Gaggan, Bangkok is the winner of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, for the fourth year in a row.
Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok took the winning spot at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. Appearing on stage at the packed Wynn Palace Cotai in Macao with his team, chef Gaggan Anand took the prestigious award for an extraordinary fourth year in a row – a record previously only held by El Bulli in the history of the 50 Best Restaurants Awards. A rather speechless Gaggan said that for the first time he did not ‘feel stressed’ about the final ranking and went on to talk of the need to support young chefs who will be next to take over the industry.
In second place was Den, best restaurant in Japan. Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa stayed true to his restaurant’s playful reputation, appearing in a mask with his partner to receive the award. Florilege, in Tokyo, with chef Horiyasu Kawate took third place and fourth spot went to Suhring, of Bangkok, Thailand by twin chefs Mathias and Thomas Sühring. Number five was Odette, Singapore, with chef Julien Royer, rising 4 spots from last year’s no.9 ranking, which was the restaurant’s debut ranking as last year’s Highest New Entry of all time in Asia’s 50 Best.
OTHER SPECIAL AWARDS
The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award went to André Chiang, the renowned chef of Raw in Taipei and Restaurant André in Singapore. Thoughtful and composed, he said that ‘cooking is for a lifetime, but an achievement is responsibility’ and spoke of his next 30 years that will be dedicated to setting up a platform for the younger generation of chefs. Clearly speaking to these young chefs, he said ‘be humble, be creative, and believe that you are different and unique’.
Toyo Eatery in Manila, led by owner chef Jordi Navarra accompanied by wife May Navarra, was awarded Miele Asia’s One to Watch for its innovation and creativity in the Filipino food scene. Asia’s Best Female Chef 2018 went to Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun of Paste Restaurant in Bangkok in recognition of her work to bring modern flair to traditional Thai cuisine. Paste came in at no.31 at this year’s awards.
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef was Nicolas Lambert, of Caprice restaurant in Hong Kong, applauded for his international approach to pastry which is a result of his French training mixed with his Asian experience. The Chef’s Choice award, chosen by those on the list, was Yoshihiro Narisawa, of the restaurant Les Creations de Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan. Noted by fellow chefs for his always approachable and humble nature, his restaurant is known for its sustainable approach to Japanese cuisine that marries traditions with fresh ideas.
The Highest Climber award was won by two restaurants this year, The Chairman, Hong Kong and Mume, Taipei. The Highest New Entry award went to La Cime, Osaka, where chef Yusuke Takada shared the stage with his team including this year’s S.Pellegrino Young Chef Japan finalist Yasuhiro Fujio. The Art of Hospitality Award went to the ‘fantastically fun’ Ultraviolet restaurant of chef Paul Pairet, who is one of the Seven Sages of this year’s S.Pellegrino Young Chef.
THE FULL LIST
1. GAGGAN - Bangkok, Thailand | Best Restaurant in Thailand and Best Restaurant in Asia
2. DEN - Tokyo, Japan | Best Restaurant in Japan
3. FLORILEGE - Tokyo, Japan
4. SUHRING – Bangkok, Thailand
5. ODETTE - Singapore | Best Restaurant in Singapore
6. NARISAWA - Tokyo, Japan
7. AMBER - Hong Kong, China | Best Restaurant in China (read the interview with Richard Ekkebus)
8. ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET - Shanghai, China | The Art of Hospitality Award
9. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN - Tokyo, Japan
10. NAHM - Bangkok, Thailand
11. MINGLES - Seoul, Korea | Best Restaurant in Korea
12. BURNT ENDS - Singapore
13. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA - Hong Kong, China (read the interview with Umberto Bombana)
14. LE DU – Bangkok, Thailand
15. RAW - Taipei, Taiwan | Best Restaurant in Taiwan
16. TA VIE - Hong Kong, China
17. La Cime - Osaka, Japan | HIGHEST NEW ENTRY
18. MUME – Taipei, Taiwan | HIGHEST CLIMBER
19. INDIAN ACCENT - New Delhi, India | Best Restaurant in India
20. L'EFFERVESCENCE - Tokyo, Japan | SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT AWARD
21. LOCAVORE - Bali, Indonesia | Best Restaurant in Indonesia
22. THE CHAIRMAN - Hong Kong, China | HIGHEST CLIMBER
23. WAKU GHIN - Singapore
24. LUNG KING HEEN - Hong Kong, China
25. MINISTRY OF CRAB - Colombo, Sri Lanka | Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka
26. JUNGSIK - Seoul, Korea
27. SUSHI SAITO - Tokyo, Japan
28. IL RISTORANTE LUCA FANTIN - Tokyo, Japan
29. LES AMIS - Singapore
30. FU HE HUI - Shanghai, China
31. PASTE - Bangkok, Thailand
32. NEIGHBORHOOD - Hong Kong, China
33. EAT ME - Bangkok, Thailand
34. HAJIME - Osaka, Japan
35. JADE DRAGON – Macau, China
36. CORNER HOUSE - Singapore
37. BO.LAN - Bangkok, Thailand
38. QUINTESSENCE - Tokyo, Japan
39. ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB - Bangkok, Thailand
40. Belon - Hong Kong
41. RONIN - Hong Kong, China
42. TOC TOC - Seoul, Korea
43. THE DINING ROOM AT THE HOUSE OF SATHORN – Bangkok, Thailand
44. JAAN* - Singapore
45. NIHONBASHI - Colombo, Sri Lanka
46. CAPRICE – Hong Kong, China
47. SHOUN RYUGIN - Taipei, Taiwan
48. LA MAISON DE LA NATURE GOH - Fukuoka, Japan
49. WASABI BY MORIMOTO - Mumbai, India
50. WHITEGRASS - Singapore
