognition particularly in the local press, he persevered taking on a lot of debt to finally make the restaurant one of the best restaurants in Latin America. … [Read more...]
Sixth edition of The Best Chef Awards to be held in Madrid
The 6th edition of The Best Chef Awards returns to Spain. This year, the event takes place on September 18, 19 and 20 in the Spanish capital Madrid. This international gastronomic event will include the Area Talks debates, the Food meets Science conference and will close with the grand Awards Gala where the best 100 chefs in the world will be announced. Gastronomy is a fundamental pillar of Spanish culture and this year, Madrid will be in charge of hosting professionals, journalists, foodies and chefs from all over the world for a new edition of The Best Chef Awards. After successful editions in Warsaw in 2017, Milan in 2018, Barcelona in 2019, a virtual edition in 2020 and the great return to Amsterdam in 2021, Madrid will become the center of the culinary world during these three days. This year's guests will be able to exchange knowledge with their colleagues from each continent and discover their great projects while enjoying one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, full … [Read more...]
Racines: a way with pasta
BRUSSELS: The large raviolo stuffed with a whole burrata and a tartare of red prawns flown in from Sicily is cooked for just 52 seconds in boiling water. Chef Ugo Federico of Brussels restaurant Racines wants the burrata to melt but remain inside the pasta and the tartare of prawns to be served as a tartare, i.e. still cold. The end result is not only spectacular to see but also to eat. It is one of the signature dishes at Racines but it is not the only spectacular pasta dish. Soon after, there is a tortellino ‘carbonara’. For purists, it is not exactly carbonara because Ugo is using Parmiggiano Reggiano that has been aged by Belgian cheese affineur Van Tricht instead of Pecorino Romano for the filling and there is truffle instead of guanciale to top it up. There is a pasta with nduja and provolone Silano from the same region that hits all the right notes. It is on the right side of spiceness and the creaminess from the melted cheese combined to perfection with the acidity given to … [Read more...]
Agustin Balbi named country brand ambassador of Argentina
HONG KONG: Argentinian chef Agustin Balbi has won the Marco Pais award and has been named Ambassador of the Argentine Country Brand by the government of Argentina. This award recognises Argentinian individuals who stand out in their daily work and whose contribution to the country brand at a national and international level is significant or has high impact. Chef Balbi opened Spanish/Japanese restaurant Ando in July 2020 in Hong Kong in collaboration with the JIA group. Since the opening he has gone from strength to strength earning a Michelin star just six months into the opening and retaining that start for the second year running. The chef-founder has also received the second highest Hong Kong ranking in the Best Chef awards 2021. He is the only Argentinian chef in Asia to be awarded a Michelin star. As the first Argentinian chef to receive a MICHELIN star in Asia, Chef Agustin blazes the trail for other Argentines working in the hospitality industry. Other Marca Pais … [Read more...]
Second batch of smoked mushroom garum by Noma Projects returns for sale next week
The Smoked mushroom garum sold by Noma Projects which instantly sold out when it was launched the first time will again be available for purchase next week. The team has been crushing, blending and brewing the next batch which goes on sale on Wednesday at 3pm. This is a pre-order for those subscribed to the Noma Projects newsletter. Products may sell out during pre-orders. If they are not, the garums will be sold to the general public on Sunday May 8. Due to high demand during the launch, Noma Projects is limiting sales to 1 product per person (one single, one bundle, one 4-pack, or one gift set) to allow more of their friends to order. Noma Projects said that international shipping rates have unfortunately been rising due to fuel surcharges but they were working to improve this as they grew the service. Fermentation and garums have been one of the sources of success of Noma as it shifted to a more vegetable based cuisine over the years. Now, two of their favourite garums will … [Read more...]
Weekend Food Festival returns to Rovinj in May with international lineup of top chefs
The Weekend Food Festival is finally returning this year to be held in picturesque Rovinj, Croatia, from 5-8 May 2022. Top culinary stars from around the world will be taking part in the festival in Rovinj, including Massimo Bottura, legendary 3 Michelin Star chef of Osteria Francescana in Modena, a restaurateur and a socially-driven visionary who has won The World's 50 Best Restaurant Award twice (voted The World's Best restaurant in 2016 and 2018); Dabiz Muñoz from Madrid’s mind-bending DiverXO (3 Michelin stars and current number 1 in the Best Chefs Awards 2021); chef Rasmus Munk from astounding Danish restaurant Alchemist (2 Michelin stars, the best restaurant in Europe in 2021 by OAD); Ana Roš (the best female chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017), whose restaurant Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia, also has 2 Michelin stars; and Himanshu Saini from the Tresind Studio Dubai, voted Best Restaurant as well as Best Chef from What’s On Awards Dubai and receiving fourth … [Read more...]
Kobe Desramaults to restart from Sicily after sabbatical with pop-up followed by permanent restaurant
On 1 June, one of Belgium’s most talented chefs Kobe Desramaults returns to cook after a sabbatical following the closure of his Gent restaurant Chambre Séparée. He will be cooking at Stazione Vucciria in Finale di Pollina. That will be temporary until he and his new business partners Franco Virgo and Stefania Milano, restaurant entrepreneurs in Sicily that are slowly putting the Italian island on the food map look for a new place in the Madonie mountains also in Sicily. The news that Kobe Desramaults would be settling in Sicily does not come as a surprise. In the past months, anyone following the Belgian chef on social media and particularly Instagram could see that he was spending more and more time in Italy and more particularly Sicily and he was particularly fascinated about the produce on the Sicilian island in particular the fish market of Catania. At Stazione Vucciria, a stone throw away from the sea, Kobe will present his distinct Nordic cuisine using Sicilian products. … [Read more...]
Eneko Atxa of Azurmendi opens Eneko Basque in Brussels
BRUSSELS: Eneko Atxa, chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant Azurmendi and Eneko, a chain of restuarants that serves traditional Basque food in Spain as well as internationally has opened a new restaurant in the Belgian capital, Brussels. Eneko Basque in Brussels brings Eneko's cuisine to Belgium. The Spanish chef's cuisine is a perfect trilogy of flavour, texture and aesthetics and is rooted in traditional Basque cooking. The flavour of home-cooked dishes are presented in innovative textures and techniques through various dishes. Eneko Atxa who was born in 1977 has five Michelin stars in total among them the flagship Azurmendi with a focus on innovation and sustainability. His passion and sensitivity, his cultural roots, his connection with the surrounding land and its products define the gastronomy of Eneko Atxa. Apart from restaurants in Spain, Eneko also has restaurants in London, Tokyo, Lisbon and now Brussels. The range of Eneko restaurants has been growing organically … [Read more...]
Daniel Humm launches Eleven Madison Home, a plant-based subscription service
NEW YORK: Daniel Humm, the chef of Eleven Madison Park that turned plant-based last year is doubling down with a new service called Eleven Madison Home. The subscription service aims to encourage customers to eat a plant-based diet for at least one day a week because Daniel Humm that even this would have a positive impact. The pack which arrives at your home every week includes a day's worth of meals that allow subscribers the chance to enjoy discoveries from the restaurant in the comfort of their homes while learning about a world of farmers, artisans, flavours and ingredients. Daniel Humm said that turning Eleven Madison Park into a plant-based restaurant has been the most exciting time of his entire career as a chef. "It has been meaningful and expansive. We are writing an entirely new language, one that challenges us to be creative and continuously learn. It is exciting to cook and eat this way. What we first thought might be limiting has proven instead to be invigorating," … [Read more...]