Alexandre Mazzia is used to high performance. So when in the middle of the pandemic he clinched a third Michelin star for the restaurant AM par Alexandre Mazzia it was not necessarily a surprise for him despite the fact that it came in a record six years. He has always set the bar high for himself. As a former professional basketball player he knew that he could count on a number of skills he learnt in sport that applied not only in life but also in his career as a restauranteur and chef. Focus was one such lesson. But another was the realisation that in sport, like in life, you need to fight first and foremost with yourself to be able to improve. “When you are in a high performance environment you need to improve your performance first and foremost for yourself. The team benefits from the individual’s performance,” he tells Food and Wine Gazette in a long conversation. “I’ve always been into collective sport. The idea that a group can be stronger than the sum of its individuals, … [Read more...]
7 chefs join forces for special fund-raising activity in aid of Antoine Alléno Association at Écriture
HONG KONG: On Thursday 23 March at Écriture, Maxime Gilbert will host a special chef collaboration dinner, pre-cocktail event and an auction to raise funds for the Antoine Alléno Association. Seven chefs, including Yannick Alleno, the father of Antoine who died tragically at age 24, will cook together in a unique dinner josted by Maxime Gilbert. He is uniting chefs who first worked together in the kitchen of Le Meurice 18 years ago. During this time, the restaurant achieved three Michelin stars under the direction of Yannick Alleno. For this night only, Yannick Alleno, Maxime Gilbert, Yoric Tieche, Cyril Bonnard, Julien Tongourian, Marie Wucher and Nicholas Beaumann (who together have a total of 24 Michelin stars) will cook together for a good cause. Chef Yannick Alléno launched the Antoine Alléno charity in 2022 as tribute to his son, Antoine, whose tragic passing at 24 years old sparked his desire to help prevent acts of violence against young people, and to provide support … [Read more...]
Best grillers in the world to convene in Barcelona for Meat & Fire festival
BARCELONA: Some of the world’s best grillers will convene in Barcelona between 2, 3 and 4 June for the first Meat & Fire festival to be held in Barcelona. Held at the Moll de la Fusta in the Port Vell, it will occupy an area of 6,000 square metres where for three days a 45 of the best grillers in the world will be on 30 grills and attendees will be able to taste dishes made with different cuts of meat. At Meat & Fire there will be different spaces within the festival itself: shared spaces set up for attendees, outdoor bars, stages for musical events and a marketplace where you will find different artisans with products related to meat and grill. "Fire is an ancestral element and a vehicle for enhancing flavour. It is a technique, a tradition, an ally. It is primary, it is ember, it is smoke, and it is primordial. Meat, in its many forms and interpretations, is flavour, texture, gastronomy, identity and quality. And thanks to our passion for fire and meat, this festival is … [Read more...]
‘This is one of the best days of my life’ – Karen Torosyan as Bozar finally clinches 2 Michelin stars
MONS: Yes! Yes! Karen Torosyan shouted on stage in Mons yesterday after it sank in that he had finally clinched a second Michelin star. Five years ago, the Armenian chef took over Bozar Restaurant from his mentor David Martin and has been working hard to reach this achievement. And there was no one better to announce the two Michelin stars than David Martin of Brussels restaurant La Paix who looked emotional as he announced the only two Michelin star restaurant to make the grade in 2023 for Belgium and Luxembourg. The embrace between the two as Karen Torosyan went on stage said it all. On the same day, Michelin also named the 16 new restaurants that clinched a Michelin star for Belgium and Luxembourg. In total, there are 816 restaurants in the guide, 149 restaurants have a star and 147 restaurants have a Bib Gourmand. The Michelin Guide also awarded four restaurants with a Green star. David Martin not only saw his former colleague Karen Torosyan clinch his second star but he … [Read more...]
Alexandre Couillon clinches third Michelin star for restaurant La Marine
STRASBOURG: Alexandre Couillon was the only chef to clinch a third Michelin star for his restaurant La Marine when the Michelin Guide announced its results for 2023 at a ceremony today in Strasbourg. Observers were curious to see what the guide would announce following the decision to remove the third star from Guy Savoy and Christopher Coutanceau which was announced the previous week. Today there are 29 restaurants in France that have three Michelin stars, a decrease of two restaurants compared to the previous year. In total there are 630 Michelin starred restaurants in France compared to 615 the previous year. Four new restaurants earned two Michelin stars. All the restaurants, unlike previous editions are not in Paris, a sign that Michelin is looking to reward terroir and identity of restaurants. The four restaurants to clinch 2 stars weer Cyril Attrazic in Aumont-Aubrac, Chateau de Beaulieu in Busnes, L'Amaryllis in Burgundy and L'Auberge de Montmin in … [Read more...]
Hélène Darroze launches burger concept Jòia Bun in Paris
PARIS: Internationally acclaimed chef Hélène Darroze will launch her new concept Jòia Bun, tomorrow March 7 in the 2nd Arrondissement in Paris. Located only a few hundred metres from her already popular bistro, Jòia, Jòia Bun is the result of a successful venture she explored during the Covid lockdown of 2020-21. "During the pandemic, when restaurants were closed, my team and I launched a takeaway and delivery pop-up of premium burgers called Jòia Burger. A casual, adapted and extended offering, in line with our values and vision of gastronomy. It was a huge success, and we soon built a loyal following. When the restaurants finally reopened, we had to regretfully close it. When this new site became available at 16 Rue de la Michodière, I knew I had found the ideal location to meet the demand. I'm so pleased to bring the burgers back with the new Jòia Bun," `Hélène said. Modelled on an American Diner, Jòia Bun will be lively and authentic with an open kitchen and bar, mixed … [Read more...]
Care’s on Tour returns home
The second part of the event co-founded by chef Norbert Niederkofler returned to Bruneck in South Tyrol after its success in Venice. The event which brought together over 200 guests was held in Burdock and Kronplatz among the snowy peaks of AlpiNN - Food Space and Restaurant where the foundation is located. The international sustainability event, created by Norbert Niederkofler and Paolo Ferretti is based on Niederkofler’s Cook the Mountain philosophy. Chefs and guests will focus on questions like how to reduce waste and protect such precious territory and how to rely on the circular economy to encourage reuse. On Saturday evening, an unprecedented 44-hands dinner was organised. Norbert Niederkofler cooked with 22 young established chefs who had joined him in the kitchen at the St Hubertus - Hotel Rosa Alpina over the years and have therefore helped him spread his philosophy around the world. These were Mattia Agazzi, Bernhard Aichner, Eugenio Boer, Simone Cantafio, Fabio … [Read more...]
Fernando is the new one Michelin star restaurant in Malta
VALLETTA: In a week where the Michelin Guide announced rather unusually to the world that two of France’s three Michelin star restaurants had been stripped of their third star, it was also time for the new announcements in Malta. Fernando Gastrotheque, a restaurant in Sliema is the sixth restaurant in Malta to clinch a Michelin star. The restaurant’s chef is Laszlo Sragli who made a name for himself around Malta but who has also gained experience working in top restaurants around Europe and Asia. The five restaurants that were awarded one Michelin star previously retained their star. These are Noni, Under Grain and Ion - The Harbour in Valletta, De Mondion in Mdina and Bahia in Balzan. The latter retained its star after moving from Lija to neighbouring Balzan. Fernando becomes the second ‘independent’ restaurant not attached to a hotel to earn a Michelin star in Malta. The other one is Noni by chef Jonathan Brincat. Speaking about Fernando Gastrotheque, Michelin said the … [Read more...]
End of an era for Hof Van Cleve as restaurant to change hands at the end of the year: Peter Goossens to pass over the helm to Floris Van Der Veken
Peter Goossens and his wife Lieve Fermans have announced that they will quit the highly acclaimed Belgian restaurant Hof Van Cleve which has been open since 1986 at the end of 2023. Considered to be the contemporary father of Belgian cuisine, Peter Goossens will pass on the helm of the restaurant to his executive chef Floris Van Der Veken who will change his role to becoming the owner of the restaurant and its over 20 staff. The restaurant, one of only 3 Michelin star restaurants in Belgium and one of very few restaurants in the World that have remained in the World’s 50 Best restaurants list for more than 15 years will change hands on 1 January 2024. The 57-year-old chef that he and his wife had been thinking about this decision for the past few years also to give a new direction to their professional lives. In fact, Peter Goossens will be opening a new restaurant at Hotel La Reserve in Knokke. The Belgian chef is confident that his right hand man Floris is the … [Read more...]
St Hubertus in Italy to close in March: Future of three Michelin star restaurant unknown
SAN CASSIANO: The St Hubertus, a three Michelin star restaurant will close for refurbishment at the end of March and it is unlikely to reopen in its current format. Speaking about the closure of the restaurant, Norbert Niederkofler, executive chef of the restaurant the the Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano said that the closure for renovation of the restaurant is a consequence of the owner's decision to renovate the hotel in which it is located. The chef had helped reshape the restaurant from a humble mountain village restaurant into one of the top restaurants in Italy and the world. "This project has been in the pipeline for months. I fully support the decision to revise the concept behind the structure and the cuisine and I am offering my experience in this regard. With regard to the Michelin stars, it will only be this that will define future possible assignments. I will do everything I can to confirm them, said the South Tyrolean chef. He said that together with the … [Read more...]