Geranium in Copenhagen takes World’s Best Restaurant for 2022 as Italy and Spain rise in the rankings

19^th July 2022

Food & Travel Desk

Food & Travel Desk

19 July 2022

Chefs, restaurateurs and food journalists gathered in London last night to celebrate the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards 2022. The ceremony, hosted by Academy Award-nominee and gourmet Stanley Tucci honoured gastronomic excellence from 24 territories across five continents, before naming Copenhagen’s Geranium as the world’s best restaurant as well as the best in Europe.

Taking over the number one position from Noma, Geranium, led by chef Rasmus Kofoed, was voted number two last year. The venue’s mission is to create food that awakens the senses, and chef Kofoed’s meticulous cooking has won accolades and fans worldwide. Geranium is joined in the top three by Central in Lima (number two) and Disfrutar in Barcelona (number three).

The best performing countries are Italy and Spain, both featuring six entries each. Uliassi (number 12) in Senigallia, Italy is the winner of the Highest New Entry Award in recognition of the restaurant’s contemporary cuisine inspired by the traditions of the Adriatic Coast.

South America continues to make culinary waves, as Central in Lima is ranked second in the list and the best in South America, with the continent boasting eight restaurants overall, including new entry Mayta (32^nd place) in Lima and Oteque (47^th) in Rio de Janeiro. Asia follows with seven restaurants in the ranking, with new entries Sorn in Bangkok (number 39) and La Cime, Osaka (number 41). The best restaurant in Asia is Den in Tokyo (rated 20^th), while list debutant Fyn in Cape Town (37^th) is crowned the best restaurant in Africa. Pujol (number five) in Mexico City takes the best restaurant in North America spot for the third time.

William Drew, director of content for 50 Best, comments: “We are delighted to announce the 2022 list and to celebrate Geranium as the new number one. Rasmus Kofoed, Søren Ledet and their team have created an unforgettable dining experience, taking seasonal cooking to superlative heights and delivering precise, beautiful and elegant food that combines art and flavour alongside a groundbreaking drinks programme. Geranium has cemented its status as a global culinary destination and a much-deserved winner of the coveted World’s Best Restaurant title. It is also very exciting to recognise this diverse list of restaurants spread across five continents and to see this vibrant culinary community coming together to celebrate in London.”  

The Art of Hospitality Award is presented to Atomix, a 14-seat tasting menu restaurant set around a single U-shaped counter in New York, run by husband and wife team Junghyun “JP” and Ellia Park. With JP leading the kitchen and Ellia the front of house, the duo deliver a standout culinary experience, offering innovative Korean cuisine and impeccable service to international visitors and New Yorkers alike.

René Frank of Coda, Berlin, is the recipient of the World’s Best Pastry Chef award. The renowned pastry chef leads Germany’s first and only specialist high-end dessert restaurant. Frank’s innovative and memorable creations, with a basis in traditional techniques, have attracted an ever-growing fanbase, as well as helping to build the chef’s reputation internationally.

Introduced as a new award for 2022, the World’s Best Sommelier title is awarded to Josep Roca, sommelier and co-owner of El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain. Roca is a world-renowned sommelier, whose talent exemplifies excellence within wine and food and whose passion is captivating. El Celler de Can Roca, which Josep runs with his brothers Joan and Jordi, now sits in the Best of the Best hall of fame, having won the World’s Best Restaurant title in both 2013 and 2015.

Further new entries include: Alchemist (18) and Jordnær (38), both in Copenhagen; The Jane (23) in Antwerp; Le Clarence (28) in Paris; St Hubertus (29) in San Cassiano, Italy; and Ikoyi (49) in London.

Nobelhart & Schmutzig (number 17) is awarded the Villa Massa Highest Climber Award, after the Berlin restaurant climbed 28 places since the publication of the 2021 list. Proud of its “vocally local” philosophy, Nobelhart & Schmutzig sets its focus firmly on its producers, resulting in high demand for its ten-course signature menu.

Jorge Vallejo, chef-owner of Quintonil (number 9) in Mexico City, wins the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award. Voted on by his peers – the world’s leading chefs – this accolade goes to a chef who has had a significant influence on the culinary community.

Aponiente in the south-west of Spain takes home the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award. This award is independently audited by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, which rates establishments that self-nominate for the award based on a wide range of criteria, including environmental and social responsibility.

The evening also celebrated those honoured with pre-announced special awards. These included the Champions of Change winners: Dieuveil Malonga, Koh Seng Choon and duo Olia Hercules and Alissa Timoshkina; Leonor Espinosa, winner of the World’s Best Female Chef award; social entrepreneur Wawira Njiru, winner of the Icon award; and Marseille restaurant AM par Alexandre Mazzia, winner of the American Express One to Watch award.

The 50 Best ceremony, held at the historic Old Billingsgate Market in the City of London, marked the 20^th year of the prestigious global gastronomic ranking, and the return to the British capital after seven years.

The voting process

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 list is voted for by 1,080 international restaurant industry experts and well-travelled gourmets who make up the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. The gender-balanced Academy comprises 27 separate regions around the world, each of which has 40 members, including a chairperson. No sponsor from the event has any influence over the voting process. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is independently adjudicated by professional services consultancy Deloitte. This adjudication ensures that the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 is protected. 

Best of the best

Those in the elite group of number-one-ranked restaurants (listed below) have more than proved their worth and will now be forever honoured as iconic dining destinations in the Best of the Best hall of fame. The chefs and restaurateurs who have led their restaurants to the pinnacle of the list have expressed their desire to invest in the future of the sector and give back to the food world through new projects and initiatives. The following restaurants have been named number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants since the list’s inception and were therefore not eligible for voting in 2022 and beyond: 

• El Bulli (2002, 2006-2009)
• The French Laundry (2003-2004)
• The Fat Duck (2005)
• Noma (2010-2012, 2014 and 2021 because of the new location)
• El Celler de Can Roca (2013, 2015)
• Osteria Francescana (2016, 2018)
• Eleven Madison Park (2017)
• Mirazur (2019)

The food desk
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

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