Per Se, Thomas Keller's “urban interpretation” of his French Laundry in California, has changed its menu every day of its nearly eight years – that's something like 30,000 different dishes, some re-introduced from prior seasons but continuously refined. With three Michelin stars it has succeeded as much by consistency as by creativity and remains one of the US's true destination restaurants.
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Not long after opening, restaurant Daniel was rated one of the top ten restaurants in the world by the International Herald Tribune. He was named Chef of the Year by Bon Appétit, and Daniel received Gourmet's Top Table Award, a four-star rating from the New York Times, Wine Spectator's Grand Award, and New York City's top ratings for cuisine, service and decor in the Zagat Survey.
Chefs Scot Kirton and Luke Dale-Roberts Create Culinary Marvels in South Africa’s Wine Country. La Colombe, one of Cape Town's most well-loved and awarded restaurants, achieved an impressive 12th place in the San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants of the World Awards 2010. Having moved up 26 places and into the hallowed Top 20, this bastion of contemporary French-meets-Asian fine dining thereby also clinched the Acqua Panna Best Restaurant in Africa and Middle East Award. Winner of both Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year in the Prudential Eat Out Awards 2008, and again honoured with the prestigious Restaurant of the Year title in 2009,
Much has been made of the fact that the first Japanese restaurant to make this list has a distinct French accent, but chef-owner Yoshihiro Narisawa is not just producing Gallic haute cuisine with a Pacific edge. In Les Creations de Narisawa Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa' themes of soil, water, fire, charcoal and forest permeate the menu to reflect Narisawa's bringing of nature to the plate, resulting in dishes complete with the smell, aspect or texture of the landscape from which they were drawn.
Gastronomes around the world were taken aback when L' Astrance won three stars in the Michelin guide, because it did not meet the usual three-star requirements at all. Later when it reached top 20 in the prestigious Restaurant magazine.
Joël Robuchon, who has 25 Michelin stars to his name, made the astounding statement after opening a new restaurant in Paris.With its emphasis on conviviality, L'Atelier moved Joël Robuchon from fine dining into fun dining. Interaction between diners – seated at a sushi-bar – and chefs, who performed in an open-plan kitchen, was encouraged and kitchen theatre quickly became the rage.
Known as the “Shock-o-latier” of Belgium,Dominique Persoone has made a name for himself throughout Europe for his singular brand of “pralines” and occasionally outrageous chocolate contraptions. Chef-patron Peter Goossens lives and breathes local produce, and a meal at Hof van Cleve shows both the considerable extent of his regional larder and his talent at exploiting it.
Pierre Gagnaire's in his eponymous restaurant in Paris is the master of Molecular Gastronomy. The son of restaurant owners is still one of the most vaunted places to eat in the French capital, demonstrating the resilience of one of the food world's true greats. Gagnaire's approach to cooking combines a touch of the poetic with a dash of simplicity and a soupçon of wistfulness for dishes that appear as mini art forms.
Oud Sluis has run for three generations and current patron, Sergio Herman, has remained true to its founding principles – capitalising on the Zeeland coast's fresh fish and oysters. Oud Sluis no ordinary seafood restaurant and with Herman's quest for flavour-matches of Italian and Japanese influence, such as langoustine with artichoke, Iberico ham and kaffir lime leaves, has earned him a reputation as one of the country's most inspiring chefs.
Eric Ripert's renowned for his seafood dishes.His flagship restaurant, Le Bernardin, located in New York City, is ranked among the best restaurants in the world, and holds the maximum rating of four stars from the New York Times and three Michelin stars. At his restaurant fish is the star of the show at Le Bernardin but only when you eat there do you fully realise the high regard chef Eric Ripert holds for our underwater friends.
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