See full version: Who is the Best Chef in the World? 16 Top Michelin Star Chefs in 2021
This exceptional Basque chef earned his first Michelin star at the age of 25 for his first restaurant, Restaurante Martin Berasategui. The celebrated restaurant was awarded a third Michelin Star in 2001 has been on the World’s 50 best restaurants list for 6 years. here
In addition to being known for world-class French cuisine, Ducasse is the only chef on this list who has sent his food into space. In 2015, Ducasse sent meals to astronauts orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station, an accomplishment that Ducasse said he viewed as conquering ‘ the final frontier (of cooking)’.
The Michelin guide might not be the ultimate honour amongst chefs in the United States, but Thomas Keller has gone about setting a fine example. He’s the most decorated chef in America, currently holding 7 stars. He’s also the only American chef to hold all six out of his total seven stars simultaneously. here
Known for his volatile kitchen demeanour and exceptional British cuisine, Gordon Ramsay is arguably the most famous chef in the world. Although he’s been awarded 16 Michelin stars throughout his career, he currently holds seven. His signature restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, has held 3 stars since 2001, making it London’s longest-running three Michelin-starred restaurant. [links]
Italy-based Autogrill operates in roughly 1,000 locations in 31 countries. Autogrill has a portfolio of about 300 brands, many of which operate in airports or along highways. Some of Autogrill's most popular brands include Spizzico, Grabandfly, and Ciao Ristorante.
Yum! Brands is the largest quick-service restaurant company in the world, with more than 50,000 restaurants in 150 countries. The company is known for its franchise chains KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and WingStreet. The majority of the company's locations are franchised by 2,000 partners. Yum! Brands was spun off from PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) in 1997. here
Spun off by Yum! Brands in 2016, Yum China Holdings is a Fortune 500 company incorporated in the United States but headquartered in Shanghai. It operates thousands of restaurant locations across mainland China. Yum China also operates all-Chinese versions of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC, as well as local chains. [links]
Chipotle Mexican Grill is one of most successful chains selling simple, fast-casual Mexican food, specializing in burritos, tacos, bowls, and similar dishes. The company operated 2,580 domestic locations and 39 international locations at the end of 2019 and has locations in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and Germany.
The top 10 restaurant companies in the world are primarily chain operations with a major international presence. Despite the discretionary nature of restaurant spending, some companies have positioned themselves to weather economic cycles by maintaining consistent, profitable growth over the long term. In many cases, the world's top restaurant companies by market capitalization are holding companies that control a variety of subsidiary chains.
This year, Osteria Francescana reclaims its title as the best restaurant in the world, taking the crown from Eleven Madison Park (which now ranks fourth). Co-owned by chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, the beloved New York City institution closed during the summer for a months-long renovation, reopening in October with a new look, revamped bar program, and trimmed menu. Meanwhile, Gaggan becomes the first Asian restaurant and chef to pass the seventh slot and land in the top five. While Den, an intimate venue in Tokyo, Japan, helmed by one of the most welcoming chefs I’ve ever met, has made an astounding and well-deserved leap from its 45th spot to 17th.
All of these events were in anticipation of tonight’s big unveiling, where the who’s who of fine dining were all gathered in one room, awaiting this year’s rankings. For its past five iterations, there have been a trio of restaurants that have rotated their positions within the leading five spots: Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, helmed by the vivacious Massimo Bottura; El Celler de Can Roca, ascending to the top twice in the past five years; and Eleven Madison Park, which claimed first place last year and was the first U.S. restaurant to garner such recognition since 2004. Noma, another mainstay and a top earner for four non-consecutive years since World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ inception in 2002, dropped off the list in 2017 as restaurants that are closed or are getting ready to close are not eligible for inclusion, and although René Redzepi reopened his famed establishment in February, it was too late for consideration in this year’s list. here
Photo: Jake Chessum / Courtesy of Eleven Madison Park [links]
Today, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants were announced at Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, Spain. Tastemakers from all corners of the globe arrived in the Basque Country the days leading up to the ceremony, reveling in the region’s exceptional fare and dining at acclaimed restaurants like that of Eneko Atxa’s Azurmendi just 20 minutes outside of the host city and Arzak in neighboring San Sebastián. There was even a celebration for Mugaritz’s 20th anniversary, where attendees shimmied on the makeshift dance floor, snacked on bites presented at various stands, drank their fill of wine and gin tonics, and even participated in a few competitive rounds of tug of war, in which the final match resulted in a snapped rope and both sides tumbling to the ground in jovial laughter.
And while the festivities were plentiful, there was still work to be done. On Sunday, chefs Joan Roca, Gaggan Anand, Eneko Atxa, Dan Barber, Paul Pairet, Christina Tosi, and Clare Smythe, the recipient of this year’s World’s Best Female Chef award, took to the stage at the Basque Culinary Center in Donostia for a series of talks discussing matters like sustainability and answering questions about women in the hospitality industry. The following day renowned chefs Massimo Bottura and Alain Passard, artist Joana Vasconcelos, and architect Giulio Cappellini gathered at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and engaged in a conversation on how food and art are interlaced.
But there are two glaring omissions: Core by Clare Smyth and Atelier Crenn. Once more the organization has left out the recipient of their World’s Best Female Chef award from their list of 100 restaurants, which had also occurred in 2016 when Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn was recognized for the same title. Now, after having ranked 83 last year, Atelier Crenn has been dropped from the list entirely. Chef Crenn has been a champion for women in the hospitality industry and has even previously called out the guide’s sponsor for gender inequality. One can only wonder if such outspoken criticism led to her removal, especially given that Crenn is arguably one of the most inventive and exciting chefs in the United States right now, with many critics rallying behind her. However, Ana Roš, last year’s winner of the same award, has climbed her way up into the top 50 with her restaurant Hiša Franko. There are now five female head chefs on the list (two more than last year), but there’s still a long way to go before we see women getting the proper recognition within this male-dominated industry. more
As running a restaurant gets more expensive, consolidation is on the rise, with chains seeking to pool resources and save money. In 2018, there were more than 700 food-and-beverage industry mergers and acquisitions, according to Zenith Global data. [links]
While chains like Burger King, Taco Bell, and Olive Garden have name recognition, many of the biggest brands in the restaurant business are actually owned by mega-companies. These holding companies and private-equity firms often invest in or own a number of brands, in and outside of the restaurant industry.
Your favorite fast-food chain may not be exactly what it seems.
Here is a look at which companies actually own some of the biggest names in the restaurant business: more