And the winer is…Noma Restaurant, Copenhagen, Denmark, Best in Europe!
World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards , 2012 edition
Chef René Redzepi and his team raised the roof at the 10th anniversary of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, as Denmark’s Noma was named no. 1 for the third year in a row. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list has been publishing since 2002 by Restaurant magazine, the UK’s leading publication for restaurateurs and chefs.
The standard bearer for the New Nordic movement, Redzepi’s meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach has enabled Noma to maintain its position at the coveted top spot of the list, which is widely considered to be the highlight of the global dining calendar.
Spain can claim 5 restaurants on the list including Arzak at no. 8, whose joint Head Chef Elena Arzak was awarded the Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef award.
The Chefs’ Choice award voted for by the World’s 50 Best chefs, was presented to Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz in San Sebastian. Devastated by a fire 2 years ago, the restaurant holds its place at no.3.
The British Restaurants also has plenty to celebrate with Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London shooting straight in at no.9 to take the Highest New Entry award, sponsored by Les Concierges, as well as establishing itself as the UK’s highest placed restaurant. Heston Blumenthal’s historically influenced British cooking has proved hugely popular with both the local and international judging panels.
Australian Brett Graham whose London establishment, The Ledbury, was last year’s Highest New Entry, rose an impressive 20 places to no. 14, taking the Highest Climber award.
Another restaurant clocking up a third consecutive win is Quay restaurant overlooking the sparkling Sydney harbour which returns home with the Best Restaurant in Australasia title and a very respectable no. 29 ranking.
The USA boasts 8 restaurants in the list this year, the highest of which is New York based Per Se, owned by legendary chef Thomas Keller, who was rewarded with the Best Restaurant in North America and the S.Pellegrino Lifetime Achievement accolade after spending each of the past 10 years of the awards on the list under one guise or another. His original Californian restaurant, The French Laundry, which held the top spot for two years (2003-04), has also reentered the list this year at no. 43.
With 6 restaurants on the list, the Asian contingent has secured its position on the gastronomic map and the event organiser took the opportunity to announce the launch of the new Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards at the ceremony, which will be held in Singapore in February 2013. The awards are welcomed by top chefs from the continent including Ignatius Chan from Iggy’s in Singapore, who took the Best Restaurant in Asia title at no. 26. He said, “Asia has a long culinary history and we offer a deep, diverse and rich gastronomic landscape. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is a fantastic platform to educate and showcase some of the greatest Asian restaurants to the world.”
La Grenouillère in northern France received the 2012 One To Watch accolade. Chef-patron Alexandre Gauthier took the reins of the restaurant from his father back in 2003 when he was just 24. Placed at no. 81, his adventurous and ambitious cuisine now excites critics the world over. Last year’s One To Watch, Frantzén/Lindeberg, based in Stockholm, lived up to expectations and rose 37 places to join the list at no. 20.
New for this year was the inclusion of the Slow Food UK Award, sponsored by Highland Park single malt whisky. The award, which champions chefs and restaurants that support small scale producers and sustainably sourced, quality produce, was presented to Steirereck from Vienna, Austria.
World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, winners for 2012:
1 Noma Restaurant- Copenhagen, Denmark
2 El Celler de Can Roca Restaurant- Girona, Spain
3 Mugaritz Restaurant- San Sebastián, Spain + the Chef’s Choice award for Mugaritz chef Andoni Luis Aduriz
4 D.O.M. – São Paulo, Brazil + Best Restaurant in South America Award
5 Osteria Francescana – Modena, Italy
6 Per Se – New York, USA + Lifetime Achievement Award for Per Se chef Thomas Keller + Per Se was named Best Restaurant in North America
7 Alinea – Chicago, USA
8 Arzak – San Sebastián, Spain + The World’s Best Female Chef for Arzak Head Chef Elena Arzak
9 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal – London, UK + Highest New Entry
10 Eleven Madison Park – New York, USA
11 Steirereck – Vienna, Austria + Slow Food UK Award
12 L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon – Paris, France
13 The Fat Duck – Bray, UK
14 The Ledbury – London, UK + Highest Climber Award
15 Le Chateaubriand – Paris, France
16 L’Arpège – Paris, France
17 Pierre Gagnaire – Paris, France
18 L’Astrance – Paris, France
19 Le Bernardin – New York, USA
20 Frantzén/Lindeberg – Stockholm, Sweden
21 Oud Sluis – Sluis, Netherlands
22 Aqua – Wolfsburg, Germany
23 Vendôme -Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
24 Mirazur – Menton, France
25 Daniel – New York, USA
26 Iggy’s – Singapore + Best Restaurant in Asia
27 Narisawa – Tokyo, Japan
28 Nihonryori RyuGin – Tokyo, Japan
29 Quay – Sydney, Australia + Best Restaurant in Australasia
30 Schloss Schauenstein – Fürstenau, Switzerland
31 Asador Etxebarri – Atxondo, Spain
32 Le Calandre – Padua, Italy
33 De Librije – Zwolle, Netherlands
34 Fäviken – Järpen, Sweden
35 Astrid y Gastón – Lima, Peru
36 Pujol Mexico City – Mexico
37 Momofuku Ssäm Bar – New York, USA
38 Biko – Mexico City, Mexico
39 Waku Ghin – Singapore
40 Quique Dacosta – Denia, Spain
41 Mathias Dahlgren – Stockholm, Sweden
42 Hof Van Cleve – Kruishoutem, Belgium
43 The French Laundry – Yountville, USA
44 Amber – Hong Kong
45 Vila Joya – Albufeira, Portugal
46 Il Canto – Siena, Italy
47 Bras – Laguiole, France
48 Manresa – Los Gatos, USA
49 Geranium – Copenhagen, Denmark
50 Nahm – Bangkok, Thailand
