Latest news with #BestChefAwards
Global News
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Halifax pizzaiolo named one of the top 100 pizza chefs in the world
Halifax-based master artisan pizzaiolo Cédric Toullec says he was shocked when he found out he had been named one of the top 100 pizza chefs in the world. Toullec, who is the chef at Lou Pécou Pizzeria in north-end Halifax, says he thought he was being scammed at first. 'I told my team that we have received the biggest scam,' he said. 'For us to pretend to have access to this kind (of recognition), it's way beyond reasonable.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Originally from Marseille, France, Toullec says when the restaurant opened three years ago, he wanted to use local ingredients and deliver fresh, authentic pizza. The Best Chef Awards is an international culinary ranking that works in the same way the Michelin Guide does. Story continues below advertisement Owners and staff are never aware that their restaurant is being judged. 'I was happy before that happened, I didn't need that to be happy or alive. I was proud of what I was doing, I was proud of my team, I was proud about Halifax,' he said. 'That is just a little cherry on the cake. That I like.' Despite the new international recognition, he stresses the importance of supporting local restaurants and cafes. 'Small restaurants are really the soul and the guardian and the heir of what Nova Scotia has to give, the best of what it has to offer,' said Toullec. 'There is so many places that deserve attention, deserve the same amount of recognition.' For more on this story, watch the video above.
Time Out
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Two L.A. pizzerias were just named among the best in the world
In a move that probably won't surprise local pizza lovers, three different standout Southern California pizzerias —and the chefs behind them—just made the top 100 list of the world's best pizzas at the third annual Best Pizza Awards in Milan. William Joo of Pizzeria Sei, also known as Time Out' s top pick for pizza in Los Angeles, came in at number 44 in the world, beating out dozens of pizzaiolos in New York City and cities across Italy. Justin De Leon of Apollonia's Pizza (another one of our favorite pizza joints) ranked number 58, while Chris Decker of Truly Pizza in Orange County's Dana Point clinched the highest spot among SoCal recipient at number 42. Organized by the Best Chef Awards, the Best Pizza Awards first began three years ago and puts an emphasis on individual chefs, rather than restaurants or the places they inhabit. The European awarding body was founded in 2015 by a Polish neuroscientist and an Italian gastronomist and emphasizes a transparent, 'chef-led' voting and selection process. Both Joo (Pizzeria Sei) and De Leon (Apollonia's) have previously earned recognition from the Best Pizza Awards; 2025 is the first Decker has made the awards' global top 100 list. The Best Pizza Awards praised Joo for making Tokyo-style Neapolitan pies that are 'technically refined and full of character.' In particular, the European awarding body recognized Joo's 'salt-punch' technique, which involves sprinkling salt into the oven for a distinct shift in overall pizza texture. 'Today, William Joo continues to explore and elevate pizza through simplicity, balance, and a deep respect for ingredients and tradition," reads the chef's official entry. Joo also made the Best Pizza Awards top 100 list in 2024 and 2023. For Apollonia's De Leon, who also made the list in 2024, the Best Pizza Awards highlighted his unconventional path from art school and photography to pizza-making—in particular, Apollonia's "game-changing square[s]," which feature burnt cheese edges and airy interiors. As for Truly Pizza's Decker, his entry highlights his apprenticeship under acclaimed Las Vegas pizzaiolo John Arena. This year is the first time that Decker has earned recognition from the Best Pizza Awards.
CairoScene
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Khufu's Mostafa Seif Wins Best Chef's 'Skillet of Distinction' Award
This marks the first time an Egyptian chef has won this award. May 22, 2025 Chef Mostafa Seif of Khufu's has been awarded the Skillet of Distinction by The Best Chef Awards, becoming the first Egyptian chef to receive the accolade. The award follows Seif's recognition last year as the first Egyptian to earn a one-knife 'Excellent' rating under the awards' updated tiered system. The Best Chef Awards, which moved away from its traditional top-100 ranking in 2023, now recognises chefs through one, two, or three 'knives,' denoting levels of excellence. Seif's one-knife placement in Dubai was the first for an Egyptian chef and signalled growing international attention to his work. At Khufu's - founded by Pier 88 Hospitality's Giovanni Bolandrini - Seif leads a kitchen grounded in technical discipline and regionally sourced ingredients. His cooking is rooted in Egyptian culinary traditions but avoids nostalgia or showmanship, favouring clarified broths, cured seafood, and slow-roasted meats that reflect a restrained, detail-oriented approach. In January, Seif participated in The World's 50 Best Signature Sessions in Abu Dhabi, where he co-hosted a dinner with Argentinian chef Sergio Cabrera at MouzMari. He also joined 50 Best Talks for a panel titled Memory on a Plate, exploring the role of food in cultural and personal memory. The Skillet of Distinction acknowledges Seif's consistency in the kitchen and his contribution to platforming Egyptian cuisine in international settings - through technique rather than adaptation.
South China Morning Post
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How Chinese cuisine is inspiring chefs in Europe's Michelin-starred restaurants
At two-Michelin-starred Alchemist, the immersive dining hotspot in Copenhagen, Danish chef Rasmus Munk serves his take on shrimp toast, a Hong Kong classic. Here, it's called Crab Toast, looks more like a tartlet, and comprises a thin piece of bread roasted in Japanese sesame oil and topped with scallop, sesame oil, crab roe and tomalley, the crab's digestive organs. Advertisement In the centre is an XO sauce made from the crab shells, and the dish is covered with a blanquette, the white sauce in which the meat is stewed, flavoured with lime, galangal and chilli. Gently poached brown crab leg meat is sprinkled on top. The umami of the crab is lifted by the citrus and ginger, the various layers providing textural as well as taste variety. Alchemist's chef Rasmus Munk. Photo: courtesy Alchemist This is just one of many innovations in a dinner that lasts seven hours, runs from US$650 to US$2,400 per person with wine pairing, and has a waiting list of tens of thousands. Another course is a flattened chicken head, to be held by the beak and eaten in its entirety. To make the dish, the Alchemist team remove all the bones, dunk the head in a salt bath with enzymes developed at a Danish biosolutions company to break down the skin, then compress the head with a 5kg weight and glaze it with chicken fat before baking it until crispy. Munk, voted world's No 1 in the Best Chef Awards held in Dubai last November, serves the head on smoked Danish cheese and beluga caviar, on a plate made by Alchemist's in-house industrial designer from discarded eggshells. The dish took the team of 35 chefs nearly a year to perfect. 'We originally developed the dish as a way to use up the discarded bits that our chicken suppliers have to throw out, especially lots of heads,' says Munk. 'We know that in some places in Asia people chew cooked chicken heads and spit out what can't be broken down. We started out with a dish with a stuffed head, but it was too classic in a way, and also a bit macabre.' Also on the menu is a puffed-up crispy chicken foot, painstakingly deboned, pan fried, glazed with sweet and sour sauce strong on lemongrass, and served with a side of tom yum consommé and jasmine flower. Then there's the Voronoi Laksa, a miniature cup of fragrant broth with a surface 3D-printed in Voronoi fractal patterns in red cabbage juice. For dessert, a rendition of the sweet crushed-ice Thai dessert lod chong with tapioca noodles and Danish milk. Chef Gregor Power plates the 1984 'impression' at Alchemist. Photo: courtesy Alchemist These new dishes are part of a menu of 40-or-so provocative 'impressions' served as diners are led through a series of five rooms, including the main dining hall set under a planetarium-styled dome where audiovisual displays help set the tone of the evening. The menu includes Alchemist classics such as the omelette served in capsule form, an edible spherified cocktail, a cryogenically frozen butterfly, and '1984', for which diners must gouge out a gelatinous, creamy, salty 'iris' made from razor clams, pili nuts from the Philippines, white asparagus and caviar, at the centre of a dish modelled after Munk's own eyeball.
Hi Dubai
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Hi Dubai
Top Table returns to Gulfood's 30th edition with world-class chefs and culinary futurists
The landmark event will welcome culinary royalty - 21 Michelin Star Chef Alain Ducasse for the first time, among a line-up of 120+ world-renowned chefs holding 50 Michelin Stars combined Gulfood, the world's largest annual food and beverage sourcing event, welcomes the return of global culinary icons to Top Table – its flagship culinary exhibit that aims to rediscover gastronomy under the theme ' Culinary Futurism '. For the first time in the mega event's history, international culinary legend Chef Alain Ducasse, the most awarded Michelin Star chef (21), will take to the spotlight along with a line-up of celebrated global and UAE-based chefs holding a combined 50 Michelin Stars. Top Table will see these F&B icons display their expertise through live cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and other activations across all 5 days of Gulfood (February 17 – 21 2025) from 10AM – 6PM at Al Mustaqbal Plaza near Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF FOOD WITH DISTINGUISED INTERNATIONAL AND UAE-BASED CHEFS This year's Top Table will set a new standard by bringing together the top culinary futurists from around the globe to reveal exclusive industry insights, cutting-edge cooking methods, novel F&B product discovery and cultural exchange that will transform perceptions of and interactions with food. It will explore how changing science, technology, and consumer preferences will influence food preparation, production, and dining experiences while presenting new techniques, inventive flavour combinations, unconventional textures and much more. Top Table will see participation from many charismatic international chefs such as: Alain Ducasse – Celebrity Chef & owner of Ducasse Paris, awarded 21 Michelin Stars and Lifetime Achievement on The World's 50 Best Restaurants List, owns 34 restaurants globally and holds Guinness World Record for most Michelin Stars awarded to a living chef – Celebrity Chef & owner of Ducasse Paris, awarded 21 Michelin Stars and Lifetime Achievement on The World's 50 Best Restaurants List, owns 34 restaurants globally and holds Guinness World Record for most Michelin Stars awarded to a living chef Romain Meder – Chef and Co-Founder of Prévelle in Paris, Alain's right-hand man, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and is the Pioneer of Naturalité Cuisine – Chef and Co-Founder of Prévelle in Paris, Alain's right-hand man, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and is the Pioneer of Naturalité Cuisine Angel Leon – Chef & owner of Aponiente, Spain, awarded 3 Michelin Stars, 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & owner of Aponiente, Spain, awarded 3 Michelin Stars, 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Ana Ros – Chef & owner of Hiša Franko, Slovenia, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & owner of Hiša Franko, Slovenia, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Deepanker Kholsa – Chef & co-owner of Haoma, Thailand, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 1 Michelin Green Star and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & co-owner of Haoma, Thailand, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 1 Michelin Green Star and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Fredrik Berselius - Chef & owner of Aska, Brooklyn, New York, awarded 2 Michelin Stars and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Several talented UAE-based chefs will also participate in Top Table including: Mohamed Orfali – Head Chef & co-owner of Orfali Bros, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 2 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Head Chef & co-owner of Orfali Bros, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 2 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Daniel Birk – Executive Chef at ROW ON 45 – Awarded 2 Michelin Stars, 3 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Executive Chef at ROW ON 45 – Awarded 2 Michelin Stars, 3 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Solemann Haddad – Head Chef & owner of Moonrise, awarded 1 Michelin Star and 1 Knife from the Best Chef Awards, winner of Michelin Dubai Young Chef Award in 2022, and 2022 Gault & Millau Future Great of the Year. – Head Chef & owner of Moonrise, awarded 1 Michelin Star and 1 Knife from the Best Chef Awards, winner of Michelin Dubai Young Chef Award in 2022, and 2022 Gault & Millau Future Great of the Year. Ali Shiddique – Head Chef at LOWE, a restaurant that has received multiple prestigious accolades, including the Michelin Green Star in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for its dedication to eco-conscious gastronomy. EXPERIENCE THE LATEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE INNOVATIONS Top Table will also include exhibits showcasing novel industry innovations. Blend Studio – will showcase immersive masterclasses highlighting the newest trends and never-before-seen creations made by industry experts honouring the artistry of beverages spanning popular handcrafted cocktails to rediscovering the world of coffee while providing networking opportunities with the foremost beverage maestros. Likewise, The Tasting Room will involve leading F&B brands presenting their creations to top international chefs who will taste, evaluate and select the most outstanding inventions. This enables visitors to search for new F&B partners, unearth emerging trends and try inventive products, including a portfolio of unique cheeses, caviar, truffles, seafood, artisan bread and much more. WITNESS GLOBAL CULINARY ICONS DEBATING CRITICAL INDUSTRY ISSUES International F&B experts will take the stage to debate the industry's most pressing challenges and opportunities in The Culinary Debate. Traversing topics such as the involvement of Artificial Intelligence in F&B production, the efficacy of alternative and plant-based proteins or the impact of environmental sustainability, these debates will offer fresh perspectives on the rapidly evolving industry landscape. CELEBRATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULINARY TALENT Gulfood's YOUTHX Young Chef Challenge returns for its 4th edition, bringing together top emerging chefs from luxury hotels around the world to compete for AED 100,000 worth of prizes and a career-defining internship at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe. This year's challenge promises a dynamic showcase of cultural exchange, culinary diversity, and cutting-edge techniques, setting it apart from previous editions. EXPERIENCE DUBAI'S THRIVING FOOD SCENE Dubai World Cuisine returns with its exclusive fine-dining series, featuring four- and six-hands collaborations between homegrown and internationally acclaimed chefs. The highlight? An eight-hands dinner with legendary Chef Alain Ducasse, Romain Meder, and Takahisa's Wagyu and Sushi Masters Hisao Ueda and Takashi Namekata. These dinners are limited-seat experiences that sell out fast and are held at some of Dubai's most sought-after fine-dining restaurants. Marking its 30th edition, Gulfood also launches Gulfood After Hours, offering visitors exclusive deals at Dubai's top restaurants, from casual eateries to gourmet hotspots. Simply book a table and show a Gulfood ticket to enjoy special menus and discounts at venues like Filia, Luigia, Mama Shelter, Carna, Citronelle Club, and more throughout the event. For more information on Gulfood 2025, and to purchase tickets, please visit:
