Dabiz Muñoz, reelected as the best chef in the world

Dabiz Muñoz is once again the number one chef in the world for the second consecutive year. The avant-garde chef from DiverXo has once again triumphed in the sixth edition of The Best Chefs Awards, some awards that have made their way powerfully in the world of gastronomic lists and that have been delivered this Tuesday night in Madrid in a gala presented by Carlos Latre (last year it was held in Amsterdam). Unlike The World’s 50 Best, a ranking focused on restaurants, The Best Chefs Awards focuses on the protagonists: the chefs and cooks, their concerns and their approach to cooking. The Danish Rene Redzepi (Noma) and the Catalan chef Joan Roca, from El Celler de Can Roca, complete the podium. “What a night, what an adventure. Thanks to Madrid, my city, the best in the world. I don’t feel like the best chef in the world, but it is an honor and something wonderful”, Muñoz said when accepting the award, who also thanked, visibly moved, his wife, the presenter Cristina Pedroche: “Without her it would not have been everything we have done in the XO these years is possible. Eight years later I feel like a better cook and a better person ”, after which he has invited his team to go on stage to celebrate with them.

In the list of top 100 led by Dabiz Muñoz, released at a gala held on September 20 at the Palacio de Cibeles, includes a large Spanish representation: a total of 22 names. Great chefs in the lead (such as Joan Roca, Andoni Luis Aduriz, the Disfrutar trio, Ángel León, Quique Dacosta…) and as new entries: Bittor Arginzoniz (Etxebarri), the brothers Sergio and Javier Torres, Dani García, Paulo Airaudo, Paco Pérez (Miramar) and Fina Puigdevall and Martina Puigvert (Les Cols).

With the re-election of the Madrid chef as the best chef in the world, whose restaurant is the only one in Madrid with three Michelin stars and ranks 20th on the 50 Best list, the voters of The Best Chefs Awards (chefs, journalists and professionals from the sector) once again recognize “a highly personal, unpredictable cuisine installed in excellence that flees from mimicry despite assimilating disparate influences and inspirations, from coquinary currents to its own dream universe that permeates each visit to DiverXo with the emotion of a Russian roulette and turns it in a real show. The motto is justified: vanguard or die”, the organization has summarized the feelings of these juries.

In addition to raising him once again to number one on the list, The Best Chefs Awards has awarded Dabiz Muñoz two of the 12 special recognitions this year. As a reiteration of her triumph, the chef of DiverXo (and of StreetXo, RavioXo and GotXo) receives an award from his own colleagues, that of Best Chef, and also the title of Best Gourmet Chef in the City. “It is one of the most special awards, being recognized by peers is incredible. I feel very happy, ”he said on stage when collecting this award that his professional colleagues have awarded him. With the other, he had a few words of appreciation for “all the chefs who have been doing a great job in Madrid in recent years”, among whom he has mentioned Ramón Freixa, Juanjo López Bedmar (Tasquita de Enfrente), Mario Sandoval or Diego Guerrero (DSTAgE). “These parties unite us and make cooking a powerful tool for connecting cultures,” said Joan Roca after being recognized as the third best chef in the world.

Another special award, to the Chef of Science, goes to the great innovator and breakthrough Andoni Luis Aduriz, head of Mugaritz, who occupies fifth place in the ranking in 2022. The Japanese Natsuko Shoji, creator of beautiful sweet haute cuisine dishes at her Été pastry laboratory in Tokyo (Japan), and chosen Asia’s Best Chef 2022, has received the Best Chef Food Art award.

Other world-famous figures included in the special awards are veteran French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, for Best Dining Experience; the Slovenian Ana Roš (Hiša Franko), Best Pristine Chef for her exquisite dishes, or the Australian Josh Niland, the Most Innovative Chef, for his impressive knowledge in handling fish.

“Share knowledge and experiences of veteran and young chefs and value creativity, intelligence, passion, innovation, sustainability, technology or science and positive social impact through cooking” are objectives of The Best Chef Awards, “a vibrant global community of foodies.” Its origin is in Warsaw, at the initiative of the Polish neuroscientist Joanna Slusarczyk and the Italian gourmet Cristian Gadau, who wanted to highlight the different gastronomic approaches of the people behind the restaurants. The voting system includes professionals from the sector (chefs voting for chefs) as well as haute cuisine experts, communicators and photographers. Every year, a total of 350 people (among them those included in the previous list) decide the new ranking of the 100 best chefs.

The chef Joan Roca, the Swedish Björn Frantzén and Rene Redzepi have preceded Muñoz at number one in the Best Chefs Awards. Warsaw (2017), Milan (2019), Barcelona (2020, with broadcast on-line) and Amsterdam (2021) have been the scene of the previous editions of these awards. The celebration in Madrid —with the support of the City Council and the Community— and the election for two consecutive years of an avant-garde chef from Madrid encourages the claims of the Spanish capital to be a city of international gastronomic appeal, a world focus of tourism foodie.

From 1 to 100, these are the best chefs in the world

1. Dabiz Muñoz: DivertXo, StreetXo (Madrid, Spain)
2. René Redzepi: Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
3. Joan Roca: El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
4. Massimo Bottura: Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
5. Andoni Luis Aduriz: Mugaritz (Gipuzkoa, Spain)
6. Björn Frantzen: Frantzen (Stockholm, Sweden)
7. Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch: Enjoy (Barcelona, ​​Spain)
8. Alain Passard: L’Arpège (Paris, France)
9. Ana Roš: Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
10. Alex Atala: DOM (São Paulo, Brazil)
11. Rasmus Munk: The Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark)
12. Rasmus Kofoed: Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
13. Ángel León: Aponiente (Santamaría Port, Spain)
14. Niko Romito: Reale (Abruzzo, Italy)
15. Virgilio Martinez: Central (Lima, Peru)
16. Grant Achatz: Line up (Chicago, USA)
17. Riccardo Camanini: Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Italy)
18. Eneko Atxa: Azurmendi, Eneko (Larrabetzu, Spain)
19. Bittor Arguinzoniz: Asador Etxebarri (Axpe Achondo, Spain)
20. Anne-Sophie Pic: Maison Pic (Valence, France)
21. Andreas Caminada: Schloss Schauenstein (Füsternau, Switzerland)
22. Mauro Colagreco: Mirazur (Menton, France)
23. Yannick Alleno: Pavillon Ledoyen and L’Abysse (Paris, France) and Le 1947 (Courchevel, France)
24. Dominique Crenn: Atelier Crenn (San Francisco, USA)
25. Dan Barber: Blue Hill Manhattan (New York, USA) and Blue Hill Stone Barns (Pocantico, USA)
26. Paolo Casagrande: Restaurant Lasarte by Martín Berasategui (Barcelona, ​​Spain)
27. Rodolfo Guzman: Borago (Santiago, Chile)
28. Julien Royer: Odette (Singapore) Louise (Hong Kong)
29. Yoshihiro Narisawa: Les Créations de Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
30. Mauro Uliassi: Ristorante Uliassi (Senigallia, Italy)
31. César Ramirez: Table at Brooklyn Fare (New York, USA)
32. Enrico Crippa: Piazza Duomo Alba (Alba, Italy)
33. Quique Dacosta: Quique Dacosta Restaurant (Dénia, Spain)
34. Christian Bau: Victor’s Fine Dining (Perl, Germany)
35. Clare Smyth: Core by Clare Smyth (London, UK)
36. Paco Roncero: Paco Roncero Restaurant NH Collection Casino de Madrid, Estado Puro (Madrid), Sublimotion (Ibiza), Estado Puro (Shanghai)
37. Jonnie Boer: De Librije (Zwolle, The Netherlands)
38. Diego Guerrero: Dstage, Dspeak (Madrid, Spain)
39. Eric Vildgaard: Jordnær (Copenhagen, Denmark)
40. Heston Blumenthal: The Fat Duck (Bray, Ireland)
41. Javier and Sergio Torres: Hermanos Torres Restaurant (Barcelona) Two Heavens (Madrid)
42. Martín Berasategui: Martín Berasategui Restaurant (Guipuzkoa, Spain), Eme Be Garrote Restaurant, (San Sebastián, Spain), Lasarte Restaurant, Oria, Fonda España (Barcelona, ​​Spain), MB Restaurant, Txoko MB, Melvin By Martín Berasategui (Tenerife, Spain), La Bodega de Ola, Ola Martín Berasategui (Bilbao, Spain), Fifty Seconds Martin Berasategui (Lisbon, Portugal), Etxeko (Ibiza, Spain), El Txoko de Martín (Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
43. Paco Morales: Noor Restaurant (Cordoba, Spain)
44. Korey Lee: Benu (San Francisco, USA)
45. Alexandre Mazzia: AM by Alexandre Mazzia (Marseille, France)
46. Alberto Landgraf: Oteque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
47. Giuseppe Iannotti: Kresios (Telese, Italy)
48. Manu Buffara: Manu Restaurant (Curitiba, Brazil)
49. Daniel Humm: Eleven Madison Park (New York, USA)
50. Pia Leon: Kjolle (Barranco, Peru)
51. Marco Müller: Rutz (Berlin, Germany)
52. Nick Bril: The Jane, (Antwerp, Belgium)
53. Emmanuel Renaut: Flocons de sel (Mégève, France)
54. Arnaud Donckele: La Vague d’Or (St-Tropez, France)
55. Mingoo Kang: Mingles (Seoul, South Korea)
56. Dani García: Tragabuches, Kemuri, Alelí (Marbella) Babette, Leña, Smokedroom, Lobito de Mar, Bibo, Dani Brasserie, Casa Dani (Madrid)
57. Jorge Vallejo: Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
58. Antonia Klugmann: L’Argine a Vencò (Dolegna del Collio, Italy)
59. Floriano Pellegrino: Bros’ (Lecce, Italy)
60. Bruno Verjus: Table (Paris, France)
61. Agustin Balbi: Andó (Hong Kong)
62. Hans Neuner: Ocean (Porches, Portugal)
63. Joris Bijdendijk: Wils, Rijks, Wils Bakery (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
64. Sven Elverfeld: Aqua restaurant (Wolfsburg, Germany)
65. Hélène Darroze: The Connaught (London, United Kingdom), Marsan par Hélène Darroze (Paris, France) Hélène Darroze (Villa La Coste, France)
66. Himanshu Sain: At the helm (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
67. Hiroyasu Kawate: Florilège (Tokyo, Japan)
68. Felix Lo Basso: Felix Lo Basso Restaurant (Milan, Italy) Memorie di Felix Lo Basso Restaurant (Trani, Italy)
69. Leonor Espinosa: Leo Restaurant (Bogotá, Colombia)
70. Henrique Sa’ Pessoa: Alma, Cais da Pedra, Mercado da Ribeira, Tapisco, Petiscos bar, Balcão (Lisbon, Portugal) Tapisco Porto (Porto, Portugal)
71. Tristin Farmer: Restaurant Zen (Singapore)
72. Natsuko Shoji: Été (Tokyo, Japan)
73. Elena Reygadas: Rosetta (Mexico City, Mexico)
74. Vicky Lau: Tate Dining Room (Hong Kong)
75. Diego Rossi: Trattoria Trippa (Milan, Italy)
76. Gert de Mangeeler: Hertog (Flanders, Belgium)
77. Gareth Ward: Ynyshir (Machynlleth, Wales)
78. Josh Niland: Saint Peter (Paddington, Australia)
79. Moreno Cedroni: La Madonnina dal pescatore, Clandestino, Aniko (Ancona, Italy)
80. José Avillez: Belcanto, Encanto, Bairro do Avillez, Mini Bar, Pizzaria Lisboa, Cantinho do Avillez (Lisbon, Portugal) Tasca Cuá Cuá Club (Algarve, Portugal) Tasca (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
81. Yusuke Takada: Le Cime (Osaka, Japan)
82. Karim Lopez: Gucci Osteria (Florence, Italy)
83. Domenico Marotta: Marotta Ristorante (Squille, Italy)
84. Santiago Lastra: Kol Restaurant, Kol Mezcalería (London, United Kingdom)
85. Paulo Airaudo: Amelia (San Sebastián, Spain) and Aleia (Barcelona, ​​Spain)
86. Álvaro Clavijo: El Chato (Bogota, Colombia)
87. Paco Pérez: Miramar Restaurant (Girona, Spain)
88. Dong Zhenxiang: Da Dong Roast Duck (Beijing, China)
89. Norbert Niederkofler: Restaurant St. Hubertus (San Cassiano, Italy)
90. Peter Goossens: Hof van Cleve (Kruisem, Belgium)
91. Jeremy Chan: Ikoyi (London, UK)
92. Przemysław Klima: Bottiglieria 1881 (Krakow, Poland)
93. Tala Bashmi: Fusions by Tala (Manama, Bahrain)
94. Atsushi Tanaka: AT (Paris, France)
95. Jaime Pesaque: Mayta, 500 degrees, Sapiens, Callao, Mad Burguer (Lima, Peru)
96. Fina Puigdevall and Martina Puigvert: Les Cols (Girona, Spain)
97. Vicky Cheng: VEA Restaurant, Wing (Hong Kong)
98. Debora Fadul: Diacá (Guatemala City, Guatemala)
99. Stefano Baiocco: Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli (Gargnano, Italy)
100. Helena Rizzo: Peanut (São Paulo, Brazil)