There's a new name atop the list of The World's Best Restaurants for 2016, as Italian restaurant Osteria Francescana is named as the best out there. The world-famous restaurant of Massimo Bottura has been waiting in the wings for the No.1 spot after sitting at No.3 in 2013 and 2014 and stepping up to No.2 in last year's ranking. The list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants, along with special awards, was announced on stage at the annual celebration of global gastronomy, hosted at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
The UK also has plenty to celebrate this year as new entry, The Clove Club, wins the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by John Paul. After making the 51-100 list in 2015, the Shoreditch restaurant has climbed 29 places to enter the top 50 at No.26. The highest placed UK restaurant this year is Brett Graham's The Ledbury, which climbs six places to No.14. The third UK restaurant in the list is Dinner By Heston Blumenthal, curated by Ashley Palmer-Watts within the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hyde Park, which is at No.45.
The World's 50 Best Restaurants brings together a unique community of extraordinary culinary talent to celebrate global gastronomy. Featuring restaurants from 23 countries spread across six continents, the list provides an annual snapshot of the greatest gastronomic experiences across the globe. This year, the awards were hosted in New York for the first time as 50 Best begins a global tour of gastronomic destinations.
Chef-owner Massimo Bottura is renowned for his twists on traditional Italian culinary ingredients – his Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano sees the region's famed cheese served in forms and textures most diners will never have previously experienced. His menu also includes deliciously executed classics such as tagliatelle with hand-chopped ragu and risotto cooked with veal jus. The chef's ambitious creations perfectly balance the demands of honouring heritage while embracing modernity.
With four restaurants making the top 50, 2016 is proving to be a great year for Italian cuisine: Le Calandre in Rubano sits at No.39, Piazzo Duomo in Alba climbs 10 places to the No.17 spot and Combal Zero in Rivoli also makes a re-entry to the list at No.46.
Spain also has plenty to celebrate with three restaurants in the top 10 including last year's No.1 El Celler de Can Roca (now at No.2), Asador Etxebarri at No.10 and Mugaritz at No.7. Barcelona's Tickets by Albert Adrià, 2015's World's Best Pastry Chef, also rises 13 places to No.29.
France can rejoice with three of its chefs taking home individual awards. Renowned pâtissier Pierre Hermé claims the 2016 World's Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Cacao Barry. Alain Passard, who celebrates 30 years of his globally acclaimed Paris restaurant, Arpège (No.19), takes the 2016 Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award. French-born chef Dominique Crenn, based in San Francisco, is recognised as The World's Best Female Chef while Mirazur in Menton moves into the top 10 at No.6.
The USA boasts a total of six restaurants on the list including former One To Watch winner Saison (No.27) in San Francisco, which is one of four new entries to the list (along with four re-entries). New York's Estela (No.44) is also a newcomer, while Alinea in Chicago climbs 11 places on the list to No.15. 2016 also sees the introduction of a new addition to The World's 50 Best Restaurants portfolio: The Ferrari Trento Art of Hospitality Award. In its inaugural year this is presented to Eleven Madison Park in New York, in recognition of the work of its world-renowned front-of-house team.
South America celebrates five restaurants from across the continent on the list. A new entry in 2015, Maido from Peru takes the Highest Climber Award, sponsored by Lavazza, having risen 31 places to No.13. Fellow Lima restaurant Central holds its position at No.4. Meanwhile three Mexican restaurants also move up the ranking.
Six restaurants from Asia feature on the list this year. Narisawa in Tokyo remains at No.8. Restaurant André in Singapore (No.32) and Amber in Hong Kong (No.20) are both high risers, climbing 14 and 18 places respectively.
Scandinavia also has plenty to celebrate with five restaurants on this list. Former No.1 Noma now sits at No.5, as fellow Danish restaurant Geranium makes a high re-entry at No.28. There is another impressive re-entry to the list for Netherlands' De Librije at No.38. Last year's winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award, Copenhagen's Relae, reclaims the title for 2016 and also climbs five places to No.40. Sweden's Fäviken sits close by at No.41.
William Drew, Group Editor of The World's 50 Best Restaurants, says: “It has been a hugely exciting year with the launch of the global tour and our first awards event in New York. It is fantastic to have such a variety of culinary talent celebrated here tonight. As the appetite for reaching new gastronomic heights continues to grow we feel privileged to play a part in this journey of discovery and are proud to bring together this unique community of extraordinary visionaries within the industry."
