Top 50 announced.

The world’s culinary world was in a lather for the annual global announcement from London. Some highlights:

  • René Redzepi’s Danish restaurant Noma returns to #1
  • Attica by Ben Shewry is Australia’s only restaurant on the list
  • Peter Gilmore’s Quay drops out of the list (#48 to #60)
  • Australian chef David Thompson Bangkok restaurant, Nahm storms to #13 (from #32) the highest for Asia
  • Gaggan, also in Bangkok, at #17 is the highest new entry
  • Helena Rizzo’s Mani rises to #36 and Helena herself winning the World’s Best Female Chef Award

Full list of winners.

The full media release is below.

worlds best 50 restaurants 3

NOMA REGAINS ITS TITLE AS THE S.PELLEGRINO WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANT

René Redzepi celebrates Noma’s return to the No.1 spot Attica, Melbourne is awarded Best Restaurant in Australasia, sponsored by Acqua Panna, at No.32.

Tonight, Danish restaurant Noma regained its title as The S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant. After nine years on the list and three consecutive wins in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Noma celebrates once again as it returns to the coveted No.1 position. The results were announced at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, in London – an event widely considered to be the highlight of the global gastronomic calendar.

Noma chef-owner René Redzepi is recognised for his highly original, sometimes visceral version of new Nordic cuisine. His food strives to reflect the Danish landscape and culture with signature dishes such as ‘Blackcurrant Berries and Roses’. Redzepi’s meticulous attention to detail, innovative approach to foraging and experimentation with fermentation – all driven by passion and a relentless curiosity – has once again brought his restaurant to the pinnacle.

Attica in Melbourne takes the title of Best Restaurant in Australasia, sponsored by Acqua Panna, for the second year running, coming in at No.32. Led by Ben Shewry, the cuisine is unique, imaginative, innovative and nature-led in its execution. Believing a chef should express himself through his cooking, Shewry takes his own experiences and memories, often from childhood, and portrays them through several dishes on Attica’s tasting menu. The result is a playful yet humble reminder of all that Mother Nature has to offer.

With seven restaurants on the list overall and two restaurants in the top ten, the USA matches Spain and France with the highest number of restaurants featured on the list. Eleven Madison Park in New York moves up one spot to No.4, retaining the title of Best Restaurant in North America, sponsored by Acqua Panna. Another award scooped by the USA is the One To Watch, sponsored by Dekton® by Cosentino, won by Saison, in San Francisco. New entry Coi, also located in San Francisco, debuts on the list at No.49.

Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca moves to the No.2 spot with plenty to celebrate with Jordi Roca winning the inaugural title of The World’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry®. Jordi is known for his creativity and irreverence when it comes to desserts; his vision matched by incredible skill and precision. Spain has seven restaurants on the list, three of which are in the top ten. Mugaritz is now at No.6, with fellow San Sebastian establishment Arzak remaining at No.8. New entry Azurmendi from Larrabetzu, near Bilbao, debuts at No. 26 and also picks up the Sustainable Restaurant Award, sponsored by Zacapa.

Italy has three restaurants on the list with Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana remaining at No.3 for the second year running. For the first time the UK has two restaurants within the top ten with Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at No.5 (climbing two places) and Brett Graham’s The Ledbury at No.10 (up three spots from last year). The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Fergus Henderson from St. John in London, recognising the fundamental contribution he has made to the UK’s culinary identity. France boasts five restaurants on the list with Mirazur moving up 17 places to No.11.

South America also has reason to celebrate with Helena Rizzo’s Mani rising 10 spots to No.36 and Helena herself taking home the Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef Award. Alex Atala’s D.O.M in São Paulo is placed at No.7 this year to once again pick up the accolade of being named Best Restaurant in South America, sponsored by Acqua Panna. Atala also receives the Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Gaggenau, which is voted for by the chefs on the list. The Highest Climber Award, sponsored by Lavazza, goes to Central in Lima Peru, now at No.15, having climbed an impressive 35 places.

Asia now boasts seven restaurants in the world ranking including the Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by Acqua Panna; Nahm in Bangkok, Thailand, which comes in at No.13 (up 19 places). Gaggan, also in Bangkok, is ranked No.17, scooping the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by LesConcierges.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, are announced annually at London’s Guildhall, culminating in the coveted award for the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is organised by Restaurant magazine and presented in the company of the world’s most influential restaurateurs, finest chefs and assembled international media.

William Drew, Group Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “It has been another exciting year for the awards and we are thrilled to have once again welcomed the world’s best chefs to London for a night of celebration within the industry. The appetite for reaching new gastronomic heights continues to grow and grow and we are honoured to play a small part in that process. It’s fantastic to witness the strength and breadth of talent that exists across all corners of the globe.”

How the list is compiled
The list is created from the votes of The Diners Club World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 900 international leaders in the restaurant industry. The Academy comprises 26 separate regions around the world, each of which has 36 members, including a chairperson, and each member can cast seven votes. Of those seven, at least three votes must recognise restaurants outside of the academy member’s own region.

The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’. Voters list their choices in order of preference, based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months. There is no pre-determined check-list of criteria.

Credits: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna and onEdition Photography, the official the photographers for 2014.