One of the most important figures in Mexican gastronomy and chef owner of Rosetta in Mexico City, Elena Reygadas has been awarded the World’s 50 Best Restaurant’s 2023 Female chef of the year. She was Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2014 and since then Reygadas has become one of the most important figures within Mexican gastronomy. A passionate advocate for Mexican biodiversity and sustainable production, she has recently launched a female-focused scholarship programme in Mexico with the aim to promote greater gender parity in kitchens. With the goal of championing equal opportunities and strengthening the leadership of Mexican women in the gastronomic world, the ‘Beca Elena Reygadas’ scholarship is open to Mexican students who have been accepted into a culinary school. Reygadas said: “I’m very grateful and honoured to have been awarded by people I admire so much. Cooking is a communal practice. And so, for me, this award belongs to my entire team, as well as to all the women … [Read more...]
Suculent in five-week pop-up in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN: A bright, theatre-like sign marks the way to enter Suculent, located in the exotic, bohemian Raval-area of the Catalan capital. An area that’s fast, colourful, passionate, artistic and full of flavour. There, Antonio 'Toni' Romero has combined all those ingredients and reduced them to create dishes that after a decade of success, still keep wowing local and international guests. Now, the soul of Barcelona will move into The Japanese Tower of magical Tivoli Gardens in the heart of Copenhagen as Antonio Romero brings his beloved restaurant, Suculent, for a 5-week pop-up from April 24 to May 27. During these weeks, he will showcase the deep flavours that have made his restaurant a favourite amongst international foodies and star chefs in Spain. “It’s an honour for me and my team to take Suculent to Copenhagen and to Tivoli Gardens. Yes, Barcelona is one of the food capitals of the world, but Copenhagen is an equal great, so for us … [Read more...]
Simon Rogan takes over ION Harbour in Malta
VALLETTA: Renowned British chef Simon Rogan is the new chef patron of Ion Harbour, one of six 1 Michelin star restaurants on the Mediterranean island. Chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant L'Enclume in the Lake District, Simon Rogan has built a restaurant empire that today includes 9 restaurants in Lake District, London, Hong Kong and now Malta. Over the past 20 years, Simon has built not only a restaurant but also a sustainably-operated farm known as Our Farm but also nine award-winning restaurants. While Simon Rogan is chef patron, the executive chef is Oli Marlow who started working with Simon in 2012. Apart from working with Simon, he has an impressive pedigree having worked in some of the world's best restaurants from Eleven Madison Park in New York, Maaemo in Oslo and the Fat Duck in Bray before becoming headchef of Roganic in London where he earned a Michelin star. He became the executive chef of Roganic Hong Kong and Aulis in Hong Kong as well as Simon's Hong Kong bakery … [Read more...]
The reinvention of Mélisse, a Santa Monica institution
LOS ANGELES: The Last Days of Roger Federer: and other endings by Geoff Dyer is what came to mind when I came across the story of Mélisse, Josiah Citrin and Ian Scaramuzza. It is about endings, about choosing the best moment to step back and let the future take over. We very rarely know when it is the time to stop, when it is time to move on, when it is time for a big change. More often than not, and that has been the case in sports, in top-level careers, in art and even in restaurants, many don’t judge the moment to stop. But Josiah Citrin managed to avoid that with his once two-Michelin-starred restaurant Mélisse in Santa Monica. Since last year, he has put Scottish chef prodigy Ian Scaramuzza at the helm of a project that changed completely. The restaurant was an institution on the US West coast culinary scene but it needed a refresh and that has come in the form of a new opening in June 2021. The restaurant has 5 tables, an open kitchen and got back its two Michelin stars from … [Read more...]
‘Working hard to feed the soul’: Andreas Krolik serving an haute cuisine vegan menu in the green heart of an urban jungle
FRANKFURT: With all the accolades that Andreas Krolik has received you would think that he would be a household name. Two Michelin stars, a 19 out of 20 rating in Gault & Millau which places him firmly among the world's great chefs as well as the chef of the year title in 2017, Andreas, chef of Frankfurt based restaurant Lafleur prefers to let his cooking do the talking. Since 2014, way before vegetable-based cuisine became the trend of the day, Andreas has been serving a vegan menu alongside a normal menu where he extracts all the flavour from vegetables to make it as satisfying as eating meat or fish. A little shy and also humble, the German chef is slowly starting to be recognised outside of Germany. This year, he was invited to present his flavourful vegan cuisine at Madrid fusion and this will be followed by the same Madrid Fusion in Bogota later this year. He is also heading to London later this month to showcase his vegan cuisine in the margins of the World's 50 Best … [Read more...]
Growing in Strength – Brace in Copenhagen Turns Five Years Old
COPENHAGEN: It’s been a bumpy year, and the year has only just begun. In fact, it’s been a bumpy few years. The Coronavirus pandemic has caused catastrophic ripples, devastating small and large restaurants through the hospitality industry. Such an effect makes a birthday even more celebratory – proof that you’ve weathered the storm. For Brace, the Michelin Green Starred restaurant in Copenhagen, turning five years old, is both a cause for celebration and an opportunity to reflect on what has been. Opening in February 2017 under the guidance of Italian Nicola Fanetti, Brace burst onto the Copenhagen dining scene, promising Nordic-Italian cooking. Fanetti, a young chef from Malonno in Lombardy, had already spent a number of years in Copenhagen kitchens, working at Era Ora, followed by Noma and Quadri. However, eager to go it alone, he opened Brace with the ambition of blending cultures, showing guests how Italian and Danish culinary traditions can harmonise. Moving with the seasons … [Read more...]
Mads Refslund launches 12-month pop-up restaurant at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives
Acclaimed Danish chef and restaurateur, Mads Refslund, has launched a new pop-up restaurant at Soneva Fushi, the award-winning luxury resort in the Maldives. Located at Fresh in the Garden, a treetop dining destination that overlooks the resort’s extensive organic island gardens, the pop-up is based on Mads Refslund’s signature concept of Fire and Ice. “I always find inspiration in nature so to have the opportunity to cook among the treetops of Soneva Fushi is very inspiring,” says Mads Refslund. “The key focus of the pop-up concept at Fresh in the Garden is ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’, showcasing our natural instinct for how to work with nature’s bounty. The menu is evenly split: in ‘Ice’ items are untouched by heat, allowing them to reveal their pure beauty that nature has provided; in the contrasting ‘Fire’, cooking over live flame is used to enhance the ingredients. Together, the two sides create harmony and balance." The 12-month pop-up will offer guests at Soneva Fushi a rare … [Read more...]
The World of Aperitivo: a new Antwerp pop-up store
ANTWERP: The Italian dolce vita icon Martini, versatile Belgian lifestyle brand Serax and Italian caterer Franceso & Julia have teamed up to open an aperitivo experience store at Korte Gasthuisstraat in Antwerp between November 26 and December 31. The pop-up store has the theme ‘The World of Aperitivo’ and is aimed at offering ideas on how to welcome and surprise guests during the festive season. The store is a gift shop for the holidays and offers a wide range of festive accessories, Italian snacks as well as limited edition Martini gifts and drinks. The World of Aperitivo shop has all the ingredients to organise special moments or to purchase gifts and gift packages. These can be personalised on the spot. The shop offers workshops on how to organise the perfect apertivo. Various chefs will give visitors demonstrations and tastings will take place in the kitchen. It will also offer the visitor access to the world of Martini and the aperitivo moment. It is open every day … [Read more...]
Belgium for foodies: Favourite female top chefs
Belgium for Foodies is a new book that has just been released featuring 350 places in Belgium. It invites the reader to discover Belgium's extraordinary culinary scene by taking you on a trip through the country from the North Sea to the countryside as well as the vibrant cities. Written by Femke Vandevelde with photography by Tony de Luc, the book is made up of various lists which enables you to choose what you want from young talents to favourite female top chefs, Belgian fries done right, dining at the bar, places to eat drink and read and much more. The following is a list of favourite Female Top Chefs from the book published by Luster. Cachet de Cire A warm welcome, a serious menu, a quiet garden and an affordable drinks list are all trademarks of one of the best culinary discoveries. Lady chef Greet Verbeeck and maître Fée Van Doorselaere put a lot of effort into giving you that little extra something. The superb wines – check out the Belgian ones – are also available … [Read more...]
Mauro Colagreco takes the helm of two restaurants within The Maybourne Riviera
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin: Chef Mauro Colagreco will take the helm of two restaurants within The Maybourne Riviera. The soon-to-be-launched hotel joins London's iconic Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley as part of the Maybourne Hotel Group. The restaurants will be housed in the strikingly modernist hotel, built on a rocky peninsula high above the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. His flagship will be Ceto, focusing on the sea and will open on Saturday 9th October. Located on the hotel’s top floor with dramatic panoramic views out over the Mediterranean, it is a true parallel between the sky and sea and will reflect Mauro’s ambition and passion. However, Ceto will be more than just a restaurant, but also a ‘marine culinary workshop’ to deepen knowledge of the region’s aquatic species and research sustainable ecological solutions. Dishes will play with texture, flavour and cooking processes, with the grill the centrepiece of the restaurant’s open kitchen. The menu will … [Read more...]