World’s 50 Best to announce 50 Next list of young people shaping the future of gastronomy on 24th June in Bilbao

The World’s 50 Best are set to bring back 50 Next, an annual list of young people shaping the future of gastronomy. The second annual edition of the list will be announced on 24^th June 2022 at a live event at the Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, following a series of inspiring talks and interactive panel discussions with members of the 50 Next Class of 2021 and Class of 2022, as well as some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs. The one-day forum, hosted in partnership with the Biscay region and Basque Government, will include participation from legendary chefs Mauro Colagreco, Dominique Crenn and Joan Roca, amongst others.

Formed through robust research and analysis by 50 Best, in partnership with the internationally renowned Basque Culinary Centre, 50 Next showcases a diverse global selection of bright, young minds who have turned their ideas into reality. 50 Next is a list but not a ranking, aiming to inspire, empower and connect young people who are truly pushing boundaries and tackling challenges from fresh perspectives across the food and drink ecosystem. Delving into the wider meaning of gastronomy, the second edition of the list will shine a spotlight on individuals at every level of the food and drink chain through their work spanning a vast array of topics, from science to winemaking and farming to technology.

The 2022 list of people aged 35 and under and working in any part of the gastronomic ecosystem aims to introduce a new generation of talent that is truly making a difference, selected from all over the world through an application and nomination process that opened in August 2021. While it focuses on those aged 35 and under, the list also considers applicants over the age of 35 who have recently set out on a new career path, providing a truly inclusive opportunity for recognition.

The first edition of 50 Next, unveiled in April 2021, showcased new talent including Canadian fermentation expert and former Noma chef David Zilber in the Hospitality Pioneers category, indigenous Australian farmer Josh Gilbert in the Empowering Educators category and Jamaican climate change and women’s empowerment advocate Jhannel Tomlinson in the Trailblazing Activists category. The Class of 2022 will feature a brand-new list of 50 global whiz kids, from podcasters to diversity campaigners, divided into the same seven industry-led categories as the Class of 2021: Gamechanging Producers, Tech Disruptors, Empowering Educators, Entrepreneurial Creatives, Science Innovators, Hospitality Pioneers and Trailblazing Activists. Each category is unranked and comprises a broad spectrum of professions.

To celebrate the revealing of the Class of 2022, as well as honouring the Class of 2021, 50 Next will host a one-day programme of motivational speeches, live interviews and interactive panel discussions on 24^th June, featuring people from the 50 Next lists alongside representatives of the Best of the Best – an elite group of establishments that have topped the annual ranking of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Held in Bilbao in the region of Biscay (the official host destination partner to 50 Next) the event will culminate in a live ceremony, during which the 2022 list will be unveiled.

William Drew, director of content, says: “We are delighted to announce the return of 50 Next after the success of the inaugural list – and to host our first 50 Next live event in Bilbao in June. 50 Next celebrates the next generation and its talent, passion and drive to create a better future. With the support of the Provincial Council of Biscay, Basque Government and the Basque Culinary Centre, we are able to forge connections between leaders in gastronomy and future stars of the food and drink world.”

Joxe Mari Aizega, general manager of the Basque Culinary Centre, enthused: “Gastronomy is in the midst of transformation: it is presenting itself as the answer to the various challenges faced by society. The Basque Culinary Centre believes that the future of the sector lies in the talent of new generations – talent such as the ones that makes up this list – people who stand out for the quality and innovative nature of their work. For us, it is an honour to collaborate with 50 Best, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and Basque government to bring attention to this list, and these 50 people who will be active agents of transformation, change and impact, and who will define the contemporary view of gastronomy.”

Bittor Oroz, deputy councillor for agriculture, fisheries and food policy for the Basque Government, says: “50 Next will once again place the Basque Country at the centre of the international gastronomic scene. We will continue to strengthen a competitive ecosystem, consolidating our cultural identity and keeping this small country at the forefront of gastro-food matters. In addition, 50 Next enables collaboration and involves other sectoral agents and other disciplines in order to evolve in the food ecosystem.”

Ainara Basurko, councillor for economic promotion in the Bizkaia government, explained: “50 Next is going to be a major international event. The Bizkaia Government is sure that it will be a great boost for the reactivation, economic development, attraction of talent and the promotion of the Bilbao-Bizkaia brand abroad, just as the celebration of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants here achieved in 2018. 50 Next values gastronomy in a broad sense, with values and principles of sustainability that will give great prestige to the city and the territory.”

The food desk

The 50 Next ceremony will take place on 24^th June 2022 at Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao. For further information about 50 Next visit The World’s 50 Best website here.