Tonight, at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants were announced – and there’s a new number one.
Manhattan restaurant Eleven Madison Park took out top honours, knocking previous winner, Italy’s Osteria Francescana, down one spot. Eleven Madison Park restaurateur Will Guidara accepted the award on behalf of all 150 staff, and spoke of the talent present in the room.
“We, all of us in this room, have dedicated our careers to creating experiences which we hope will become extraordinary experiences in other people’s lives,” said Guidara.
“We, collectively, all of us here, get to create these magical worlds where people can escape in a moment which increasingly needs a little bit more magic.”
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Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca rounded out the top three, and was also recognised with the Art of Hospitality award.
Australia’s highest-placed chef is Newcastle-born chef Brett Graham, whose London restaurant, The Ledbury, landed at number 27, a drop from 14 last year. Fellow Australian chef David Thompson followed at 28 for his fiery Thai cooking at Nahm, Bangkok.
Rising one spot from last year to number 32, Melbourne’s Attica is again Australia’s highest-ranking restaurant, and was also awarded the title of Best Restaurant in Australasia. Dan Hunter’s regional Victorian restaurant, Brae, came in at number 44, while, on the extended 51-100 list, Sydney restaurant Quay rounded off Australia’s appearances at 95.
“This is a brilliant result for Brae,” said GT Victoria editor Michael Harden. “It’s an acknowledgement of the energy and passion of Dan Hunter and his team and how hard they work to ensure that the food and the experience at the restaurant is always evolving.”
“Dan’s driven by a love of the local and his degustation menus are abstract portraits of the surrounding region rendered in flavour. The food is as delicious as it is interesting, as fun as it is technically precise. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
“I think this is a result for Australia that we can all be proud of,” adds GT managing editor Pat Nourse, who also chairs the voting for Australia. “The representation on the list is great, but I think, in the bigger picture, having the awards in Melbourne and having such a large contingent of top international talent and press in Australia for the week should go a long way to getting the rest of the world up to speed with what we all know here: that Australia is a hell of a great place to eat and drink right now.”
As previously announced, Ana Roš of Hiša Franko in Slovenia accepted the award for the World’s Best Female Chef, and British chef Heston Blumenthal took out this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. As for up-and-comers, this year’s Highest New Entry was France’s Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, débuting at number 31, while the One to Watch award went to number 55 restaurant Disfrutar in Barcelona. Previous winner, Tokyo restaurant Den, placed at number 45 this year.
If you’re wondering why Réne Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant Noma is absent, it’s currently closed before reopening later this year.
The list from 1-50:
1. Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA
2. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
3. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
4. Mirazur, Menton, France
5. Central, Lima, Peru
6. Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain
7. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
8. Maido, Lima, Peru
9. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain
10. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
11. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocatino Hills, New York, USA
12. Arpège, Paris, France
13. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France
14. Restaurant André, Singapore
15. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
16. D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
17. Le Bernardin, New York, USA
18. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
19. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
20. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
21. Alinea, Chicago, USA
22. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
23. White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia
24. Amber, Hong Kong, China
25. Tickets, Barcelona, Spain
26. The Clove Club, London, UK
27. The Ledbury, London, UK
28. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
29. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
30. Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain
31. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France
32. Attica, Melbourne, Australia
33. Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
34. De Librija, Zwolle, Netherlands
35. Septime, Paris, France
36. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK
37. Saison, San Francisco, USA
38. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
39. Relae, Copenhagen, Denmark
40. Cosme, New York, USA
41. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China
42. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
43. Reale, Castel Di Sangro, Italy
44. Brae, Birregurra, Victoria, Australia
45. Den, Tokyo, Japan
46. L’Astrance, Paris, France
47. Vendôme, Bergisch Gladback, Cologne, Germany
48. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany
49. Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina
50. Hof van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
