Archives for November 2023

BRUSSELS: Gault&Millau announced today Maxime Collard of restaurant La Table de Maxime in Paliseul as the chef of the year for 2024. In front of an audience of around 1,800 restauranteurs, journalists and partners, Gault&Millau launched the 21st edition of the BeLux guide which sold 30,000 copies in pre-sale. CEO Marc Declerck said that Maxime brings out the best the region has to offer and while his cuisine is classic it is also creative. “In all his dishes we find excellent techniques, respect for the seasons, aesthetics and respect for original flavours. We have been following this chef for 15 years and for his consistency and exemplary couse we are happy to nominate Maxime Collard as chef of the year 2024,” he said. The young chefs of the year are Marius Bosmans (Restaurant Arden - Rochefort) for Wallonia, Niels Brants (Restaurant EssenCiel - Leuven) for Flanders and Georges Athanassopoulos (Restaurant Màloma Comptoir Culinaire – Brussels) for the Brussels … [Read more...]

Dabiz Munoz has been named The Best Chef for 2023 for the third consecutive year. The announcement was made at the Yucatan International Congress during an award ceremony where the identities of the top 100 names were revealed. The reign of Dabiz Muñoz (DiverXO, Spain) continued. The free-spirited chef who is used to breaking the rules and exploring the limits of creativity in every project he undertakes placed in front of this edition's number two who also hails from Spain. He is none other than Albert Adrià (Enigma, Spain), who also wins one of the special prizes, The Best Chef New Entry Award as he enters directly into that position in his successful return to the list. Ana Roš, body and soul of Hiša Franko (Slovenia), completes the podium by rising from ninth to third place. Eight of the top 10 names come from Europe, five from Spain, one from Slovenia and two from Denmark with the remaining two names hailing from the US and Chile respectively. The top 10 are the … [Read more...]

COPENHAGEN: After establishing acclaimed restaurant Alchemist and putting it at the forefront of gastronomical innovation, Rasmus Munch has unveiled Spora. The investment in this research lab together with bioscience pioneers Claus Christiansen and Bente Christiansen will focus on changing the world through gastronomy. With a seed investment of EUR 1.5 million, Spora is the natural evolution of Alchemist. "By allowing the search for deliciousness to lead technology, instead of the other way around, we can play a pivotal role in developing nutritious, and sustainable products that people want to eat again and again – and that will drive global change. I firmly believe that we can harness the vibrancy and inventiveness of the restaurant and bring it out to the public," said Rasmus Munk. The chef is known for creating dishes that are otherwise considered inedible or waste from farmed butterflies, jellyfish, lamb’s brains, and pig’s windpipes. The restaurant is currently ranked … [Read more...]