Gaggan, Bangkok, claims No.1 spot for third consecutive year
Before an audience of the region’s most celebrated chefs, industry VIPs and international media, the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced at an awards ceremony at the W Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
Amber (No.3) in Hong Kong is again named The Best Restaurant in China, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. Other Hong Kong restaurants in the 2017 list include longtime favourites Lung King Heen (No.17), Ta Vie (No.33), L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong (No.41) and The Chairman (No.47). Ronin, one of 10 new entries in the 2017 list, debuts in the list at No.45.
Hong Kong’s celebrated Italian chef Umberto Bombana has double reason to celebrate. While his acclaimed restaurant, 81⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, rises nine places in the list to No.4, he is the 2017 recipient of the Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award. Chef-restaurateur May Chow of Hong Kong’s Little Bao was also honoured at the awards ceremony and named Asia’s Best Female Chef.
Individual Region Awards:
Gaggan in Bangkok claims the No.1 spot for a third consecutive year. Gaggan retains the dual titles of The Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and The Best Restaurant in Thailand, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. 2017 marks the debut of four Bangkok restaurants: Sühring (No.13), The Dining Room at The House on Sathorn (No.36), Le Du (No.37) and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok (No.40).
Host Country Main Sponsor
Rising one place to No.2, chef André Chiang’s Restaurant André retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Singapore, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
Narisawa (No.6), one of six Tokyo-based entries in the top 20, is named The Best Restaurant in Japan, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, for a fifth successive year.
Maintaining its No.15 ranking, Mingles in Seoul retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Korea while Gallery Vask (No.35) in Manila keeps The Best Restaurant in the Philippines honour. At No. 30, Indian Accent is awarded The Best Restaurant in India for the third time. The winners’ circle also includes RAW (No.24), winning The Best Restaurant in Taiwan title, Ministry of Crab in Colombo (No.29) securing honours as The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka.
Other award winners announced include:
Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by Mekhong: Odette, Singapore
Launched in November 2015, chef-owner Julien Royer’s restaurant at the iconic National Gallery Singapore debuts at No.9, the highest new entry in the history of the list. Serving Asian-inspired modern French cuisine, each dish at Odette is presented with impeccable style and characteristic perfection.
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef: Kazutoshi Narita, Tokyo
Japanese chef Kazutoshi Narita began his career alongside the ‘Picasso of Pastries’ Pierre Hermé – currently The World’s Best Pastry Chef Award holder – before honing his skills at Joël Robuchon restaurants in New York, Las Vegas and Tokyo. At Esquisse and the recently opened Esquisse Cinq, both in Tokyo, the award-winning pastry specialist combines the delicate artistry of Japanese cuisine with the nuances and creative flair of French pâtisserie.
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Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Peroni: Dave Pynt, Singapore
An apprenticeship at Asador Etxebarri in Spain helped spark Australian-born Dave Pynt’s passion for playing with fire. Since 2013, Pynt has been turning up the heat at Burnt Ends, a gourmet barbecue restaurant in Singapore. Pynt’s mastery of various cooking techniques – from smoking and slow roasting to grilling – has earned him the respect of his regional peers. Burnt Ends debuted on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2015 at No.30 and this year Pynt is the recipient of the Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Peroni.
The Art of Hospitality: Den, Tokyo
Rising 26 places to No.11, Den delights in surprising and entertaining its guests, making it a worthy recipient of the inaugural Art of Hospitality Award in Asia. The approach is playful, personable and inventive, reflecting the personality of Den’s chef-owner, Zaiyu Hasegawa.
Highest Climber Award: Locavore, Bali
Celebrating Balinese culture and using only sustainably sourced local ingredients, Locavore rises 27 places to No.22, earning the title of The Best Restaurant in Indonesia.
Other award honourees include TocToc in Seoul earning the Miele One To Watch Award for its creative use of seasonal Korean ingredients and refined French-influenced menu.
William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Each year the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list welcomes a host of new entries and 2017 is no exception. In its fifth year, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is proud to showcase the region’s diverse cuisines, introduce gourmets to innovative dining concepts and celebrate Asia’s emerging talent at our events in Thailand. All 50 restaurants on the 2017 list, along with the individual award winners, strive for excellence and we are thrilled to honour this exceptional community of culinary innovators.”
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How Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled
The list is created from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene. The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’. Members list their choices in order of preference, based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months. There is no pre-determined check-list of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.
For the 2017 edition, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is once again working with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner. The adjudication by Deloitte ensures that the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants are protected.