Gastro tourists can put Copenhagen on their bucket list
Copenhagen has become the world’s culinary capital after two of its restaurants were named the top two on the planet. Noma took the number one place, with city neighbour Geranium being placed at number two in the Top 50 World’s Best Restaurants.
“We have a new restaurant capital,” said British pastry chef Ravneet Gill, who hosted the Oscar-like awards ceremony in Antwerp, Belgium, on Tuesday evening.
“A little more than a year ago, I thought it was all going to end. How would we remain through all of this?,” said Noma chef Rene Redzepi on stage, referring to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last May, following a temporary closure, the fine-dining restaurant reopened for a short while as a burger bar, a pop-up concept it hosted in its famed gardens.
Shunning its typically hardto-get reservations system, the three Michelin-starred restaurant transformed temporarily into a two-item joint, serving a cheeseburger or a vegetarian burger alongside a range of beverages.
“Both burgers are juicy and packed with umami, with a little bit of magic from our fermentation cellar, served on a freshly baked potato bun,” the restaurant said on its website.
Acknowledging at the time that the concept is “completely new for us”, Noma revealed it was “eager to connect with our community, and to celebrate summer in the best (and safest) way we can. Come as you are, there are no reservations, we are open for everyone.”
Perhaps it was this can-do attitude that most impressed the voters for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, the organisers of which noted: “No trip to Noma is ever the same.”
Redzepi said at the event: “For us at Noma, we are entering a new cycle. We spent the last 18 months dreaming. We are going to go build it now. To our team, both former and current, thank you from the bottom of my heart. The only one who truly believes we are the best restaurant is my mother but you are the best team in the galaxy.”
While Noma has been in and around the world’s best lists for about 10 years, Geranium is a newer kid on the block. Positions three, four and five went to Asador Etxebarri from Atxondo, Spain; Central from Lima, Peru; and Disfrutar from Barcelona, Spain, respectively.
Elsewhere, Ikoyi, located in St James’s Park, only minutes from Buckingham Palace in London, won the One To Watch award after earning a place in the top 100 for the first time.
The Chairman from Hong Kong was awarded the Highest Climber Award, rising 31 places since the last list in 2019.
Will Goldfarb, who is working in Indonesia, was named the world’s best pastry chef.
The world’s best female chef was named as Pia Leon, who works at Kjolle in Lima.
Victor Arguinzoniz, working in Spain, was given the Chef’s Choice award, the only prize picked by chefs.
The Icon Award was won by Dominique Crenn, of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, who says she sees food as her art and a voice.
The event concluded on a positive note, with organisers noting: “Through the pandemic we have lost many chefs across the world. Many restaurants have also closed. We deeply regret their departures, but know many of the people behind them will return.”
A little more than a year ago, I thought it was all going to end. How would we remain through all of this? RENE REDZEPI Chef, Noma