Amsterdam will host the 5th THE BEST CHEF AWARDS powered by PERLAGE on September 13, 14 and 15th 2021.
The three-day long culinary celebration will include FOOD MEETS SCIENCE, AREA TALKS and a few new activities, ending with the grand AWARDS GALA, as they continue to honor the many talented chefs that create the best food experiences around the world.
This year the announcement of the new 100 candidates from 35 different countries who will compete for the title of THE BEST CHEF together with the chefs of the TOP100 2020 will be full of suspense. Starting from February 25th and for 100 days, THE BEST CHEF will announce one candidate per day (in random order) through its social channels.
The eighth batch of nominees has been announced. Here they are.
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TOM BROWN
“I got into cooking by accident, I was working up the road at my local pub in Cornwall as a kitchen porter, and had fallen out of love with being in a college classroom. I started helping out making pizzas and doing a bit of prep, and got hooked.
I loved the creativity, the sense of pride and the immediate gratification that comes from cooking. Seeing the produce come in, I started to become more interested in the sourcing side of things and the food itself. I liked finding ingredients that were absolutely perfect and required little to no cooking.”
Tom Brown, UK
Cornerstone, London, England, www.cornerstonehackney.com
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MORY SACKO
Mory Sacko to become one of the faces of the new French gastronomy.
In the heart of rue Raymond Losserand in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, Mory Sacko decides to put down his knives to take flight with his first table: MoSuke. Alliance of his first name and Yasuke, the first African samurai of Japan, MoSuke deploys a new gastronomy where Africa meets Japan on French territory. Bold and creative, MoSuke awakens the left bank by going to new horizons, like the heron, migratory bird, animal mascot of the restaurant.
Mory Sacko, France
MoSuke, Paris, France, www.mosuke-restaurant.com
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FREDRIK BERSELIUS
A Swede in NYC.
Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, chef Fredrik Berselius has spent most of his culinary career in New York City, bringing his love for nature to his urban surroundings through food.
Berselius opened Aska – Swedish for ‘ashes’ – in its first rendition in 2012, garnering acclaim for bridging the culinary heritage of his upbringing with the immediate environs of his Brooklyn address.
Frederik’s approach to cooking focuses on using the best possible, not to mention handpicked and local ingredients and takes inspiration from Brooklyn’s oozing creativity.
Fredrik Berselius, Sweden
Aska, New York City, USA, www.askanyc.com
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RUI PAULA
Born in Porto, Chef Rui Paula suggests going on an adventure through the classic Portuguese cuisine recreated flavors, as well as through the richness of Oporto´s cuisine, with emphasis on Cod, milk-fed goat kid, Octopus, Veal and Portuguese traditional sausages, as well as a great diversity of fish and seafood from the coastline.
Rui Paula, Portugal
Casa de Chá da Boa Nova – Grupo Rui Paula, Leça da Palmeira, Portugal, www.casadechadaboanova.pt
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AKRAME BENALLAL
“My kitchen is an extension of myself.”
French-born chef, Akrame Benallal showcases the taste of his childhood memories in Algeria, alongside his professional experience in France. His cuisine at restaurant Akrame, Paris revolves around the day-to-day seasonal and local produce at hand.
Akrame’s philosophy is that “cooking is like life, we evolve, and we don’t reinvent the wheel. My menus change each and everyday, according to mood and inspiration.I am not following current trends, only intuition guides my taste. What I respect the most from my predecessors is their perennity.”
Akrame Benallal, France
Akrame, Paris, France, www.akrame.com
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KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU
“Cooking and eating is my passion. I have been to too many restaurants where food is worshipped and diners whisper.To me it is more important to cook exciting and inspirational delicious food using the ingredients I love with integrity and perfection. I am a Greek Austrian and this reflects in my dishes and the spirit of the dining room.”
Konstantin Filippou, Austria
Restaurant Konstantin Filippou, Vienna, Austria, www.konstantinfilippou.com
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YUSUKE NAMAI
Born in Tokyo in 1975. At the age of 25 and in the midst of pursuing a music career, Namai took a major turn into the world of cuisine. After working at a French restaurant in central Tokyo, he trained for 5 years under Chef Masahito Ueki at Restaurant J (Omotesando, Tokyo) and Masaa’s (Karuizawa, Nagano).
Namai worked as executive chef for 3 years at Heureux, also in Karuizawa, before taking up the role of executive chef at CHIC peut-être in Tokyo’s Hatchobori in November 2012, where he went on to earn one star in the 2015 Michelin Guide.
He commenced preparations for his new restaurant in March 2017 in advance of opening restaurant Ode located in Hiroo, Tokyo, in September 2017. He went on to earn one star in the 2019 Michelin Guide. Entered the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No.35 in 2020, No.27 in 2021.
Yusuke Namai, Japan
Ode, Tokyo, Japan, www.restaurant-ode.com
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HIMANSHU SAINI
An Indian in Dubai.
A young Delhi boy, Chef Himanshu learnt the nuances of cooking at a very young age from his mother, post which he joined Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology to hone his culinary skills.
With the aim to make his mark with constant innovation and to change the perception of Indian cuisine, Chef Himanshu embarked on a journey to create innovative dishes, thereby elevating how we experience Indian food today.
Himanshu Saini, India
Trèsind Studio, Dubai, UAE, www.tresind.com/dubai
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HÉLÈNE DARROZE
Born in Mont de Marsan in the region of Les Landes in Southwestern France, Hélène is the fourth generation from a family of chefs.
Unsurprisingly, she grew up instilled with a deep respect for her own regional culture and ingredients and immersed in the discipline and values of fine dining.
Now, dividing her diary each month between Paris and London, she spends valuable time directing her teams either side of the English Channel. For Hélène, gastronomy remains the greatest opportunity to deliver the ultimate in hospitality: for her, “to cook is to live and to live is to cook”.
Hélène Darroze, France
Helene Darroze At The Connaught, London, UK www.the-connaught.co.uk
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SVEN ERIK RENAA
Focus on pure, local, natural products.
Highly awarded Norwegian chef, born and raised in Trøndelag – with an Italian father. He started his career at Britannia Hotel, where his mother also worked. He then moved to Oslo, where he worked at Anden Etage at Hotel Continental and Bærums Verk, before he went to the legendary Park Avenue Café with renowned chef David Burke.
After New York Renaa returned to Oslo as Head Chef at Brasseriet Hansken, where he stayed for three years before he became Head Chef at ORO with Bocuse d’Or winner Terje Ness.
Renaa then left for Stavanger and The Culinary Institute of Norway, where he worked as an advisor and as Coach for the Norwegian Culinary team (junior and senior) for 8 years before he (finally!) opened Renaa Restaurants in 2009.
Today he runs Renaa Restaurants AS together with his wife Torill.
Sven Erik Renaa, Norway
Renaa Matbaren, Stavanger, Norway, www.restaurantrenaa.no
On June 6th, THE BEST CHEF begins the voting process, where all the chefs included on last years’ list (plus an anonymous group of independent professionals) and the new 100 candidates will be invited to vote for their peers to name 2021’s TOP100 AWARDS.
In case of interest or/and press on The Best Chef Awards,
please contact Kristian Brask Thomsen at:
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Hungry for more? Read this in-depth US-article on The Best Chef.
