Having opened Casa Maria Luigia a few weeks ago, Massimo Bottura is already looking towards future projects. That’s him, constantly thinking about the future, about next projects. He is already in discussions to open more soup kitchens in Mexico, and with the help of Goldman Sachs, Amazon and Salesforce, New York, Seattle and San Francisco. He is even considering one in Bethlehem. But before the start of the Al Meni festival in Rimini last weekend, he took the time to share what his wife Lara Gilmore and he have learned from the opening of their inn on the outskirts of Modena. The inn, named after Massimo’s mother opened a few weeks ago. Massimo and Lara of the acclaimed Osteria Francescana in Modena have taken what they have learnt from their flagship 3 Michelin star restaurant and their Food for Soul project (which aims to feed the poor through the opening of soup kitchens in different cities around the world) to their new project. Casa Maria Luigia brings the world of … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2019
Veyrat speaks about the pain of losing a third star as he hits out at Michelin
Marc Veyrat, the 69 year old French chef of La Maison des Bois in Manigod, that lost the third Michelin star after just one year in January has said he is convinced that no Michelin inspector went to eat at the restaurant during the year in a damning interview he gave to Le Point. The French chef spoke for the first time about his pain, his depression and thinking the worse since he was given the news abruptly on 20 January. He admitted thinking about committing suicide on several occasions. "I've asked Michelin to show me the proof that they visited the restaurant last year by providing me with the receipts but they told me it would not be ethical. If Michelin had nothing to hide, why don't they show the receipts. Let them do it and then we can talk," he said 'they treated me with arrogance'. The French chef said he had not dared speak before but believes it is vital today. "I am uncomfortable with the turn of events at Michelin. Before they used to reward excellence, today they … [Read more...]
Mauro Colagreco’s Mirazur is first ever French restaurant to top World’s 50 Best list
It is turning out to be a magical year for Mauro Colagreco. Mirazur, his restaurant in Menton was named the number 1 restaurant at the World Restaurants Awards in Singapore. The top spot may not have come as a big surprise. The Italo-Argentinian chef of restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France has been a rising star for the past years and the only question everyone was asking was whether Noma would make it straight to number 1 or not given El Celler de Can Roca, Eleven Madison and the previous number 1 Osteria Francescana where no longer eligible for the award (see my comments here). Finally, the decision landed on Mauro Colagreco's restaurant which crowns a spectacular period for the always smiling chef who also received a third Michelin star a few months ago. By giving the award to Mauro Colagreco, the World's 50 Best Restaurants has also made a statement as Mirazur becomes the first ever French restaurant to top the list. In the top 10 there is also Alain Passard's L'Arpege in … [Read more...]
No space for legends: The hall of fame of the World’s 50 Best
Roger Federer has won 20 grand slams, Rafael Nadal 18. On the other hand Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray have only managed three each. But they've all been told to go into a hall of fame never to compete in a Grand Slam title again. Of course that’s not the case. Liverpool, the winners of the Champions League this year are also eliminated from next year's champions league and so are the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus. Their only problem is they've won the cup before. It is also imaginary. But this is the conundrum that the World's 50 Best restaurants finds itself in. As from this evening, the winner of the World's 50 Best, a newcomer unless it is René Redzepi's Noma who is eligible because he opened noma 2.0 in a new location after having closed down in the first will no longer be eligible to compete in the following year. Instead they will enter a hall of fame or a 'best of the best'. There have been seven in total who have won the top accolade … [Read more...]
Q&A with Antonia Klugmann: ‘The way I eat has impacted the way I cook’
Antonia Klugmann is chef of L’Argine a Venco, an acclaimed restaurant with a highly personal and unique cuisine in Venco, Fruili Venezia Giulia on the border with Slovenia. This is the second part of our interview with the Italian chef in the usual Q&A format. What is the best dish you’ve ever made? I hope that I still have to make it. The best dish you’ve ever eaten? I don’t know. I like so many things. Even a fruit that is perfectly matured and is eaten at its best can change your palate for ever. Do you cook at home? No. What do you like to eat when you don’t cook at home? I have been on a diet for around two years. So I like to eat soups, salad and meat but I don’t eat pasta and haven’t ate pasta for many months. This is a tragedy for me. But the way you think about your body also has an impact on how you feel. The way I eat has also impacted the way I cook in the restaurant. In my restaurant, I want to cook in a way that is healthy. For example, I … [Read more...]
New Alchemist in Copenhagen to open on 4 July with 50 servings menu
UPDATED: Two years 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 on 4 July. Bookings open on 22 June. 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 sensory dining experiences. This was always the vision for Alchemist, but now, he feels, the surroundings are ideal. “We were very happy in Århusgade. But the relatively few square feet have also had their limitations. I’m looking forward to showing new and old guests Alchemist’s full potential,” Rasmus Munk said. The new restaurant is more than 20 times bigger than the old one. The dimensions of the … [Read more...]
Massimo Bottura’s Al Meni to return this weekend with ‘green event’ in Rimini
Massimo Bottura, the acclaimed Italian chef is bringing 12 promising international chefs and 12 chefs from his region, Emilia-Romagna to Al Meni for a food festival he created a few years ago. The event takes place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June. Bottura will be directing the 24 chefs who will create magic under the Circo 8½ a giant coloured circus tent, set between the sea and the Grand Hotel that evokes a great master of world cinema: Federico Fellini. They will be the protagonists of 'Al Mèni' (meaning "hands" in Romagna dialect),. During these two days, the chefs will be taking turns working together in pairs in the large open kitchen to create unique dishes at street food prices. Nearby, an open-air market will be organised on the seafront promenade, offering gourmet and handmade products, meetings with authors and experts, workshops, itineraries with a personal shopper to discover quality products, and areas dedicated to designer street food and ice-cream. To top off … [Read more...]
The World’s 50 Best goes from 100 to 120 restaurants with some perennial favourites dropping from top 50
The World's 50 Best Restaurants list has grown this year from 100 to 120. The list from 51 to 120 was announced today with a number of favourites falling from the top 50. These include Alex Atala's D.O.M., Niko Romito's Reale, Arzak in Spain, Maemmo in Oslo, the Ledbury in London and Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo. This year's World 50 Best Restaurants list which will be unveiled next week will not feature the likes of Massimo Bottura, Daniel Humm and Joan Roca. The chefs of Osteria Francescana, Eleven Madison Park and Celler de Can Roca are no longer eligible to feature in the list and will instead go into a 'hall of fame'. It still has to be seen what the impact on the top 10 will be. It is the first time that the 'back list' or the list from 51-100 is extended to 120. The organisation said this was due to the fact that their sponsor is celebrating the 120th anniversary. Whether that means that next year's will include 121 restaurants remains to be seen. Only 6 women head … [Read more...]
Two brothers from another sea: Kobus van der Merwe cooks in Willem Hiele’s ‘magical world’
Thousands of kilometres separate South Africa from Belgium. But South African Kobus Van der Merwe, chef of Wolfgat and Belgian Willem Hiele, chef of the restaurant by the same name in Belgium have something that connects them to each other. It was therefore no wonder that Alexandra Sweden, who brought them together and introduced them through social media, termed them ‘Brothers from another sea’. Until a few months ago, the two chefs had not met despite a similar passion for the sea and ocean, for the people of their territory and their approach to cooking. Willem visited Kobus on a holiday earlier this year and there was instant chemistry. On Saturday, they cooked together for the first time at Willem Hiele’s restaurant in the Flemish seaside resort Koksijde. Kobus, whose restaurant, Wolfgat was recently awarded as ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Off-Map destination’ restaurant at the World Restaurant awards came to Belgium together with Margot Janse, a chef whose made a name … [Read more...]
Bar Bulot, new seafood pop-up restaurant by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens opens on 27 June
Bar Bulot, is a new pop-up restaurant that will open in the location of the first Hertog Jan and bistro L.E.S.S. on 27 June. The concept, created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens of Hertog Jan has been created just in time for summer. It is a seafood restaurant that will be open till October before works on a traditional Flemish restaurant they intend to open in the same spot will start. Gert and Joachim hope to open the new restaurant by the end of the year. In the meantime, visitors to Brugge will be able to savour a taste of the North Sea and France at the new bar Bulot. Their new summer project will have an outdoor terrace which is the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy time with friends and family. The restaurant will be entirely devoted to seafood. The Bulot team, led by chef Pieter Lefevere and host Maxime Depreitere (both former Hertog Jan), promises to bring the holiday atmosphere to each table. On the menu guests can … [Read more...]