Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park restaurant
It is a tough job, having to scour the world and pick out the best restaurant out there. This we say without a hint of sarcasm. Thankfully there are those who rise to the occasion and present us with the World’s 50 Best Restaurant — around 1,000 international leaders in the restaurant community to be exact. While the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy only unveiled the list last night, they did send a few teasers our way in the lead up to the awards ceremony in Melbourne.
Held at the historic Royal Exhibition Building, the award ceremony saw Eleven Madison Park in New York, clinch the coveted spot. The restaurant first made its debut on the list back in 2010 and has since risen to the top by winning The World’s Best Restaurant and The Best Restaurant in North America for the latest edition. Owned by Will Guidara and Swiss-born chef Daniel Humm, the fine-dining restaurant is housed in an art deco building that has a view of Madison Park. The seasonal tasting menu is one that features multiple courses that help narrate the history of the city.
Other restaurants that joined the international list include nine new entries, of which three of them are re-entries that have managed to climb back on track. Asia had a stronger presence in the list, with seven restaurants from the continent earning a spot in the top 50. Japan and Thailand, which included Gaggan in Bangkok that clinched the seventh spot as well as the title of The Best Restaurant in Asia. Representing Singapore, was Restaurant André who secured the 14th spot.
The top restaurant in 2016, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy came in second but still held its crown as The Best Restaurant in Europe. “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is proud to bring together the leaders in global gastronomy for this annual celebration. All 50 restaurants represent the very best in culinary experiences and talent” said William Drew, Group Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. He added, “We congratulate each one, as well as all the individual award winners, on their remarkable achievements, innovation and creative passion.”