It is turning out to be a magical year for Mauro Colagreco. Mirazur, his restaurant in Menton was named the number 1 restaurant at the World Restaurants Awards in Singapore. The top spot may not have come as a big surprise. The Italo-Argentinian chef of restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France has been a rising star for the past years and the only question everyone was asking was whether Noma would make it straight to number 1 or not given El Celler de Can Roca, Eleven Madison and the previous number 1 Osteria Francescana where no longer eligible for the award (see my comments here). Finally, the decision landed on Mauro Colagreco's restaurant which crowns a spectacular period for the always smiling chef who also received a third Michelin star a few months ago. By giving the award to Mauro Colagreco, the World's 50 Best Restaurants has also made a statement as Mirazur becomes the first ever French restaurant to top the list. In the top 10 there is also Alain Passard's L'Arpege in … [Read more...]
New Alchemist in Copenhagen to open on 4 July with 50 servings menu
UPDATED: Two years after closing the former Alchemist, head chef and co-owner Rasmus Munk has revealed the features of the new 24,000 sq ft dream restaurant in Copenhagen. The new Alchemist is set to open its 100 sq ft bronze door on 4 July. Bookings open on 22 June. The 27 year old chef opened the former Alchemist in 2015 with a vision of challenging the meal and serve more than just great food. When he designed the new Alchemist in 2016, his initial visions were accompanied by the dream of building a restaurant able to stimulate all the human senses to create complete sensory dining experiences. This was always the vision for Alchemist, but now, he feels, the surroundings are ideal. “We were very happy in Århusgade. But the relatively few square feet have also had their limitations. I’m looking forward to showing new and old guests Alchemist’s full potential,” Rasmus Munk said. The new restaurant is more than 20 times bigger than the old one. The dimensions of the … [Read more...]
Massimo Bottura’s Al Meni to return this weekend with ‘green event’ in Rimini
Massimo Bottura, the acclaimed Italian chef is bringing 12 promising international chefs and 12 chefs from his region, Emilia-Romagna to Al Meni for a food festival he created a few years ago. The event takes place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June. Bottura will be directing the 24 chefs who will create magic under the Circo 8½ a giant coloured circus tent, set between the sea and the Grand Hotel that evokes a great master of world cinema: Federico Fellini. They will be the protagonists of 'Al Mèni' (meaning "hands" in Romagna dialect),. During these two days, the chefs will be taking turns working together in pairs in the large open kitchen to create unique dishes at street food prices. Nearby, an open-air market will be organised on the seafront promenade, offering gourmet and handmade products, meetings with authors and experts, workshops, itineraries with a personal shopper to discover quality products, and areas dedicated to designer street food and ice-cream. To top off … [Read more...]
The World’s 50 Best goes from 100 to 120 restaurants with some perennial favourites dropping from top 50
The World's 50 Best Restaurants list has grown this year from 100 to 120. The list from 51 to 120 was announced today with a number of favourites falling from the top 50. These include Alex Atala's D.O.M., Niko Romito's Reale, Arzak in Spain, Maemmo in Oslo, the Ledbury in London and Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo. This year's World 50 Best Restaurants list which will be unveiled next week will not feature the likes of Massimo Bottura, Daniel Humm and Joan Roca. The chefs of Osteria Francescana, Eleven Madison Park and Celler de Can Roca are no longer eligible to feature in the list and will instead go into a 'hall of fame'. It still has to be seen what the impact on the top 10 will be. It is the first time that the 'back list' or the list from 51-100 is extended to 120. The organisation said this was due to the fact that their sponsor is celebrating the 120th anniversary. Whether that means that next year's will include 121 restaurants remains to be seen. Only 6 women head … [Read more...]
Two brothers from another sea: Kobus van der Merwe cooks in Willem Hiele’s ‘magical world’
Thousands of kilometres separate South Africa from Belgium. But South African Kobus Van der Merwe, chef of Wolfgat and Belgian Willem Hiele, chef of the restaurant by the same name in Belgium have something that connects them to each other. It was therefore no wonder that Alexandra Sweden, who brought them together and introduced them through social media, termed them ‘Brothers from another sea’. Until a few months ago, the two chefs had not met despite a similar passion for the sea and ocean, for the people of their territory and their approach to cooking. Willem visited Kobus on a holiday earlier this year and there was instant chemistry. On Saturday, they cooked together for the first time at Willem Hiele’s restaurant in the Flemish seaside resort Koksijde. Kobus, whose restaurant, Wolfgat was recently awarded as ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Off-Map destination’ restaurant at the World Restaurant awards came to Belgium together with Margot Janse, a chef whose made a name … [Read more...]
Bar Bulot, new seafood pop-up restaurant by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens opens on 27 June
Bar Bulot, is a new pop-up restaurant that will open in the location of the first Hertog Jan and bistro L.E.S.S. on 27 June. The concept, created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens of Hertog Jan has been created just in time for summer. It is a seafood restaurant that will be open till October before works on a traditional Flemish restaurant they intend to open in the same spot will start. Gert and Joachim hope to open the new restaurant by the end of the year. In the meantime, visitors to Brugge will be able to savour a taste of the North Sea and France at the new bar Bulot. Their new summer project will have an outdoor terrace which is the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy time with friends and family. The restaurant will be entirely devoted to seafood. The Bulot team, led by chef Pieter Lefevere and host Maxime Depreitere (both former Hertog Jan), promises to bring the holiday atmosphere to each table. On the menu guests can … [Read more...]
London is Europe’s pizza capital closely followed by Paris according to 50 Top Pizza
London has emerged as Europe's pizza capital in a newly unveiled list of the 50 top pizzeria's in Europe. 50 Kalo, the pizzeria in London which opened in July last year tops the list. The pizzeria of Ciro Salvo is the second one after the one he opened in Naples in 2014. He is the third generation of master pizza makers, Ciro has won accolades from some of the world's best guides. In total, London has 8 pizzerias in the 50 top pizza list closely followed by Paris with 7. Bijou, in Paris placed second while Baest in Copenhagen placed third. 50 Kalo di Ciro Salvo Pizzeria, London, UKBijou, Paris, FranceBaest, Copenhagen, DenmarkOber Mamma, Paris, FrancePizzeria Luca, Copenhagen, DenmarkKytaly, Genève, SwitzerlandLilla Napoli, Falkenberg, SwedenAddomme, London, UK L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, London, UKGazzo, Berlin, GermanyMother, Copenhagen, DenmarkL’Antica Pizzeria, London, UKNnea pizza, Amsterdam, NetherlandsPaesano pizza, Glasgow, UK,Pizzeria Montana, Frankfurt, … [Read more...]
New pop-up by Lionello Cera at the Venice Lido
Lionello Cera, chef of two Michelin star Antica Osteria Cera in Campagna Lupia, in the Venice countryside is taking over the terrace restaurant of the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort for an exclusive pop-up restaurant which celebrates local cuisine this summer. The pop-up restaurant opened on 1 June together with the opening of the hotel beach. The pop-up is called “Bistrot del Mare by Cera” and is the latest addition to the catering outlets of the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort which also has the Ristorante Tropicana and the Elimar Beach bar and restaurants, both run by executive chef Damiano Brocchini. Lionello, together with Simonetta Semenzato who is the director of the restaurant have transformed a simple bar and osteria in the Venetian countryside into a research centre where with passion and focus on produce (mainly fish) he has managed to become the first two Michelin star restaurant in Europe to offer only a fish menu. During summer, Cera’s kitchen a Lido … [Read more...]
Low Food Session: Diversity vital for the future of food
The second Low Food gathering will take place on 4 July Vuurtoreneiland, the Netherlands. Participants will be invited for a day of great stories, speakers and delicious food. Following the success of the Low Food Symposium that was organised in the Amsterdam in January, the Low Food Session is a one day gathering which will bring internationally respected speakers and food that showcases the best of Low Food. Low Food is an initiative of Joris Bijdendijk, Joris Lohman and Samuel Levie. Low Food is an open platform for new ideas and insights. Low Food believes that food culture lies not in the past but in the future. LowFoodSession will be a one day gathering with internationally respected speakers and food that showcases the best of Low Food. The event will focus on the hand that feeds you and how diversity is vital for the future of food. "We want to ask the question whether a genuinely forward-thinking culinary movement can exist if it doesn’t embrace human diversity at its … [Read more...]
Pop-up at Souvenir in Gent this summer
Why should a restaurant stay closed when the chef is on holiday? At a time when costs of property and rent are very high globally, wouldn't it be a good idea to give promising staff the potential to flourish? That is what chef William Sigurdarson and his wife Joke Michel have decided to do this summer. They will keep the restaurant open in July while they are away. During July, chef Radu Iliescu will take over the kitchen of Souvenir in Gent, Belgium as he showcases his talent in the setting of Souvenir. They have called the pop-up Radu takes over. The lunch menu will be set at EUR 33 for arrivals between 12 noon and 2pm while the dinner menu will cost EUR 44 for arrivals between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. The chef will also prepare snacks and extra dishes to pimp up the menu for guests who wish. Bookings can be made online or else you can just walk in and get available seats. The Icelandic chef made a name for himself at Souvenir in Ypres before moving to Gent to open the … [Read more...]