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 introduction of a Best of the Best group which is made up of former no 1 restaurants on the list who will no longer be eligible in the annual ranking. The restaurants that will be promoted to the Best of the Best group from June 2019 include the now-closed el Bulli, The French Laundry, The Fat Duck, El Celler de Can Roca, Eleven Madison Park, current … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2019
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 successful launch of Aulis Cartmel within L’Enclume in the Lake District in 2016. This followed with the opening of Aulis London in 2017 as a standalone development kitchen for Rogan’s London-based team of chefs at Roganic, which opened in January 2018. Roganic achieved a Michelin star only nine months after opening with Head Chef Oli Marlow at the helm. With five restaurants already to his name, including 2 Michelin Starred L’Enclume, 1 … [Read more...]
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 cooking at the highest levels to focus on this charity two years ago believes that 'nobody can learn on an empty stomach'. The chefs that will be taking part include among others Pascal Barbot of L'Astrance, Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur, Rodolfo Guzman of Borago, Virgilio Martinez of Central Lima and Alain Passard of L'Arpege. Tickets for the event will be on sale as from tomorrow 9 February at 9am on the following link. This is the first … [Read more...]
A new chapter begins for Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens
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 Bistro L.E.S.S. will open in the centre of Bruges in the coming weeks and the works are going on at full steam. Just under a year ago, Gert and Joachim shocked their Belgian and international followers when they announced the decision to close their flagship restaurant in December last year. Many could not understand their decision and some still cannot understand why they walked away when they were at the top. Some still wonder what made them take that drastic decision though it might be easy to … [Read more...]
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 friends. Your favourite dish? It depends on where you are at but probably it would be fish and chips sitting on the beach at winter time. Is there something you don't eat? I have a shellfish allergy so shellfish. One thing in a professional kitchen that should be in every person's kitchen? A very nice set of knives that are sharp and work. Best places to eat in the UK? Bidendum or Core by Clare Smyth in London, Restaurant Sat Bains … [Read more...]