ANTWERP: The World's 50 Best restaurants event that was set to be organised in Antwerp, Belgium on 2 June 2020 will not take place. 50 Best announced today that they have cancelled the 2020 event and this will take place in 2021, circumstances permitting. The organisation announced that it will not release its annual list in ranked format this year. "50 Best have taken the decision to postpone the event programme in Antwerp until 2021 if the situation allows. Its destination hosts, Visit Flanders and the City of Antwerp look forward to welcoming the gastronomic community next summer, when we sincerely hope that restaurants will be underway in a process of rebuilding and recovery." Willam Drew, the director of content for The World's 50 Best Restaurants said: "Given the circumstances globally, in 2020, we will put all our efforts into helping the restaurant sector to fight for its future, as well as assisting in the work that chefs and restauranteurs are doing to help … [Read more...]

Decline in bookings Nick Kokonas, the founder and CEO of Tock, a restaurant experience booking engine and co-owner of the Alinea Restaurant Group that includes Alinea, Next, The Aviary, Roister and St. Clair Supper Club has reported a considerable increase in the number of restaurant cancellations over the past few days. As the spike in coronavirus (COVID 19) cases rises around the world, anonymous data that represents restaurants, wineries, events in 30 countries and hundreds of cities around the world have shown a sharp decline of over 22 per cent. Writing on Twitter, Kokonas said that whole there has been a slight decline that began several weeks ago, a sharp decline took place in the past week. "Overall booking inflow is down 22 per cent while cancellations have spiked." He said that the good news is that inflow of bookings continued to exceed cancellations for restaurant bookings. However, Tock also sells experiences, i.e. restaurants that normally release tables on … [Read more...]

KOBARID: Ana Ros and Valter Kramer have decided to close Hisa Franko from Monday 16 March to Tuesday 31 March. Ana Roš, the award winning chef of the Slovenian restaurant in Kobarid said "After every rain, the sun comes out. And when the sun comes out, everything is so beautiful." This had to be a special month for Ana Ros and Walter Kramer. They were set to welcome people attending the European Food Summit, which has also been postponed, and they had announced workshops for clients throughout the month of March. Moreover, the first book by Ana Ros called Sun and Rain was also released this month. This is her first book. Through a collection of essays, recollections, recipes and photos, she shares the idyllic landscape that inspires her. Contributors to the book were Andrea Petrini and Kaja Sajovic. "We are taking precautionary measures to keep you and us safe from the new coronavirus (COVID-19). we are supporting each initiative that may help to overcome this … [Read more...]

Over the past few days it has become difficult to keep track of the news. The minute you set to write something, another piece of news changes everything. For most of us over the past few weeks we have been living in unprecedented territory. Unchartered waters. Moments after I was about to write about the voluntary decision of some Italian chefs to close their restaurants came the decision to close everything down. Elsewhere, from the United States to Slovenia, from Malta to Spain, restaurants are voluntarily closing down their places to safeguard their staff and also clients. In Belgium, the country where I live, restaurants, bars and cafes' seemed to have been taken by surprise when the government announced that they would have to close from today. Many seemed to be baffled by the decision though it is not only inevitable but also necessary if the coronavirus is to be stopped. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rcEpcJPSN/?igshid=1q7eu5sy8l1ab Kobe Desramaults showed … [Read more...]

MEXICO: Food for Soul, a foundation set up by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore to feed the poor has announced that together with Palace Foundation it will open the doors to Refettorio Mérida in Mexico. This is the first North American project which will open to celebrate Mérida’s rich culture and to engage the local community in building a more inclusive and equitable society. By bringing different people and perspectives together in a welcoming space, the aim of the Refettorio is that of building a sense of community and active participation, that is respectful of the many layers that make up present-day Mérida. Historically, the city has always been a melting pot of cultures. From the Maya to the Spanish, to more recent migrations from Korea and Lebanon, Mérida’s social fabric is a complex and colourful one. The semi-isolated nature of the Yucatán peninsula, considered too far and too difficult to reach from other parts of Mexico, meant that the area was able to … [Read more...]

Two major European wine fairs, Prowein in Düsseldorf, Germany and Vinitaly in Verona have been postponed. Prowein, which was due to take place from March 15 to March 17 has been postponed by Messe Düsseldorf because of fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Messe Düsseldorf said it was following recommendations from the German government’s crisis management team. No date has been announced for Prowein. Meanwhile, the organisers of Vinitaly announced yesterday (3 March) that they will also be postponing the fair as well as all other events revolving around Vinitaly such as the International Wine Academy to June. The revised dates for the fair have been set to 14-17 June. Originally Vinitaly was scheduled to take place between 19 and 22 April. Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, said: “Following the rapid evolution of the international situation giving rise to evident difficulties concerning all promotional activities, Veronafiere has decided to postpone the … [Read more...]

ROTTERDAM: The Best Chef has announced the Top 100 new candidates for the 2020 Awards as well as their plans for this year’s event which takes place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The event, will take place on 21, 22 and 23 September. The culinary platform will also host the Food Meets Science conference, the Area Talks live debate and the Award Gala in Rotterdam. Cristian Gadau, Creative Director and Founder of The Best Chef said “We are delighted to organize a prestigious event like The Best Chef Awards in Rotterdam, as the Netherlands plays an important role in contemporary gastronomy. This inspiring event is a unique gathering of top chefs from all over the world so it’s the perfect opportunity for the community, international visitors and industry professionals to stay up-to-date with what’s hot and happening in the global world of haute cuisine, as well as to connect them with their peers.” The Top 100 new candidates and voting process Each year, 100 new chefs … [Read more...]

HONG KONG: Ultra-Violet by Paul Pairet topped the Top 100+ Asia Restaurants of 2020 Opinionated About Dining list for the second year running. The restaurant is a single-table experimental space in Shanghai, China, that unites creative cuisine with multi-sensory technology. The immersive dining experience is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and since opening in 2012, French chef Pairet has continually challenged diners’ preconceived notions of taste and cuisine.  Marking its historic debut on the list in 2nd place is Sorn by Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri from Bangkok, Thailand. Set within an old, reconstructed house, the sophisticated cuisine at Sorn is inspired by the chef’s southern Thai upbringing, fusing vibrant native ingredients with the revival of long-lost recipes and techniques. Set at the pinnacle of Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, French gastronomic institution, Robuchon Au Dôme by Julien Tongourian claims the 3rd ranking on this year’s OAD Asia Top … [Read more...]

MILAN: Reopening a restaurant at the beginning of February in Milan might not be easy particularly as the spread of the coronavirus in Northern Italy has created panic. While some restaurants in Milan have to deal with some cancellations, chef-owner Yoji Tokuyoshi of Ristorante Tokuyoshi has decided to not only open the restaurant but also launch his aperitivo. The restaurant of the former sous chef of Massimo Bottura, who also has another restaurant Alter Ego in Tokyo which opened last year had been closed for three months for refurbishment. “We have decided to open and not be scared by the situation. Of course we are taking all the required hygiene measures as advised,” said Yoyi. The refurbishment project of Tokuyoshi was carried out by Milanese architectural studio Progetto e Paesaggio. The dining room is still painted in a colour much loved by Tokuyoshi: green, to represent his relationship with nature as a point of reference for his philosophy.  The feeling is … [Read more...]