Latest news with #foodawards
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
I tried the takeaway that Uber Eats says is the best in Derbyshire
When a slightly chubby journalist with a knack for eating and drinking finds a way to pass off a night in with a takeaway as "work", said journalist can only rub his hands together and think: "I've made it". That was me earlier this week when I tucked into a filling meal from a Derbyshire takeaway that has gained a following through its high quality and unique offerings - so much so that it's now up for an award. As awards go, to be named by Uber Eats as one of the best restaurants in the UK is some doing, but Bouffage in Heanor has managed to fend off the 70,000+ other businesses to make the final 10 in the East Midlands category. Takeaways are a peculiar thing. I remember the rare takeaway nights growing up as a special event in my house - almost a second Christmas for a greedy little boy like me. But as I grew older, the access to platforms like Uber Eats and Just Eat, as well as takeaways seemingly opening on every corner, turned this special event into an alarmingly customary routine. READ MORE: The hidden gem Derbyshire cafe that turns into a fancy bistro once a month READ MORE: Vintage Derbyshire tea room that's 'better than Bettys' is like stepping into the past But let's not make this a diary of my poor life choices, as we could be here a while. I was surprised to see that the only Derbyshire inclusion on the list was a little takeaway in Heanor, a town that I've only visited a handful of times. I thought Derby might have an inclusion or two, maybe even somewhere in Matlock, or even Chesterfield up north. I had to order for collection as I was a little out of range, so I opted for the old-fashioned "give them a call" option, which is about as foreign to me as typewriters and record players. Before I even looked at the menu, I was sure this would be the kind of place to offer a "box meal", something I'm led to beleive is a bit of a modern necessity for takeaways like Bouffage, much like "smashed" is now the go-to style of burger for many takeaways. They offer five box meals at Bouffage: the Greek one kebab (£15.85), the tandoori king kebab (£15.85), the Greek two kebab (£15.85), the Netflix and chill box (£38.50) and the mixed grill (£38.50) - with the latter two serving two people. They also offer a wide variety of wings, loaded fries, burgers and a few desserts. So I called, and opted for the tandoori king, which included two skewers of chicken tikka, their "bouff" salad, a flatbread, peri fries, a tub of mint raita and an unknown tub of spicy red stuff. If you saw a picture of me, you'd quickly assume I'm a man who likes his food nice and plain, so the spicy red stuff didn't really get a say, although I did try it and can confirm it would be a hit among those who enjoy a kick. The construction of the wrap was the important bit and requires delicate hands, albeit with a little bit of firmness. I took out one of the sticks of chicken, added the chips, salad and raita, and tackled it like you would with any other wrap. Even after a short drive home, the wrap was still fluffy and hadn't gone soggy, the chicken was still warm and the chips were still crispy. I was particularly impressed by the flavour of the chicken, which was really pungent and dominated the wrap. They also added a few bits of what seemed to be pickled cabbage, adding a bit of zinginess to the meal, and chips were generously seasoned. Although I mentioned before that takeaways are unfortunately somewhat of a routine nowadays, I am usually well-behaved midweek, so a heavy and calorific meal like this on a Thursday night was definitely a treat. I also didn't get any indigestion or a dodgy stomach the next day, in fact, I felt pretty good, so calling it a "dirty takeaway", even though it was a little dirty - but in a good way - would be unfair. Overall, I was really impressed with the food, the service, and the overall experience at Bouffage. From easy ordering and happy staff behind the till, to the attention to detail with things like the salad and the presentation of the box, it's clear that the Heanor takeaway is no-nonsense. Would I travel from town to town, or even from Derby, to try it? Possibly not. But if I was in the area, I wouldn't think twice about paying a visit. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see another Bouffage opening somewhere like Derby sometime soon, so remember the name - and keep your eyes peeled.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025: Who takes the top spot - and how does Europe fare?
The World's 50 Best Restaurants has announced this year's recipients of 'The World's Best Restaurant' - one of the world's most prestigious food awards. The awards ceremony took place last night in Turin, Italy, where the crowd gathered to celebrate the top restaurants and chefs for 2025. A panel of more than 1,000 experts, split into 27 regions around the world, came together to decide on the final ranking. So, what is the World's Best Restaurant this year? The accolade went to Maido in Lima, Peru – which was placed at number 5 in the 2024 awards and now unseats last year's winner, Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain, to the top spot. Maido's Lima-born chef Mitsuharu Tsumura cooks a fusion of Latin American and Japanese flavours, and said: 'We talk a lot about sustainability of the environment, but we rarely talk about human sustainability. I think this industry can be an example of how we can bring people together with the power of food.' Every year, the panel awards special prizes to chefs, front-of-house staff, and activists who are leading the charge in hospitality in 2025. This year's special awards went to the Best Female Chef, Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij of Potong, Bangkok and Mindy Woods in Byron Bay, winner of the Champions of Change 2025 award. The World's Best Pastry Chef award went to Parisian chef Maxime Frederic, while the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award went to Alberta Adrià, head chef of Enigma in Barcelona. The highest-ranking restaurants on each continent were given a special mention. Maido, as the best restaurant in the world, takes care of South America. Incidentally, Peru was well represented in the Top 50 list, as three other Lima-based establishments joined Maido: Kjolle (9); Mérito (26); Mayta (39). Tresind Studio in Dubai (ranked number 27 in this year's awards) was named the best restaurant in the Middle East. The best restaurant in Asia is Gaggan in Bangkok, at number 6, while the best restaurant in North America is Quintonil in Mexico City (number 3). The best restaurant in Europe is Asador Etxebarri in Spain (number 2 this year and last year). Spain also has DiverXO in Madrid in the global Top 5, retaining its number 4 spot. Elsewhere in the Top 20, Denmark's Alchemist (Copenhagen) ranks number 5 and climbs three spots compared to last year; France's Paris-based Table by Bruno Verjus drops to number 8 from its number 3 ranking in 2024, and Plénitude (also in Paris) has the 14th spot this year, up four compared to last year; and the UK's Ikoyi, which was ranked 42nd in 2024, jumps up to number 15. Italy is the European country with the most restaurants in 2025's Top 20 list, with Lido 84 in Lake Garda, Reale in Castel di Sangro and Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico all ranking 16th, 18th and 20th respectively. Here is the full Top 50 restaurant list (European entries in bold): 1. Maido, Lima, Peru 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain 3. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico 4. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand 7. Sezanne, Tokyo, Japan 8. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris, France 9. Kjolle, Lima, Peru 10. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 11. Wing, Hong Kong 12. Atomix, New York, USA 13. Potong, Bangkok, Thailand 14. Plénitude, Paris, France 15. Ikoyi, London, UK 16. Lido 84, Lake Garda Italy 17. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand 18. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy 19. The Chairman, Hong Kong 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, Brunico, Italy 21. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan 22. Serene, Bangkok, Thailand 23. Boragó, Santiago, Chile 24. Elkano, Getaria, Spain 25. Odette, Singapore 26. Mérito, Lima, Peru 27. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE 28. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 29. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea 30. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand 31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy 32. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy 33. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria 34. Enigma, Barcelona, Spain 35. Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand 36. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan 37. Orfali Bros, Dubai, UAE 38. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden 39. Mayta, Lima, Peru 40. Septime, Paris, France 41. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark 42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal 43. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy 44. La Cime, Osaka, Japan 45. Arpege, Paris, France 46. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico 47. Vyn, Skillinge, Sweden 48. Celele, Cartagena, Colombia 49. Kol, London, UK 50. Restaurant Jan, Munich, Germany
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Artisan salt, eggs, butter and leaves producers among winners at Ireland food awards
Ireland's premier artisan food producers have been honoured by leading chefs at the 2025 Euro-Toques food awards . Winners across a range of categories included: Dingle Sea Salt, Coole Farm, Moy Hill Farm, Salt Rock Dairy and Ballylisk. The awards ceremony, held on Monday afternoon at Ashford Castle, recognised products nominated by chefs who use them in their restaurants and voted for by members of the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council. More than 100 chefs, producers and Euro-Toques members gathered for a celebratory lunch featuring a harvest table of more than 30 Irish producers, including this year's winners and nominees. The annual awards, now in their 39th year were first established in 1996 by the late Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House in Co Cork. This year's theme, honouring Ireland's kitchen table, paid tribute to the place where food meets tradition, memory and storytelling and honoured seven champions, all makers of key cookery ingredients. READ MORE The Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council is a European community of chefs and cooks that champion local food integrity, craftsmanship and community-led gastronomy. The 2025 awards celebrated seven winners chosen across the categories of Water, Land, Farm, Dairy, Artisan Produce and Craft/Traditional Skills. The 2025 Awards winners Water Husband and wife Brian Farrell and Marie Holden are owners of West of Dingle sea Salt. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times Dingle Sea Salt for its innovative and sustainable solar-evaporated, Atlantic-harvested sea salt that uses a fully off-grid, low-carbon process. Land Coole Farm for its cultivation of organic salad leaves using a regenerative approach that restores soil health and supports biodiversity. Farm Moy Hill Farm, Fergal Smith of Moy Hill Farm in Co Clare. Photograph: Paul Sherwood Moy Hill Farm for its ethical, regenerative egg production, its education programmes, community-supported agricultural boxes and on-farm transparency. Dairy (cultured butter) Salt Rock Dairy for handcrafted cultured butter using milk from its own herd and Wexford sea salt, a method that revives traditional butter-making. Dairy (soft cheese) Ballylisk Triple Rose cheese. Photograph: Paul Sherwood Ballylisk for The Triple Rose, a rich triple cream cheese, a luxurious product with depth and distinction, made from a single pedigree herd in Armagh. Artisan produce Wild Irish Foragers for helping to preserve Ireland's edible heritage, keeping forgotten flavours alive with its handcrafted syrups, shrubs and jellies made from foraged botanicals. Traditional craft/skill Seagull Bakery for the championing of bread made from Irish-grown grains and bold fermentation, reimagining traditional baking with creativity and skill. Lunch at the Ashford Castle event was prepared by chefs Liam Finnegan and Jonathan Keane, whose menus served local ingredients. Conor Halpenny of Square Dundalk and chair of Euro-Toques Ireland, said: 'We are honouring those who have kept Irish food grounded – producers and craftspeople who quietly shape our national identity through their work every single day. 'The Irish kitchen table is a symbol of trust, care and resilience,' said Aishling Moore of Goldie in Cork, head of the Euro-Toques Food Council. 'It is where we learn the fundamentals of food – not just how to cook, but how to value what we eat and who we share it with.' Each award category considered a fundamental element of the Irish food story, from ocean-harvested salt and nutrient-rich seaweeds to soil-nurturing salad leaves, pasture-raised eggs, and hand-churned butter.
