VALLETTA: Jonathan Brincat had everything going for him. Three weeks ago, riding the crest of the wave as chef-owner of Noni, he was chef of one of the first three restaurants in Malta to clinch a Michelin star. Three weeks later, he has taken the decision to close the Valletta restaurant Noni, despite the fact that the Maltese government had not (at the time of writing) decreed that restaurants should be closed. Like many other restauranteurs on the island, including the two other restaurants that clinched a Michelin star (Grain and De Mondion) when the Guide came out late last month, many restaurant owners have unilaterally decided to close their restaurants and urge their clients to stay at home. "I am not one for long posts but I feel it is due now that I have more spare time on my hands," Jonathan said on Facebook. "Less than three weeks ago, we were celebrating our biggest achievement as yet, winning our first Michelin star. There was not even time for the plaque to … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2020
(2) Noma to close at least until 14 April. “The hardest decision I’ve ever had to take”- René Redzepi
COPENHAGEN: Noma restaurant chef and owner René Redzepi has announced the temporary closure of noma Restaurant till at least 14 April. "Despite the fact that being together is everything that we do, the reality is that at this time, being together is not in the best interest of our community," said the award-winning chef and one of the leaders of the world of gastronomy. "This is the hardest decision that I actually had to take in my life but we have decided to temporarily close restaurant noma until 14 April at the earliest at least as it stands right now." The chef said no one could have anticipated the developments. "We are doing our best to navigate with a united spirit and good energy. As a team, we have service and hospitality in our DNA, it is who we are and we want nothing more than continuing to serve people, giving them some escape from what's going on, welcoming them into our home. However from what we know about the coronavirus to date, reducing social contact is … [Read more...]
(1) David Martin launches YouTube channel
BRUSSELS: David Martin, chef of 2 Michelin star Brussels restaurant La Paix and an entrepreneur has launched a new Youtube channel called Martin Bonheur. The channel shows him preparing easy recipes that can be replicated at home. The French born chef who has made a name for himself at the Anderlecht restaurant but who is also an entrepreneur who previously owned renowned restaurant Bozar as well as two fish shops in Wallonia, the fish restaurant at Brussels airport and a catering company used to present his recipes on Belgian TV. Since it was launched just a few days ago, David Martin said that there had been over 200,000 views. Meanwhile, on his Instagram feed he put a post saying "I will be Back". This is the first of our COVID Diaries where we try to bring you the news from around the world of how people in gastronomy are adopting in these difficult times. If you want to be featured don't hesitate to drop us a line or contact us via our social media channels. … [Read more...]
Tock and the record restaurant cancellations of the past week
Nick Kokonas, the founder and CEO of Tock, a restaurant experience booking engine and co-owner of the Alinea Restaurant Group that includes Alinea, Next, The Aviary, Roister and St. Clair Supper Club has reported a considerable increase in the number of restaurant cancellations over the past few days. As the spike in coronavirus (COVID 19) cases rises around the world, anonymous data that represents restaurants, wineries, events in 30 countries and hundreds of cities around the world have shown a sharp decline of over 22 per cent. Writing on Twitter, Kokonas said that whole there has been a slight decline that began several weeks ago, a sharp decline took place in the past week. "Overall booking inflow is down 22 per cent while cancellations have spiked." He said that the good news is that inflow of bookings continued to exceed cancellations for restaurant bookings. However, Tock also sells experiences, i.e. restaurants that normally release tables on certain days as pre-paid … [Read more...]
If you cannot go to Hisa Franko, Hisa Franko comes to you
KOBARID: Ana Ros and Valter Kramer have decided to close Hisa Franko from Monday 16 March to Tuesday 31 March. Ana Roš, the award winning chef of the Slovenian restaurant in Kobarid said "After every rain, the sun comes out. And when the sun comes out, everything is so beautiful." This had to be a special month for Ana Ros and Walter Kramer. They were set to welcome people attending the European Food Summit, which has also been postponed, and they had announced workshops for clients throughout the month of March. Moreover, the first book by Ana Ros called Sun and Rain was also released this month. This is her first book. Through a collection of essays, recollections, recipes and photos, she shares the idyllic landscape that inspires her. Contributors to the book were Andrea Petrini and Kaja Sajovic. "We are taking precautionary measures to keep you and us safe from the new coronavirus (COVID-19). we are supporting each initiative that may help to overcome this … [Read more...]
“I understand and support the lockdown” – Kobe Desramaults
Over the past few days it has become difficult to keep track of the news. The minute you set to write something, another piece of news changes everything. For most of us over the past few weeks we have been living in unprecedented territory. Unchartered waters. Moments after I was about to write about the voluntary decision of some Italian chefs to close their restaurants came the decision to close everything down. Elsewhere, from the United States to Slovenia, from Malta to Spain, restaurants are voluntarily closing down their places to safeguard their staff and also clients. In Belgium, the country where I live, restaurants, bars and cafes' seemed to have been taken by surprise when the government announced that they would have to close from today. Many seemed to be baffled by the decision though it is not only inevitable but also necessary if the coronavirus is to be stopped. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rcEpcJPSN/?igshid=1q7eu5sy8l1ab Kobe Desramaults showed … [Read more...]
Food for Soul: Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore’s foundation to open Refettorio Mérida in Mexico
MEXICO: Food for Soul, a foundation set up by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore to feed the poor has announced that together with Palace Foundation it will open the doors to Refettorio Mérida in Mexico. This is the first North American project which will open to celebrate Mérida’s rich culture and to engage the local community in building a more inclusive and equitable society. By bringing different people and perspectives together in a welcoming space, the aim of the Refettorio is that of building a sense of community and active participation, that is respectful of the many layers that make up present-day Mérida. Historically, the city has always been a melting pot of cultures. From the Maya to the Spanish, to more recent migrations from Korea and Lebanon, Mérida’s social fabric is a complex and colourful one. The semi-isolated nature of the Yucatán peninsula, considered too far and too difficult to reach from other parts of Mexico, meant that the area was able to … [Read more...]
Two major wine fairs Prowein and Vinitaly postponed because of coronavirus
Two major European wine fairs, Prowein in Düsseldorf, Germany and Vinitaly in Verona have been postponed. Prowein, which was due to take place from March 15 to March 17 has been postponed by Messe Düsseldorf because of fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Messe Düsseldorf said it was following recommendations from the German government’s crisis management team. No date has been announced for Prowein. Meanwhile, the organisers of Vinitaly announced yesterday (3 March) that they will also be postponing the fair as well as all other events revolving around Vinitaly such as the International Wine Academy to June. The revised dates for the fair have been set to 14-17 June. Originally Vinitaly was scheduled to take place between 19 and 22 April. Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, said: “Following the rapid evolution of the international situation giving rise to evident difficulties concerning all promotional activities, Veronafiere has decided to postpone the … [Read more...]
Best Chef announces Top 100 new candidates and three-day culinary event in Rotterdam
ROTTERDAM: The Best Chef has announced the Top 100 new candidates for the 2020 Awards as well as their plans for this year’s event which takes place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The event, will take place on 21, 22 and 23 September. The culinary platform will also host the Food Meets Science conference, the Area Talks live debate and the Award Gala in Rotterdam. Cristian Gadau, Creative Director and Founder of The Best Chef said “We are delighted to organize a prestigious event like The Best Chef Awards in Rotterdam, as the Netherlands plays an important role in contemporary gastronomy. This inspiring event is a unique gathering of top chefs from all over the world so it’s the perfect opportunity for the community, international visitors and industry professionals to stay up-to-date with what’s hot and happening in the global world of haute cuisine, as well as to connect them with their peers.” The Top 100 new candidates and voting process Each year, 100 new chefs … [Read more...]
Ultra Violet by Paul Pairet tops Top 100+ Asia Restaurants in OAD list
HONG KONG: Ultra-Violet by Paul Pairet topped the Top 100+ Asia Restaurants of 2020 Opinionated About Dining list for the second year running. The restaurant is a single-table experimental space in Shanghai, China, that unites creative cuisine with multi-sensory technology. The immersive dining experience is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and since opening in 2012, French chef Pairet has continually challenged diners’ preconceived notions of taste and cuisine. Marking its historic debut on the list in 2nd place is Sorn by Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri from Bangkok, Thailand. Set within an old, reconstructed house, the sophisticated cuisine at Sorn is inspired by the chef’s southern Thai upbringing, fusing vibrant native ingredients with the revival of long-lost recipes and techniques. Set at the pinnacle of Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, French gastronomic institution, Robuchon Au Dôme by Julien Tongourian claims the 3rd ranking on this year’s OAD Asia Top … [Read more...]