The Frenchman Guy Savoy, officiating at La Monnaie de Paris, is the best leader in the world for the eighth consecutive year, ex aequo with nine American, Japanese or Chinese restaurants, the list announced on Monday in its list of the 1000 best restaurants in the world.
The gastronomy “is very close to tennis”, dares Philippe Faure, president and founder of the list, “ranking of rankings” gastronomic. “For eight or ten years, it only happens between three or four” restaurateurs, the Nadal, Federer or Djokovic des Fourneaux.
The Frenchman Arnaud Donckele also distinguishes himself, in first place ex aequo with his establishment in Saint-Tropez, the Golden Vague, and with, in second place, fullness, in Paris.
If there is a certain “stability” in the ranking concerning Europe and the United States, “what moves a lot is Asia”, underlines Philippe Faure, with a Hong Kong restaurant in the world’s first place, Lung King Heen.
The president and founder of the list also underlines “a considerable push of Korea”, known superficially in France for his ramens. “I saw blowers”, chefs who “want to enter the world gastronomic elite”, he enthuses.
Two Korean restaurants are placed ex aequo in eighth place, Yeon and Mingles.
Japan, the most represented country
Japan, long since renowned for its kitchen, is the most represented country in the top 1000 on the list, with 126 restaurants, followed by the United States (114 addresses).
France has only 11 classified restaurants but is awarded the Honor Prize, which rewards Georges Blanc, the famous Bresse poultry ambassador, for his entire career, and whose establishment of Vonnas points to third place in the world.
“In my opinion, there is no fall in tension (…) or disinterest in French cuisine,” says Philippe Faure. But “there is a lack of interest in his excesses”.
Some chefs, “like Mephisto in their furnace”, proposed, according to him, “something they were very proud of but that customers did not accept all the time”.
Atmosphere and fun
“A transition period opens the way to a gastronomy centered on pleasure,” sums up the list.
This year, a special “show to table” prize is awards five establishments from Dubai, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris and Tokyo, where the atmosphere and fun are on the menu.
Created in 2015, the list is intended to be the “ranking of rankings” and follows 35,000 restaurants in 200 countries, using an algorithm that compiles and lays more than 1,100 sources (guides, blogs and press articles) and gives a note over 100 points.
