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 ninth batch of nominees has been announced. Here they are.
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JUAN LUIS MARTÍNEZ
A Venezuelan in Lima
“Latin America shares a beautiful endemic pantry. A product can be used one way in Venezuela and another in Peru, but that’s where the link is. People always ask us: “Are you from Venezuela, do you cook Venezuelan cuisine? No. So you do Peruvian cuisine? No, we don’t. We have recipes from each country and use products from both, but our cuisine is not necessarily one or the other “
Juan Luis Martínez, Venezuela
Mérito Restaurante, Lima, Peru, www.meritorestaurante.com
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ALAIN WEISSGERBER
Nestled in the heart of Austria’s Pannonian region lies Taubenkobel. The enchanting result of husband and wife duo Alain Weissgerber and Barbara Eselböck’s kinship with their pastoral home.
What Alain and Barbara have created is a renowned culinary retreat, where seasonal produce is king and every detail of the place is meticulously considered.
French born, self-taught chef, Alain Weissgerber has called Austria home for the last 27 years. His unending passion and dedication to extolling the wonders of Pannonian cuisine has earned him the accolade of Chef of The Year in Austria 2018.
The kitchen at Taubenkobel takes you through a storytelling of the area and creativity mind of Alain Weissgerber, also leaving no doubt that a strong and dedicated man has created the menu.
Alain Weissgerber, Austria
Taubenkobel, Schützen am Gebirge, Austria, www.taubenkobel.com
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MATT LAMBERT
Back at Home in Auckland
Matt Lambert is an internationally acclaimed chef who recently returned home to his native New Zealand. Having worked on multiple projects in America, he is beyond excited to take the lead as Executive Chef at Rodd and Gunn’s The Lodge Bar in Queenstown and Auckland, in his home country in New Zealand.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Lambert’s food draws on his Kiwi upbringing, and his passion for the incredible produce, coupled with a modern innovative approach to cooking techniques learned in NYC.
Matt won the “Food Art” award in Milan 2018.
Matt Lambert, New Zealand
Rodd and Gunn’s The Lodge Bar, Auckland, New Zealand, www.roddandgunn.com/uk/the-lodge-bar
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TOM KITCHIN
“Our Philosophy, From Nature to Plate”
The Kitchin’s philosophy ‘From Nature to Plate’, is a true reflection of Chef Tom Kitchin’s passion for the finest, freshest Scottish seasonal produce and the cooking at the restaurant reflects Tom’s training under some of the world’s best chefs, blended with his own Scottish heritage.
The Kitchin presents modern British cuisine influenced by French cooking techniques and an appreciation of the best quality ingredients available from Scotland’s fantastic natural larder. The produce at The Kitchin arrives fresh daily thanks to a close team of selected suppliers. All the meat and fish is bought in whole and all the butchering and filleting is done in-house daily.
Tom Kitchin, UK
The Kitchin, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, www.thekitchin.com
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ADAM DAHLBERG & ALBIN WESSMAN
The chef duo Adam Dahlberg and Albin Wessman offer a food concept based on simplicity and sustainability. The perfect place for Scandinavian cuisine lovers. An accessible and inclusive door to learn about the philosophy of modern Swedish food.
Adam Dahlberg & Albin Wessman, Sweden
Adam/Albin, Stockholm, Sweden, www.adamalbin.se
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NIKA NAKAYAMA
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, chef Niki Nakayama began her career at the renowned Takao restaurant in Brentwood, working under the guidance of esteemed chef Takao Izumida. Committed to exploring new techniques, Niki embarked on a three-year working tour throughout Japan, sampling her way through different regional flavors and immersing herself in the essentials of Japanese cuisine, both traditional and cutting-edge.
While working at Shirakawa-Ya Ryokan, Niki trained under chef Masa Sato in the art of kaiseki, the traditional Japanese culinary practice that emphasizes the balance and seasonality of a dish.
n/naka is the expansion of all of Niki’s endeavors, a project close to her heart that applies the artistic and technical notions of kaiseki, creating an ever-evolving seasonal narrative within each meal.
Nika Nakayama, USA
n/naka, Los Angeles, California, www.n-naka.com
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HEIDI BJERKAN
A Green approach in Trondheim
“Credo’s heart lies where our raw ingredients are produced.” Heidi Bjerkan is a Norwegian chef and owner of restaurant Credo.
Heidi grew up in Trondheim and on her grandfather’s boat in Garten along the Trøndelag coast. Here she developed strong connections to the land and sea, which to this day may be seen in her cooking.
Heidi is passionate about raising awareness of our food systems, improving land use practices and preserving the traditional food cultures of the region.
Heidi Bjerkan, Norway
Credo Restaurant, Trondheim, Norway, www.restaurantcredo.no
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JORDAN KAHN
Jordan Kahn left Savannah, Georgia at 16 years old for the culinary program at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina with the hopes of becoming a chef. Having admired Thomas Keller for most of his youth, he wrote the esteemed chef a 9-page letter humbly asking for a position in his kitchen.
Chef Keller offered him a place as a stagier, making Kahn the youngest person to ever work in the restaurant at that point. He worked as an apprentice for six months before growing into a position as a cook in the pastry department. There, under Sebastian Rouxel, Kahn found his direction as a chef and continued on with Keller to open Per Se, before moving to Chicago to work at Alinea under Grant Achatz.
He graduated to his first pastry chef position at Varietal in New York City, where Frank Bruni of The New York Times compared him to Jackson Pollock and diners often ventured there to try the desserts – completely forgoing the dinner beforehand.
Believing in the 5 ecosystems within a 30-mile radius, Kahn returned to work for Michael Mina. In 2010, he opened his first restaurant, Red Medicine, to great acclaim before focusing on his current projects, Vespertine and Destroyer.
Jordan Kahn, USA
Vespertine, California, USA, www.vespertine.la
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NINO DI COSTANZO
“Ever since I was young, I lived in places where passion for cooking was a part of life. My mother and grandmother have always been very careful in respecting and passing on the traditional gastronomic values of Campania, and it was my love for the flavours of my homeland that guided my studies and career.
Tradition is not a static element, but rather something dynamic that evolves over time, and I pursue this change while fully respecting the flavours, aromas, and textures of the past.
Every dish reveals my philosophy and the essence of my cooking, which consists of passion, love, research, study, and experimentation, but above all respect for the raw ingredients of Campania.”
Nino Di Costanzo, Italy
Dani Maison, Ischia, Italy, www.danimaison.it
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TANJA GRANDITS
A German Chef in Basel
“I love my work, the glorious ingredients and the wonderful people around me.”
Tanja Grandits uses the finest basic ingredients, makes masterly use of herbs and spices and thus crafts the style which has become her hallmark. Her restaurant is her very own world, full of inspiration, freshness and aromas. She sets the scene with colours and refined touches which diners find so appealing.
Tanja Grandits, Germany
Stucki Basel, Basel, Swiss, www.tanjagrandits.ch
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.
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Hungry for more? Read this in-depth US-article on The Best Chef.
