Once a year, the British publication Restaurant Magazine publishes a list of the premier restaurants, called The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. It is gathered by obtaining feedback from over 800 international restaurant industry experts, from food critics to restaurant chefs, each selected for their expert opinion regarding the international restaurant scene. This year, the winner was Norma (Copenhagen, Denmark), repeating its 2010 victory. Owner/chef Rene Redzepi’s menu consists of gourmet cuisine with an innovative gastronomic approach of traditional cooking methods. Norma’s customers dine on well-executed dishes such as scallops and beechnut watercress with a mixture of locally grown grains. A dish of veal and peas, served with new shoots and grilled garlic can also be found on Redzepi’s menu.
Two American-based restaurants rounded off the top 10 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Chicago-based Alinea ranked #6, and New York City’s Per Se stood at #10. Alinea owner/chef Grant Achatz’s cuisine has been described by many food experts as deconstructed food, unfamiliar flavor combinations and theatre to tableware, with dishes served in test tubes, cylinders and even multi-layered bowls that come apart. Recently, Alinea was awarded three Michelin stars, Michelin’s highest ranking, bestowed to only 97 restaurants this year, worldwide.