The original
idea was simple: try to do something different, something that celebrates the
restaurant world in a new, more relevant and entertaining way… Awards from the ground up but it took a whole
decade to become a reality. These ground breaking awards celebrate the
excellence, integrity and rich culture of the restaurant world.
So with much
pomp and ceremony, the inaugural World Restaurant Awards were held at the
Palais Brongniart in Paris on 18th February 2019. - 10 countries and
4 continents were represented. A glitzy, super chic event that celebrated not
just the chefs that work their magic with foams, gels, skid marks on plates and
liquid nitrogen, instead these awards celebrated many other aspects of the
restaurant experience.
Over 100 judges
from 37 countries made up a cosmopolitan, multicultural, globetrotting, gender
balanced, panel of experts … chefs, restaurateurs, influential figures in old
and new media, film makers, book publishers, food scientists, activists,
campaigners. They chose from 18 different categories including …
No reservations required – for places where it is possible to turn up
without a booking. This award went to Mocoto,
Sao Paulo Brazil.
House special , restaurants
defined by one particular dish was won by Lido 84 on the edge of Lake Garda in
Italy for their simple but iconic pasta dish, Cacio e Pepe en Vessie (cooked in
a pigs bladder).
Multi-starred
Alain Ducasse won the Tattoo-free chef
of the Year.
The Tweezer-free kitchen went to Bo.Lan in
Bangkok.
The Pop Up Event of the Year
was awarded to the Refugee Food Festivals.
New arrival of the Year
went to Inua in Tokyo.
Ethical Thinking,
rewarding environmental and social responsibility to Refettorio – various
locations. Food for Soul, an Italian not-for-profit organisation that addresses
food waste, loneliness, and social isolation through community meals.
Instagram Account of the Year
was won by another 3 star Michelin chef, Alain Passard of Arpege in Paris.
Off map destination
was won by Wolfgart, a 20 seat restaurant in a 130 year old white washed
fisherman’s cottage on the edge of the ocean in Paternoster on the Western
Cape.
Wolfgart also
won Restaurant of the Year. Chef
owner Kobus Van der Merve said ‘by keeping it small, we keep it sustainable’.
Red-Wine serving Restaurant - for
those who shun current fashion by championing the red grape. This category was
won by a cult London wine bar called Noble Rot.
Ireland was
nominated in two categories and won both…
Collaboration of the Year
went to Cork’s own Denis Cotter of Café Paradiso and farmer Ultan Walsh from
Gortnanain Farm in Nohoval who has been growing beautiful produce for Café
Paradiso for over 18 years. Denis accepted his award in beautiful, fluent Gaelic.
Much to our excitement,
The Trolley of the Year Award went
to Ballymaloe House. JR Ryle, who is the
passionate young pastry chef and I proudly accepted the award on behalf of
Ballymaloe and dedicated it to the memory of Myrtle Allen whose idea it was to
have a trolley groaning with delicious desserts for her guests to choose from.
She and her husband Ivan opened their home as a restaurant in 1964.
Everything
about the ‘Oscars of Food Awards’ was super exciting. Chefs from all over the
world flew in to give us a taste of their special little dish. The finest pata
negra was carved off the bone into paper thin wisps, hundreds of oysters were
shucked, tender abalone, black pepper soft shelled crabs, tantilizing tacos, chilli
crab beignets and delicious coconut madelines, warm from the oven made by
Cheryl Koh from Singapore, who promised me the recipe.
But perhaps
what impressed me most was the short film by Perennial Farm shown at the
beginning of the evening which reminded us cooks and chefs, what restaurants
can do to combat climate change.
Chefs can help
by:
- Sourcing from climate friendly farms and ranches.
- Going carbon neutral with zero ‘foot print’.
- Composting.
- Conserving energy and reducing consumption and waste.
- Spreading the message that food can be a solution…
