Prix 2024

Bernard Pacaud began his culinary journey 60 years ago at just 15 years old, apprenticing with Lyon’s legendary Eugénie Brazier. His Paris restaurant L'Ambroisie in the prestigious Place des Vosges, open since 1986, might have a discreet entrance, but inside you’ll find old world decor and a true homage to the art of cooking, offering diners a gastronomic experience steeped in tradition, where flavor and quality always take precedence over style or novelty. Pacaud’s philosophy of cooking is deeply embedded in the excellence of ingredients, an approach that has been his hallmark since he learned to celebrate local produce like Bresse chicken under Brazier’s guidance. Signature dishes include lobster fricassée, turbot roasted in goose fat, sumptuous pies, and traditional indulgences like truffle-studded sweetbreads. Pacaud wishes that contemporary cooking had maintained the deep respect for authentic ingredients he has always demonstrated. On the 21st century dining landscape, Pacaud and L'Ambroisie give us cooking that transcends time and trends, resisting the lure of aesthetics over taste and technique, and recognizing the heritage of France’s world-renowned gastronomy.

As executive pastry chef of The Peninsula Paris, the hotel brand synonymous with unrivalled luxury all over the world, Anne Coruble is known for her surprising and inventive flavor combinations and exquisite craftsmanship. From girolles with fir and caramelised hazelnuts, to dark chocolate with olives, citrus with seaweed, and vanilla with tobacco leaf, she is always pushing at the boundaries of what pastry is, and what it might be. Born in Normandy, Coruble studied science before dedicating herself to desserts, and spent five years at Le Bristol before joining The Peninsula Paris as pastry sous chef in 2019, to work with David Bizet, executive chef of the hotel’s restaurants The Lobby, L’Oiseau Blanc, and LiLi. She is drawn to the possibilities of chocolate and uses seasonal produce from all over France, such as honey, cream, cider, and herbs.

Shaun Velez was born and raised in the Bronx and after graduating from the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) in 2008, he has spent the majority of his career as part of the award-winning Daniel Boulud family, rising through the ranks to his current position as executive pastry chef at DANIEL, chef Boulud’s flagship New York fine dining restaurant. He credits James Beard winner Ghaya Oliviera as his mentor at Boulud and also worked as executive pastry chef at Chris Coombs’ Boston restaurant Deuxave, returning to Boulud in 2018 where he is known for developing contemporary desserts out of classic favorites. His Pineapple Vacherin has prickly pear sorbet, pineapple ice cream, smoked cinnamon meringue, and calamansi syrup while his Tarte À l’Alsacienne uses Asian pears, brown butter, toasted almond cream, and pear brand chantilly.

If you’re heading to southern Europe, head for Portugal where the food culture brings together traditional flavors and produce with the bold brushstrokes of modern gastronomy, making it an outstanding destination for gourmet travelers. At the heart of Portugal’s culinary renaissance is José Avillez, the country’s best known chef, whose name has become synonymous with the soul of Portuguese cooking. From fine dining Bel Canto and haute vegetarian Encanto in Lisbon’s Chiado district, to Porto’s famed Cantinho do Avillez, and Tasca in Dubai, Portugal’s gastronomic star demonstrates the very best of his country’s rich produce. Avillez, alongside other culinary virtuosos such as Dieter Koschina, Ricardo Costa, and Hans Neuner, has been instrumental in ushering Portuguese cuisine onto the world stage and putting the spotlight on its impressive dishes, from succulent seafood to great-tasting pasture-fed meat. Beyond fine dining, neighborhood restaurants preserve Portugal's bustling food culture, thanks to traditional taverns and bistros dishing out comforting classics. At Varina da Madragoa, diners can enjoy the country’s famous bacalhau at prices to suit both locals and visitors. Unassuming kitchens like Das Flores in Chiado serve simple classics like bitoque and other local specialities without ceremony. The labyrinthine alleys of Lisbon are alive with a spirit of camaraderie and authentic dining experiences. Tasca Zé dos Cornos hums with an exuberant vibe, serving sharing dishes of hearty Portuguese favorites. At Alfama’s hidden gem Tasco do Vigário, menus, like the neighborhood, are traditional, and best enjoyed with a glass of local wine or a refreshing pitcher of sangria. Seafood aficionados must try the treasures of Merendinha do Arco, where simple grilling allows flavor to shine. This kind of dedication to quality and authenticity connects all of Portugal's independent dining establishments. The Portuguese culinary scene also boasts an exquisite selection of wines. From vivacious Vinho Verde to the full-bodied reds of the Douro Valley, quality and diversity thrives in every corner of the country’s fascinating wine culture. Portugal is a country where every dish celebrates the nation’s rich heritage and convivial spirit. Its blend of sophisticated food culture and honest charm makes it the ideal destination for everyone who loves to eat and lives to eat.

Think of Brittany's gastronomy as a symphony, orchestrated by culinary virtuosos such as Christian Le Squer, with his network of five restaurants including the iconic Moulin de Rosmadec, and the ingenious Ronan Kervarrec, whose Maison Kervarrec in St Gregoire makes a signature dish of buckwheat and potato galette perfectly paired with the regional Guémené andouille sausage. Nolwenn Corre adds her own notes to this melody at Hostellerie Pointe St Mathieu, with dishes that resonate with the freshness of the sea. Oysters from Prat Ar Coum meet celery and Molène sausage; Brittany skate is brought to life with the warmth of butter and rich Jerusalem artichokes. In Pont-Aven, La Taupinière welcomes diners to a seafood feast of poached oysters, lobster ravioli, and grilled langoustine. But Brittany’s food culture is not restricted to fine dining and has plenty of affordable specialties. The laminated pastry Kouign-amann contrasts sweetness with the renowned salted butter of the region. Sparkling ciders and ripe strawberries from Plougastel demonstrate the variety and richness of the Breton soil. Whether a Breton pancake laced with salted caramel or a robust buckwheat whiskey, the flavors of Brittany cater to every palate. Brittany's cuisine is a celebration of contrasts: the bold and the delicate, the earthy and the refined. Authentic, regional produce plays in harmony with the creativity of local chefs. Breton gastronomy aims to nourish the soul as much as the body, telling the story of a food heritage that is equally satisfying and outstanding.

Bertrand Larcher has created a concept that transcends the traditional idea of a crêperie. With a buckwheat farm, the Otonali hotel, and a Japanese-inspired restaurant in Cancale, he offers the spirit of Brittany intertwined with the refined elegance of Japanese culture. Time-honored Breton crêpes are reimagined with subtle Japanese inflections to create an outstanding gastronomic union and a true testament to the harmonious blend of diverse food traditions. The Breizh Café crêperies were founded by Bertrand Larcher in Japan in 1995 and have since blossomed across France, from Cancale to Saint-Malo and Paris. The menu celebrates this fusion and every ingredient is selected for quality and seasonality. Signature dish the 'galette complète' merges the earthy crispness of buckwheat with the hearty flavors of good ham, a perfectly-cooked egg, and the sumptuous melt of Comté. The sweet crêpes feature inventive combinations like Okinawa black sugar, velvety matcha ice cream, and Kinako soybean powder, maintaining the Breizh Café ethos of simplicity and creativity. Larcher's vision reaches far beyond his crêperies. His ambitious goal is to create a Franco-Japanese food network that spans the globe. This means that Breizh Café stands as a cross-border cultural liaison, and we can all enjoy a taste of this culinary exchange at one of its many locations.

The outbreak of mad cow disease in 2001 was a pivotal moment for Tuscan cuisine because it threatened to kill bistecca alla fiorentina, the region’s most prized dish. At the time, Dario Cecchini, who comes from a line of Panzano butchers, carried out the symbolic gesture of burying the very last steak he could have sold, marking his deep commitment to the tradition of bistecca, and demonstrating that he was ready to return to it five years later when the sought-after Chianina cattle were available once more. Known as the ‘Michelangelo of Meat’, Cecchini is the founder of Solociccia and Officina della Bistecca, two must-visit restaurants for meat lovers that celebrate the bistecca alla fiorentina, Tuscany’s culinary showstopper, in all its glory. For €40 to €50 a head, both restaurants immerse guests in the exhilarating world of bistecca, serving a simple menu of authentic cuisine wrapped up in a warm atmosphere and complemented by carefully selected wines. Customers come from all around the world to enjoy up to 30kg of meat, because with Cecchini, a meal becomes a feast. He has transported his "Carna by Dario" concept all the way to the UAE, demonstrating the universal reach of his culinary vision and his ability to enchant palates well beyond the gentle Tuscan hills.

Top Chef Kwame Onwuachi elevates West African cuisine to fine dining prominence with the launch of Tatiana in New York City, named for his sister who helped to raise him in the Bronx. He blends Creole, Nigerian, and Caribbean flavors with a focus on local produce, offering distinctive dishes such as crab dumplings in egusi sauce, curried goat patties, and fried okra. In spite of early operational hiccups such as overly long waits, Tatiana was popular with critics from the beginning, including Pete Wells, and was named The New York Times’ No. 1 restaurant in the city for 2023. Onwuachi’s autobiographical work, Notes from a Young Black Chef, recounts his struggles with discrimination and adversity on his path to success. Onwuachi's career began in the Bronx and included pivotal experiences in Nigeria before his formal education at the Culinary Institute of America. His passion for Afro-Caribbean cuisine is a homage to his roots, with each plate at Tatiana celebrating his ancestry. Tatiana pairs the vibrant energy of a nightclub with the refined experience of upscale dining, as well as a model of cultural representation and inclusivity, with the diverse backgrounds of staff reflected in the menu. Onwuachi's rise from humble origins to celebrity chef is a story of hard work, determination, and genuine talent and innovation, underscoring his commitment to bring overlooked food cultures into the limelight.

Norway’s latest fine dining restaurant takes experiential eating to new levels. To dine at Iris, you must first fly to Bergen, then drive for several hours and take a ferry ride to Rosendal. To reach the restaurant, you then board an electric boat and cross the Hardanger fjord before disembarking at the futuristic Salmon Eye vessel, an art installation developed to share knowledge about sustainable fishing and ocean conservation. Danish executive chef Anika Madsen began cooking a decade ago, inspired by Noma, and has an impressive resumé from Copenhagen’s best restaurants. Her 18-course menus steadfastly honor sustainability and hyperlocalism, and tell a story about the challenges and threats to the global food system, while also offering solutions. The six-hour dinner includes marine bounty from crispy kelp and sea urchin to cod and scallop roe, and mussels and shrimp, alongside less usual ingredients such as mycelium and insect protein. The experience begins with a film explaining Iris's innovative strategies to combat food waste. While the restaurant itself is exemplary in terms of local ingredient sourcing, it must also navigate the complexities of its global appeal and the inherent sustainability paradox of sustainable travel. Madsen is well aware of this dynamic, drawing parallels with international climate conferences that, for all their environmental impact, act as catalysts for worldwide ecological initiatives. She explains that although the journey to Iris might not be ideal, the restaurant's overarching goal is to kindle in guests a passion for sustainable practices, and contribute to the wider narrative of innovation and environmental responsibility. Iris emerges as a worthy blend of artistic expression, environmental awareness, and sustainable cuisine. Perched on the island of Sniltsveitøy, Iris embodies an ethos that resonates with the principles of carbon-neutral pioneers like Eide Fjordbruk. The establishment doesn't just talk about sustainability, it brings it to life. From dishes derived from ingredients found within a 500-meter radius, to the reindeer tartare that exemplifies food with a low carbon footprint, Iris transcends the boundaries of fine dining and stands as a beacon for change, challenging its diners to reconceptualize the future of food, and their own contribution to our future menus.

Dominican powerhouse Inés Páez, better known as Chef Tita, has dedicated her culinary life to preserving and promoting the food culture of her native Dominican Republic, at home and around the globe. She is the living epitome of community spirit, and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her country’s cuisine. As well as the chef of Morisoñando and Aguají restaurants, Chef Tita is the author of La Nueva Cocina Dominicana, which collects 100 reinvented and updated recipes to protect the legacy of Dominican food for future generations. she is an icon for every player in the Dominican food community and inspires others by showing them how to be a proud ambassador for the national cuisine and its indigenous produce and ancestral techniques. She has been voted one of Forbes magazine’s 100 Most Influential Women in the region three times, and in 2022 was the first Dominican to take the main stage at Madrid Fusion, where she showed the world why her cuisine is their next big story.

SingleThread Farm spans 24 acres of sustainable, biodiverse land in the lush Dry Creek Valley in the heart of wine-rich Sonoma. The farm practices eco-conscious stewardship, aiming to minimally impact the environment and enrich the soil for future generations. SingleThread is inspired by like minded chefs and farmers around the globe, and models the benefits of locally-sourced food and running a restaurant in harmony with nature. Vibrant crops and cut flowers, carefully nurtured through the seasons, contribute to both the nutrient-dense restaurant dishes and the farm’s ecological health. At its core, SingleThread is about exceptional hospitality, offering a 10-course tasting menu that showcases seasonal local bounty. It is the dream of Kyle and Katina Connaughton, who combine impeccable culinary skill with authentic agrarian values to create a destination restaurant that nourishes both body and soul. Kyle's expertise, developed from his time in Californian kitchens and Michel Bras in Japan, complements Katina's sustainable agriculture and horticulture. Their vision comes to life at SingleThread, a living example of Northern California's agricultural wealth. Family members, including daughters Chloe and Ava, are deeply woven into the legacy project of SingleThread, which is so much more than a farm or a restaurant; it's a family's dream come true of living in tune with the land.

For Chloé Charles, sustainability is at the heart of everything she does and every dish she creates. Produce comes first - she wants to get 100% out of every ingredient - and her zero-waste dinners have become legendary all over Paris, as has her motto: don’t feed the trash! She even makes her physical spaces work harder than a typical restaurant, and her 2022 opening Lago - ‘ceci n’est pas un restaurant!’ - is a private event space where clients from independent groups to big brands can get to know how great gastronomy goes hand in hand with sustainability, thanks to the Chloé Charles approach. Her app, reductio.io helps school and work canteens to track and reduce food waste.

One of the most exciting openings of 2023, Akuna in Le Meridien Saigon is where glamor meets radical innovation. Chef and restaurateur Sam Aisbett blends his Australian culinary background in Australia, including time at Japanese restaurant Tetsuya, with Vietnamese produce and techniques. Akuna is an Aboriginal word that means flowing water, and Aisbett says his six-course tasting menus are inspired by the “glorious chaos” of Ho Chi Minh City. This might mean his Smoked Australian Free Range Pork Jowl, slow-cooked for eight hours and served with scallop rice noodle sheets, Jade Tiger abalone, silken tofu, termite mushrooms, and lotus seeds in broth. Or his dish of Saltwater Crocodile, Broken Rice Porridge, and Shoyuzuke, with a base of poached crocodile tongue and cured quail egg yolk. Aussie chocolate bar Cherry Ripe gave Aisbett the story for his Cherry, Chocolate, Coconut, and Macadamia dessert.

Atelier Moessmer is a beacon of culinary innovation in Brunico, South Tyrol, where Chef Norbert Niederkofler’s commitment to a zero-waste ethos is not just a practice but a mantra. The essence of each ingredient is artfully extracted and showcased in dishes that highlight the team's depth of knowledge across a wide range cooking techniques. The restaurant thrives under the philosophy of cooking with purpose and precision, ensuring that every part of the product is used and respected, from the offal to the best cuts. Executive Chef Mauro Siega's ingenuity is infamous, as is his exceptional venison bone marrow crêpe, with its earthy porcini mushroom oil and piquant juniper salt. His venison tartare is another marvel, tenderly marinated and served with chive mayonnaise, robust mountain mustard, and subtle notes of larch. The immersive experience is further enriched by Lukas Gerges, whose role is much more than restaurant manager and head sommelier. His ambrosial kombucha dances on the palate with notes of apple, lemon verbena, pine, spruce, and wild thyme, such that you may well mistake it for a fruity vintage. Atelier Moessmer is more than a restaurant; it is a gastronomic encounter that redefines high end sustainable dining.

The gastronomic crown of the heart of the Luberon, Le Mas Les Eydins in the charming village of Bonnieux is the inspired vision of Christophe Bacquié and his wife Alexandra. This dynamic duo, previously lauded at the prestigious Hôtel du Castellet, are now making their own mark on the restaurant world. Le Mas Les Eydins is proof of their ambition and hard work. They have built a sanctuary where fine dining merges with warmth and intimacy. Within this idyllic retreat, the art of cooking achieves impressive levels of authenticity and is unfettered by ostentation. Bacquié’s signature dishes, each meticulously prepared with the finest local produce, bring flavors together into an unparalleled fine dining experience. Every aspect of dinner at Le Mas Les Eydins is curated to be distinctive. The menu showcases the region's bounty, and impeccable service complements the rhythm of the kitchen. Soon after opening, the Bacquiés' new venture became well known as a destination restaurant with rooms, and a unique haven with impeccable commitment to taste, tradition, and innovation.

Espadon, chef Eugénie Béziat's new restaurant, can be found in the revered Ritz Hotel, where the legendary Auguste Escoffier once set about transforming the way the whole world cooked and ate. This venue is a tribute to the storied culinary legacy of the hotel but with a fresh, modern perspective. Drawing on her African heritage and her mother’s Provençal influence, Béziat offers a menu of intriguing dishes, among which the rosemary-infused tomato confit cake stands out for its daring interplay of flavors. Espadon represents a bold new gastronomic era for the Ritz, marrying the grandeur of its past with the ingenuity of the present.

Lucky Brooklyn. Noma veteran Mads Refslund has brought the year’s hippest and most hyped opening to Greenpoint with Ilis - a portmanteau of the Danish words for fire and ice - and a clue to the menu’s clever presentation of dishes as both cooked and cold. Situated in a former rubber warehouse, the seamless, spacious dining room is designed around the open kitchen, which serves a flexible tasting menu including snacks from a trolley service. Expect Noma levels of attention to detail and twists of nature, from the clam, tomato, and dashi drink course served in a large surf clam ‘flask’, and staff who rotate between the kitchen and front of house, sharing their exceptional menu knowledge as they serve diners.

Fans of Danish cuisine should drive half an hour outside Copenhagen to Eric Vildgaard’s Jordnaer in the Hotel Gentofte. Husband and wife team Eric and Tina embrace the treasures of the sea throughout their gastronomic menu; think lobster, crab, turbot, and langoustine on the tasting menu of around 12 courses, all served with the Jordnaer trademark of caviar. Vildgaard is a true caviar aficionado and works with suppliers to choose the perfect match for each of his dishes. This is an unashamedly luxe experience with wine and champagne pairings of equally superb calibre.

At Caillou, every dish is an impromptu masterpiece crafted from the very best produce of the day. Diners are invited to choose from a selection of top quality, seasonal ingredients, which are transformed into a multisensory fine dining culinary event. Caillou stands out from the pack thanks to its approach of involving guests in the menu, which is an evolving dialogue with chef Koichi Adachi and his team. This exchange tailors the dining experience to the guests at every single sitting, setting it apart from what we understand as a traditional restaurant offering. Adding to the multi-layered experience is a well-stocked wine cellar, boasting a collection of around 200 hand-picked wines. With a focus on rare French labels, the wine list provides a genuine complement to each exquisitely prepared dish, ensuring each visit to Caillou leaves guests replete with a refined and unique food and wine narrative.

With the picturesque backdrop of Constantia Nek, this Cape Town restaurant offers diners a vibrant array of Chef Ivor Jones's tapas creations, a feast of local and seasonal tastes. Guests can savor the Coal-Fired Bread & Accompaniments or try the Linefish Sashimi, elevated with Southeast Asian influences and coconut cream. Each dish, from the Yellowfin Tuna with its Balinese sambal to the earthy New Season Asparagus with porcini mousse, demonstrates incredible culinary skill. Adventurous palates can engage with the interactive ‘We Eat With Our Hands’ Beef Tartare, while the Dashi & Celeriac Risotto provides a comforting umami embrace, complemented by the tang of barrel-aged lemon butter. Seafood is transformed in dishes like the Smoked Snoek & Churros and Linefish with Japanese Sauce Vierge, each paired with inventive, fish-based sides. The Cannon of Karoo Lamb rounds out the menu, marrying rich flavors with delicate textures. Paired with local wines and inventive cocktails, the restaurant's considered ambiance and straightforward reservations system make it an ideal destination restaurant for a special meal.

A fine dining farm-to-table experience in Canada’s Niagara region an hour south-west of Toronto, located on a Jordan Station winery known for impressively dry Riesling and dreamy Cabernet Franc. Pearl Morissette is run along regenerative practices by chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson, formerly of Septime in Paris and Belgium’s In De Wulf respectively. They bring their classical French training to the epic Canadian landscapes, serving an evolving menu of regional ingredients to tell the story of the land, the people who work it, and its history, from Muscovy ducks and sockeye salmon to wild flowers and mushrooms in a tasting menu of around ten courses.

Edomae Matsuki Omakase Sushi Bar at Ventúrska 18 is an elegant opening in the charming historical center of Bratislava's Old Town. The authentic restaurant is the brainchild of a visionary Japanese entrepreneur who wanted to bring a slice of honest Japanese cuisine to Slovakia. Sushi Masters Peter Horvát and Takeushi Kazune work at an intimate seven-seat sushi bar, which is hewn from a single slab of aromatic Hinoki cypress, and offer diners a sought-after omakase experience. The restaurant’s dedication to quality shows in the provenance of each type of seafood, whether meaty Bluefin tuna or the more delicately-flavored mackerel. The Bluefin, sourced from Spain, exemplifies Edomae Matsuki’s dedication to preparing the very best the sea can offer for its guests, and this bijou restaurant is destined to become a real star of the Bratislava fine dining scene, especially for food lovers in search of a gourmet retreat in the heart of the city.

Sur Mer, the new restaurant from renowned chef Alexandre Gauthier, stands proudly overlooking Merlimont beach, brilliantly combining the retro charm of the 1950s with the elegance of an ocean liner. Gauthier is an exceptional chef known for his culinary boldness and commitment to sustainable cuisine, and Sur Mer is a tribute to the sea that surrounds it. It’s also an extremely hot ticket and books up quickly! Gauthier has created a space where guests can truly relax, whether they wish to lounge in deckchairs on the terrace, or on the roof with a breathtaking view of the horizon. The open kitchen is a stage where the chef and his team transform cooking into theater. Fresh fish is the star, from roasted skate wings with capers to cod & chips with tartar sauce. Each dish delivers a delicious seaside escape.

Mickaelle Chabat and chefs Louis-Philippe Riel and Alexis Bijaoui painstakingly restored an abandoned farmhouse in La Roche, 70km inland from Nice, to create their mountain idyll. The destination gourmet inn has two bedrooms and three suites with views of the mountains and valley, and a spa with heated outdoor stone baths and a sauna on the way for 2024. Riel, formerly of 6 Paul Bert and Cave Paul Bert, and Alexis Bijaoui, who has been sous to Alain Passard and Dan Barber, make the journey off the beaten track more than worthwhile with their hyper-local approach to seasonal cuisine (produce is local or from their own permaculture garden) and carte blanche offering of seven courses and four snacks.

What a journey! Rempapa guides diners through Chinese, Peranakan, Eurasian, Indian, and Malay kitchens, with chef Damian D’Silva as their expert guide. D’Silva grew up watching his grandparents blend taste, tradition, and knowledge from the many food cultures that come together in Singapore: “a long and organic assimilation of a multitude of migrant cuisines into a complex yet coherent whole.” He realised his culinary hotpot needed amplification and he has championed artisanal and authentic Singaporean cooking around the world for many years, becoming known as the “grandfather of heritage cuisine” on MasterChef Singapore. His current ambition at Rempapa is connecting with young diners by making Singaporean food heritage exciting and relevant.

Traditional cooking might be a crutch for the unadventurous chef, but for the truly inventive it’s an invitation to play. Jean François Piège, protégé of Alain Ducasse and previously at the helm of Les Ambassadeurs at the Hôtel de Crillon, is of course the latter kind of chef, a culinary virtuoso. At the heart of Paris stands La Poule au Pot, an institution since 2018 and an authentic expression of a traditional neighborhood restaurant. Under the stewardship of Jean-François and Élodie Piège, it brings together tradition and innovation, paying homage to the integrity of timeless flavors and infusing them with a distinctly modern style. Eggs mimosa is reimagined with flair. The celeriac remoulade comes with a bold twist. Signature offerings such as lettuce hearts with sherry vinaigrette, snails bathed in garlic butter, frogs legs, and rich marrow bone, tell the story of French cuisine with each bite. The pièce de résistance, the eponymous poule au pot, is an unparalleled homage to the 1935 classic, a testament to an unchanging and authentic taste sensation. At La Poule au Pot, the Pièges are not only preserving our food heritage, they are giving diners the chance to rediscover classic French cooking - ‘cuisine bourgeoise’ - through contemporary eyes and palates, celebrating nostalgia and history while connecting past to present.

Georgiana Viou is self-taught and pours her soul into her food, blending her Beninese heritage with the riches of the Mediterranean. Viou learned to cook at her mother’s restaurant, but she came to Paris 25 years ago to study and worked in communications before the call of the kitchen took over. At her Nîmes restaurant, Rouge in the Margaret - Hôtel Chouleur, you’ll find some of the most stylish plates in the south of France. The tasting menus are bursting with local seafood lifted by saffron, basil, coconut, and spices, as warm and convivial as the space itself. At Viou’s bistro Gigi, the cooking is equally exquisite though more casual, and complemented by bespoke cocktails and an impressive wine list.

19-year-old E.J. Lagasse is pioneering a fresh chapter at iconic New Orleans establishment Emeril's, founded by his father in 1990. E.J.’s menu sings the praises of Louisiana's food heritage along with local, organic, and seasonal produce, giving each dish a truly regional voice. E.J. is reimagining the classics but with his own contemporary twists. The beloved Potato Alexa is now adorned with an indulgent truffle and parmesan mornay, while Louisiana’s essence is captured in a decadent Oyster Stew gently laced with Herbsaint cream. The commitment to locality is demonstrated in dishes like the Barbecued Maine Lobster Gumbo, which marries local rice with the Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking (onions, bell peppers, and celery), and a sumptuous Wagyu with a rich beef jus. Vegetarian specialties share the spotlight, with a refined Cauliflower and Caviar dish in a smooth allium velouté. E.J.'s inventive spirit is unmistakably present in dishes like the Scorpion Fish with Louisiana corn and fresh greens, and the White Sand Homestead Farm Quail in a risotto of Southern Grains. Each dish shows diners E.J.'s unwavering dedication to sustainability as well as culinary evolution.

After training in some of Europe’s best kitchens, including Geranium and Amass, Brazilian chef Tássia Magalhães returned home to São Paolo to introduce her fiercely personal interpretation of Italian cuisine to the city. Eating at Nelita has been compared to stepping into the chef’s own home, though the warm natural stone, wood, and leather interiors are as elegant as any fine dining restaurant. Choose a tasting menu or à la carte, and try snacks including octopus vinaigrette donut and brioche with foie gras and matcha. Pasta dishes feature tomato and fresh curd risotto, and agnolotti with goat cheese and lime, followed by meat or vegetarian courses and an entertaining dessert selection. Visit on a Tuesday for the most elaborate menu, including ‘The Stage’ selection of six snacks and ‘Ballerina’s Box’ of petits fours, with the dancers represented by corn, honey, beetroot, and hibiscus candy.

Chef Son Jongwon strives to capture a taste of contemporary Seoul in every bite at L’Amant Secret, his first fine dining restaurant in the South Korean capital. In Eatanic Garden, he is more playful, blending the culinary and the botanic (‘eatanic’ is a play on the word ‘botanic’ in Korean), and daringly redefining classic Korean pairings, such as with his abalone and beef dish, accented with charcoal smoke. Son Jongwon was living in New York when a glimpse of students in uniform at the Culinary Institute of America showed him his calling, but after training all over the world, he found his gastronomic identity in Seoul and in creating 21st century expressions of Korean cuisine. Street food becomes gourmet in ‘Small Bites of the Namsan Trail’ with chestnut-stuffed choux and truffle and comte potatoes. Korea’s BBQ culture is expressed in grilled lamb with Ssam greens, while a rhubarb dessert highlights sweet and sour flavors together. Herbs come from a rooftop garden and, as the name suggests, L’Amant Secret’s interiors are sultry and romantic. Think of both L’Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden as more than restaurants. They give access to chef Son’s passionate culinary journey while offering a deep dive into the heart of Seoul's evolving gastronomy.

By his mid-twenties, Merlin Labron-Johnson was already famed for his cooking at London restaurants Portland and Clipstone. But he gave it all up to pursue his back-to-the-land dream, moving to the town of Bruton in Somerset, a rural haven for food and art lovers in south-west England. He has brought his culinary aspirations to life with Osip, a tiny farm-to-table restaurant where diners put their faith in the chef instead of choosing from a menu. Labron-Johnson cooks an ever-changing menu based on what arrives on Osip’s doorstep that day. Perhaps raw vegetables and herbs with a cream of bread and toasted sesame; Devon eel with cucumber, russet apple and chervil; apricot and mead sorbet with local honey and bee pollen. For a more casual experience, try Labron-Johnson’s neighbouring wine bar and bistro, The Old Pharmacy.

Chef Vanika Choudhary returns to her Kashmiri roots and traditional Indian fermentation techniques to bring her unique dishes to Noon in Mumbai, each of which celebrates indigenous ingredients and honors the people who grow them. With her mostly female team, Choudhary works with farmers’ collectives, social enterprises, and food anthropologists to investigate ancient foodways and bring fermented and foraged foods to a modern audience, inspired by her grandmother who made 40 different pickles every season. The evolving menu at Noon (Kashmiri for ‘salt’) uses produce from Maharashtra, Ladakh, Jammu, and Kashmir, and dishes include Pani Puri with lacto-fermented pineapple, pineapple & pandan Kombucha, and Aloo Papadum with nolen gur garum tomatoes, mahua, shio koji chutney, and khambir roti. Prepare for a unique and authentic journey through India’s regional food history.