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Noma crowned Best Restaurant for second year
Danish restaurant Noma was named the World’s Best Restaurant for the second year running last night at a glittering ceremony, known as the “food Oscars”, at the Guildhall in London.
Famed for using foraged food from the local countryside, the Copenhagen restaurant fought off competition from Spain, Italy, the UK and the US to scoop the award, having knocked Spain’s El Bulli off the top spot last year after a four-year reign.
When the award was announced, the Noma team donned horned Viking hats and took to the stage.
Visibly moved, 33-year-old head chef Rene Redzepi (left) put the win down to his team.
"I think now we are as successful as we can be," he said. "Now we are working for the momentum of our region. It will be good for the other great chefs that are yet to be discovered. That will be the big impact."
Spain also enjoyed a successful night, with El Celler de Can Roca in Girona taking second place, and Mugaritz in the Basque Country coming in third – both up two places from last year.
Juan Mari Arzak, head chef of Arzak in Spain’s San Sebastián, was honoured with a lifetime achievement award, presented by his daughter Elena, and received “one of the most memorable standing ovations in the awards’ history”, according to presenter Mark Durden-Smith. Arzak itself made it into the top 10, coming in eighth place.
Four UK restaurants made the top 50 – Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck dropped two places to number five, while The Ledbury in Notting Hill made the list for the first time, taking 34th place. The announcement drew rapturous applause. Fergus Henderson’s "nose to tail" restaurant St John moved up two places to 41, while Hibiscus in Mayfair moved up six to 43.
Proving that fine dining can be found in all corners of the world, new entries from Peru, Mexico and Russia added to the international flavour of the evening.
New this year, Anne-Sophie Pic of Maison Pic in Valence, France, scooped the Best Female Chef award, sponsored by Veuve Clicquot.
Lucy Shaw, 19.04.2011