World's 50 Best Restaurants 2015: El Celler de Can Roca takes back top spot
The restaurant in Girona, Spain run by brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca last held the title in 2013 when it knocked the Danish restaurant off the top spot which it had occupied for three years.
Noma itself moved down two spots to third place, with the number two spot going to Massimo Bottura’s Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana.
Other notable entries unveiled at the awards at The Guildhall in London tonight (1 June) included The White Rabbit in Moscow, Russia (23), winner of the Highest New Entry award, Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain (13) the Highest Climber and Relae in Copenhagen, voted Sustainable Restaurant of the Year.
In the UK, the number of restaurants on this year’s top 50 list has been reduced to two. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and The Ledbury, both in London have retained their place on the list, but slipped down two and 10 places, to seven and 20, respectively.
Heston Blumenthal’s Bray restaurant The Fat Duck, on the list for 11 years, disappeared to the 51-100 list this year as it closed last year for refurbishment. The restaurant is expected to re-open later this year.
While restaurants were celebrated, so were some of the individuals who run them. Daniel Humm, chef/co-owner of Eleven Madison Park in New York was given the Chefs’ Choice Award while Albert Adria of Tickets was named The World’s Best Pastry Chef.
The pair joined Helene Darroze, given the Female Chef of the Year Award and Daniel Boulud, awarded Lifetime Achievement in advance of the event.
William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “It has been a hugely exciting year with such a variety of culinary talents 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 talent within the industry.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015 (50-1):
50 – The French Laundry, Yountville, USA
49 - Blue Hill At Stone Barns, New York, USA
48 - Schloss Schauenstein, Frstenau, Switzerland
47 – Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athenee, Paris, France
46 – Restaurant André, Singapore
45 – Relae, Copenhagen, Denmark (Sustainable Restaurant of the Year)
44 – Maido, Lima, Peru
42 = Tickets, Barcelona, Spain
42 = Borago, Santiago, Chile
41 – Mani, Sao Paolo, Brazil
40 – Per Se, New York, USA
39 – Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain
38 – Amber, Hong Kong, China
37 – Biko, Mexico City, Mexico
36 - L'Astrance, Paris, France
35 – Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
34 - Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
33 – Aqua, Wolfsburg, Germany
32 – Attica, Melbourne, Australia (Best in Australasia)
31 – Restaurant Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
30 – Vendôme, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
29 - Nihonryori Ryugin, Tokyo, Japan
28 – The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa (Best in Africa)
27 – Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
26 – Alinea, Chicago, USA
25 – Fäviken, Jarpen, Sweden
24 – Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China
23 – White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia (Highest New Entry)
22 – Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
21 – Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France
20 – The Ledbury, London, UK
19 – Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
18 – Le Bernardin, New York, USA
17 – Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
16 – Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
15 – Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
14 – Astrid Y Gaston, Lima, Peru
13 – Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain (Highest Climber)
12 – L'Arpège, Paris, France
11 – Mirazur, Menton, France
10 – Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
9 – D.O.M., Sao Paolo, Brazil
8 – Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
7 – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK
6 – Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
5 – Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA (Best in North America)
4 – Central, Lima, Peru (Best in South America)
3 – Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark
2 – Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
1 – El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain (Best in Europe/World)
Watch our video interview with the Roca brothers following their restaurant’s win in 2013 here:
