MARSEILLE: Alexandre Mazzia, chef of Restaurant AM, the new three Michelin star restaurant in Marseille, France has the feeling that he has finally become a ‘cook’. “I can hardly believe this. It is unthinkable, unimaginable and yet its true,” the French chef who has been breaking boundaries with his unique perspective on food. A former basketball player, he opened restaurant AM in Marseille in 2014. Now, during the closure of his restaurant, he has been one of the most active and creative chefs during the pandemic opening a food truck selling his ‘jewels’ in a 24 euro lunch box. It is a project he wants to keep even when the pandemic is over. “As a child, my school report used to read ‘a dreamy pupil’ or ‘can do better’. But this never weakened my quest to create an identity for myself. I tried not to please everyone and instead focused on a more personal approach, focusing on learning about my territory, to understand the raw material and also to learn to appreciate myself” … [Read more...]

Viki Geunes of Zilte clinches third star MONS: Belgium has a new three Michelin star restaurant. After years of waiting, the new three Michelin star restaurant is Zilte in Antwerp led by chef Viki Geunes. He joins Peter Goossens of Hof van Cleve who retained his three stars making Zilte the second three Michelin star restaurant in Belgium. In a year that has been complicated by restaurant lockdowns which are still ongoing in Belgium and with restaurants having been closed for nearly six months throughout 2020, this must have been the most complicated year to judge restaurants. "We are speechless and can't be more proud. Thank you all for the amazing support," Viki Geunes said. Michelin also awarded two restaurants with two Michelin stars. One is Castor of chef Maarten Bouckaert of Castor. Batholomeus in Knokke with its new concept led by chefs Bart Desmidt and Philip Vandamme also clinched the two stars. The guide has also awarded 10 restaurants with one Michelin … [Read more...]

CASTEL DI SANGRO: Niko Romito has announced the opening of a campus in Abruzzo aimed at sharing knowledge on the culture of food with the aim of giving everyone access to healthy food. In partnership with the Science and Nutrition department of the prestigious Sapienza University of Rome, the project involves the physical construction of the research and higher academic training centre in Abruzzo. “This is my great project on the future of food,” Niko Romito, the chef of the three Michelin star restaurant Reale said. The aim of the new campus is to create a new paradigm when it comes to food transformation. "I want to ensure that food can be both healthy and also sustainable thanks to democratic and widespread access," he said. “In this new campus, I want to to share knowledge and develop a new culture of food that is based on health, sustainability, circular economy, solidarity and making it accessible to all. I would like to maintain the same scientific and technical approach … [Read more...]

Asia’s largest culinary event in 2020, International Chefs Summit Asia 2020 was held successfully in the Taichung National Theatre in Taipei last week. This was especially significant in such difficult times for the world. The event, organised by FIM MEDIA brought together 23 renowned chefs from 6 main Asian cities. International Chefs Summit Asia (ICSA) is an annual international event that started in 2017. It has been held in Taiwan since except for last year when the event was held in Singapore. Due to the impact of COVID-19 globally this year, chefs in major Asian cities could not attend this grand event in Taiwan. However, they still managed to share their cooking ideas, plans & expectations for post-pandemic times via pre-recorded videos or live streaming meetings in order to bring hopes to the entire culinary world.  “This year’s theme is when ‘the east meets the west.’ It is to stress that even at such difficult times, Asia’s chefs can still make breakthroughs … [Read more...]

MILAN: Federico Gordoni had to reinvent the 2020 edition of the Milano Wine Week. Now, despite the COVID-19 emergency, he has already set the new dates for next year’s events which will take place from 2 to 10 October 2021. “The 2020 edition has forced us to rethink a new model of a trade show in the world of wine,” said Federico, the creator and organiser of the event. “Despite everything, we managed to plan an event that was interesting internationally with direct and virtual involvement of the sector’s main players from companies to restauranteurs, tasters, sommeliers and specialised press.” Through forward planning and the transformation of the organisation to digital, Milano Wine Week succeeded in asserting itself as one of the largest international events dedicated to the world of wine in 2020. The technology used, thanks to a specially created platform ensured a future oriented edition could take place allowing for an agenda of virtual and in-person tastings, … [Read more...]

BRUSSELS: An iconic Brussels café and brasserie in St Gilles has taken to crowdfunding to try and save itself from the jaws of bankruptcy. Brasserie Verschueren has raised EUR 3,680 out of a target of EUR 20,000 from 127 growfunders. The campaign will last 14 days. The Brasserie is asking for contributions from EUR 10 to EUR 1,500 with a promise of a warm welcome from the owners and staff as well as a beer on the house upon the reopening of the café after bars and cafés are allowed to reopen COVID-19 permitting. Robert, the owner of the iconic café said that he never managed that he would be in this situation one year ago but five months of lockdown have had a dramatic impact on the business. He said that despite two months of reduction in rent from the landlord, this was not enough to save the cafe. The bank had not been forthcoming and support from the local authorities was not available to those who had at least 10 full-time employees. "Tell me, which café has 10 full … [Read more...]

COPENHAGEN: Christian Puglisi, chef and owner of restaurants Relae, Manfreds, Baest, Mirabelle Bakery and Mirabelle Restaurant had different plans for the closure of Reale which he announced earlier this year. He was definitely not expecting a lockdown to stop him from serving a last supper at the restaurant. The chef of Italian origin made a huge impact on the Danish scene with his sustainable approach. "We were writing the last chapter of the history of Relae as old friends were coming by for one last meal before we shut our doors for good." "Unfortunately this year has one more surprise for us with a second Danish lockdown ripping out the last two weeks of our calendar," the restaurant said on its Instagram account. "It is causing us great disappointment that we cannot celebrate the final day in the way we were planning to, but we fully understand the need for such desperate measures. We are still in the middle of a pandemic threatening the health and lives of millions … [Read more...]