Restaurant regains title as world's best with Danish specialties
Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, the Danish capital, reclaimed on Monday the title of world's best restaurant. It became a four-time winner, having lost the title last year to El Celler de Can Roca of Spain.
Noma, which has two Michelin stars and serves Nordic specialties in a quayside warehouse, topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list compiled by 900 international experts for Britain's Restaurant magazine.
The restaurant's head chef Rene Redzepi paid tribute to his employees, describing them as his "inspiration", as he collected the coveted prize.
"I know I'm not always the easiest person to be around," he told guests at London's Guildhall.
"I want to tell you in front of everyone, you guys are my dream team and inspiration. The patience and dedication that you give year in and year out is more than I could have ever hoped for.
"We were the geeks, they gave us funny names. But that didn't bother us, it fueled us and look where we are now several years later."
Despite winning the award for the fourth time, Redzepi insisted there was more to come. "We're not at the finish line," he said. "There are still so many discoveries out there, so many recipes to be written."
There were murmurs in the audience when El Celler de Can Roca was awarded second place, losing the crown it seized from Noma for the first time last year.
The restaurant in Girona, run by three brothers and known for its dishes based on perfumes, had previously spent two years as runner-up.
The brothers spoke before the ceremony, saying that last year's victory had sparked a fresh wave of creativity.
"It's been a magical year, full of projects, emotion, sharing and dreams becoming reality," Joan Roca, the oldest brother, told a news conference.
Noma suffered last year after it was forced to apologize for a bout of food poisoning that left 63 customers with vomiting and diarrhea.
Since the awards were established in 2002 only five restaurants have held the title: Spain's El Bulli, in 2002 and from 2006-2009; California's French Laundry in 2003 and 2004; Britain's Fat Duck in 2005; Noma from 2010 to 2012, and El Celler de Can Roca last year.
Spain again dominated this year's top 10 with Mugaritz in San Sebastian in sixth place, and Arzak, also in San Sebastian, in eighth.
Italy's Osteria Francescana was in third place, New York's Eleven Madison Park in fourth, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London fifth and D.O.M. in Sao Paulo seventh.
London's Ledbury climbed three places to take 10th, while Chicago's Alinea surged six places to 9th.
(China Daily 04/30/2014 page10)
