Best Restaurants in the World

Nowadays, food is all the hype. It's in mainstream media, TV, internet, Twitter?, IPhone apps, movies, chefs are celebrities, restaurants are shrines. With all this hoopla, I ask you, what are the best restaurants in the world? There is the Guide Michelin, but it only rates individual restaurants. On Monday, April 26th, Restaurant Magazine announced its' selections for the 2010 World's 50 Best Restaurants. Sponsored by S. Pellegrino, the awards gala was held at Guildhall in London. The list began in 2002, by a then upstart trade publication, Restaurant Magazine, intended solely for chefs and restauranteurs in the UK. El Bulli, the renowned Spanish restaurant, took the top spot in 2002. By the next year, the global demand was so peaked that the magazine produced its' 2003 version and included a celebratory winners' soiree in London. In 2003, The French Laundry, Thomas Kellers' California flagship was #1. The tradition was established, every spring, the food world buzzes about who will be the numero uno. The current selection process involves a very detailed global participation.The World's 50 Best Academy was established. The world is divided into 26 regions with each region having a chairperson, who selects 30 other participants who vote for the eventual winners. That's 806 people, food critics, journalists, chefs, restauranteurs, and gourmands from around the world, responsible for the yearly rankings. Each academy member has five nominations, two from their own region and three others from around the world. That's 4030 votes to establish the winner!

The biggest surprise in 2010 is, El Bulli's four year reign as top restaurant in the world has ended. This years rankings showed a major shuffle, especially in the top ten. Spain placed four and the US had three restaurants in that group. And France, astonishingly, had none. A typical meal in one these establishments could consist of 7-30 courses, take from 2-4 hours and cost anywhere from several hundred to well over a thousand dollars per diner depending on your menu selections.

THE WORLD'S BEST 50 RESTAURANTS

The 2010 Top Five are:

NOMA Located in Copenhagen, Denmark, Noma is pioneering a new approach to Nordic cuisine. Esteemed Chef/Owner Rene Redzepi brings to Noma extensive experience in 3-star Michelin restaurants most notably The French Laundry, El Bulli, and Jardins De Sens.

*Note: NOMA: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine a cookbook by Chef Rene Redzepi has just been released, and will be available in the U.S. in the near future. Pre-order Now! (see below)

EL BULLI Located in Soul, Spain, El Bulli, the iconic testament to molecular gastronomy, astounded the food world this year by announcing it's closing at the end of 2011. Chef Ferran Adria, always one to share his knowledge and expertise with his peers, was also named "Chef of the Decade".

THE FAT DUCK Located in Bray, just outside of London, The Fat Duck is a bastion of British cuisine, reinterpreted by self-taught chef Heston Blumenthal. The Fat Duck was named World's best restaurant in 2005. (Note: You will absolutely love its' website, a must see for all you foodies out there).

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA Located in Girona, Spain, El Celler de Can Roca is the conception of three brothers, Joan (Chef), Josep (sommelier) and Jordi (Pastry Chef) Roca. The brothers produce a three pronged approach to cuisine, tradition, taste memory and new, innovated cooking techniques to wow its' diners.

MUGARITZ Located in Errenteria Gipuzkoa, Spain, Mugaritz, unfortunately experienced major fire damage in February of 2010 and is under reconstruction. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz is celebrated for using traditional ingredients and techniques, maximizing their taste by coaxing out their natural flavors by unconventional methods.

The 2010 awards were significant for U.S.Restaurants. With Alinea at #7, Daniel at #8 and at Per Se #10, it's the first time three restaurants from the United States were voted in the top ten. Alinea, located in Chicago was awarded The Best Restaurant in the Americas. In 2007 Grant Achatz, Alineas chef/owner, announced that he had cancer of the tongue. As of December 2007, the cancer is in remission. Unbelievably, the disease severely affected his sense of taste (OK, he completely lost his sense of taste). He has and still does rely on his sous chefs to properly season the restaurants' food. Chef Achatz conceptualizes the restaurants' seasonal menu, and trains his staff of chefs to execute it. Amazing! Daniel and Per Se, both located in New York City, are owned by two of Americas iconic chefs, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, respectively.

Continental Restaurant Awards

Les Créations de Narisawa, in Japan was voted Best Restaurant in Asia

D.O.M., in Brazil was voted Best Restaurant in South America

Quay, in Australia was voted Best Restaurant in Australasia

La Colombe, in South Africa was voted Best Restaurant Middle East/ Africa

There you have it , the best restaurants in the world for 2010. Food journalists, critics, bloggers, chefs and restauranteurs around the world will both praise and debate the rankings, probably until the awards are announced in 2011. BTW, the French are furious that not one of their restaurants made the top 10! I would give up my right arm to dine in any of these temples of haute cuisine. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Well for now, all I can do is dream.

Well... El bulli is closed... Noma retained the #1 ranking...very few major changes. Restaurant Magazine and S. Pellegrino just "shuffled the deck". Here's the new 50!!!

2011 World's 50 Best Restaurants

It's Noma for the 3rd straight year at #1...

2012 World's 50 Best Restaurants