- Nahm ranked at no. 3 and Thai Chef Duangporn Songvisava from restaurant Bo.lan named Asia’s Best Female Chef
- Narisawa in Tokyo takes the crown as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Asia
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna and organised by William Reed Business Media, today named Chef David Thompson’s Nahm as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Thailand. Nahm secured a top spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, ranked at no. 3.
The announcement of this award for Thailand recognises a growing appreciation of Thai cuisine, which is further emphasized by the accomplishment of Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava who has been named as Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef.
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list sees Nahm at no. 3, and Songvisava’s restaurant Bo.lan at no. 36, ranked with the likes of Gaggan (no. 10); Eat Me (no. 19); and Sra Bua By Kiin Kiin (no. 29).
At Nahm, Thompson uses recipes resurrected from old cookbooks of former Thai matriarchs, many of which have not been seen for many years, such as southern-style grilled mussels smoked with coconut husks then cooked with curry-infused coconut cream. All of his dishes are an authentic perfect balance of sour, sweet, salt and spice flavours, true to Thai culinary heritage.
As the owner of Bangkok’s world renowned Thai restaurant, Bo.lan, Songvisava’s recognition as Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef establishes her as a leader in Thai cuisine. Songvisava and her husband, Chef Dylan Jones, opened Bo.lan in 2009. Founded on a belief in maintaining Thai cooking rituals used throughout the country’s culinary history, the Bo.lan team follows the Slow Food philosophy and uses fresh, seasonal, locally grown and sourced ingredients to produce authentic dishes.
Kolkata-born Gaggan Anand is best known in Bangkok’s restaurant industry for his authentic, modernist and progressive approach to Indian street food. Anand created a new genre of Indian cuisine when he opened Gaggan, adding a new twist to classic Indian recipes, reinvented through molecular gastronomy. His interpretation of paapdi chaat transforms the traditional afternoon street-food snack into a spherical yoghurt egg resting on a wafer.
Commenting on the success of the inaugural awards, William Drew of William Reed Business Media said: “We launched Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants as part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants program to recognise the region’s growing restaurant industry and diverse gastronomic landscape. The list is a reflection of Asia’s culinary talent and showcases individuals that share a passion for excellence.
“It is exciting to see so many innovative and creative chefs pushing Asia’s culinary boundaries and supporting Asia’s growing influence on the global culinary stage. There is no doubt that Asia provides the ideal ingredients to foster a rich and diverse list of culinary excellence, and an impressive exploration ground for food lovers.”
Award winners also announced include:
Narisawa, The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Asia and Japan
Yoshihiro Narisawa’s elegant, minimalist restaurant and suited staff serving delicate, nature-focused dishes using seasonal ingredients drawn from Japan’s rich pantry are just some of the elements that have earned Narisawa his dedicated following and this accolade. But it’s his wild imagination and sense of drama that have pushed this restaurant to the very top of the class.
A dedicated environmentalist and avid nature-lover, at his eponymous Tokyo restaurant chef Narisawa blends classical French cooking techniques with strong flora aesthetics. Overall, Narisawa delivers a sublime manifestation of the country’s natural beauty and bounty.
Janice Wong, Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry
Janice Wong, owner of 2am: Dessert Bar in Singapore, has gained this prestigious recognition due to her creation and delivery of a multi-sensory experience for those who taste her desserts combined with her experimentation with sweet and savoury flavours, inspired from her childhood in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.
JAAN, ‘One To Watch’, sponsored by LesConcierges
JAAN is an intimate, 40-seat restaurant dedicated to showcasing the finest in modern French cuisine in Singapore. The view from the 70th floor is jaw-dropping, matched only by the wittily presented and immaculately executed dishes emerging from the kitchen of Chef de Cuisine, Julien Royer. ‘One To Watch’ is awarded to an establishment within the inaugural Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list that the organisers believe has made a significant impact in a relatively short period and that has the potential to rise further up the rankings.
Seiji Yamamoto, The Chefs’ Choice, sponsored by Silestone by Cosentino
Seiji Yamamoto has been recognised by his contemporaries in Asia’s restaurant industry for innovating Japanese cuisine through the fusion of traditional and modern techniques, creating a new genre of Japanese food. Yamamoto creates dishes that push the boundaries of creativity, following his philosophy “to pursue every single possibility for Japanese cuisine in the future”, a theme carried out at his restaurant Nihonryori RyuGin (no. 2) in Tokyo’s Roppongi district.
Joining the list of winners is Paul Pairet of Mr & Mrs Bund (no. 7) and Ultraviolet (no. 8) in China, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
China boasts 16 restaurants on the list for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants with Amber (no. 4) in Hong Kong named as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in China. Chef de Cuisine, Richard Ekkebus took Amber to new gastronomic heights with a place on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants for two consecutive years. His creations represent Hong Kong’s cultural crossroads between east and west, with dishes all presented with extraordinary flair.
Following China closely is Singapore with 10 restaurants on the list with Restaurant Andre (no. 5) as the winner of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Singapore. Chiang’s Mediterranean-inspired menu exudes values synonymous with ‘octaphilosphy’, a term used by Chiang to characterise his culinary style: unique, texture, memory, pure, terroir, salt, south and artisan.
Restaurants in India made their mark on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants with 7 making the list. Dum Pukht (no. 17) was named as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in India. Dum Pukht, explores the tradition of cooking kebabs, stews and biryani in a sealed clay pot over a slow fire. Native to the 18th-century Awadh Kingdom from Lucknow, clay pot cooking reaches new heights here.
Restaurants in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia also made their debut at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. Nihonbashi in Colombo is ranked no. 38, followed by Don’s in Hanoi at no. 47, and Mozaic in Bali at no. 50.
Nihonbashi, the brainchild of chef restaurateur Dharshan Munidasa, brings a high-end dining experience which majors in sushi and sashimi, among other disciplines from the Japanese culinary repertoire.
Don’s serves classic and innovative international cuisine with a menu that covers practically all the gastronomic bases, from pasta and risotto to steaks and chops, soups and salads to Vietnamese and Asian favourites.
Half-French, half-American Mozaic Chef, Chris Salans and his Javanese wife combine classic French cooking techniques with Indonesia’s rich variety of ingredients and flavours.
Yoshihiro Narisawa, owner and head chef of the winning Tokyo restaurant, Narisawa, has been recognised by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, consecutively for four years and was the winner of Acqua Panna Best Restaurant in Asia for three consecutive years.
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants provides a credible and trusted list that is dedicated to the restaurant industry in Asia and voted for by peers and luminaries in the culinary profession. The results of the awards and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is available at www.theworlds50best.asia. There will be a standalone Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants guide available from 26 February.