The world of gastronomy gathered on the evening of 20 June in Valencia (Spain) to celebrate The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 awards, in which the restaurant Central, located in Lima, has been named The World’s Best Restaurant 2023, as well as The Best Restaurant in South America 2023. The awards ceremony, held at the “Teatro de la Ópera de Les Arts” in this city, paid tribute to the top gastronomic talent of 24 territories from five continents.
During the ceremony we had the great opportunity to present the award: “The World’s Best Pastry Chef Award 2023” to Pia Salazar from Restaurant Neuma in Quito – Ecuador, an award that was presented by Sosa Ingredients CEO: Daniel Rio.
Cuenca-born Pía Salazar is helping to put Ecuador on the culinary map with her experimental creations, turning fruits and vegetables into sweet masterpieces such as
coconut with umami-rich yeast and black garlic, or leek and vanilla with cedron, an herb similar to lemon verbena.
The current World’s Best Pastry Chef 2023 had already been awarded in the Latin American edition of the prestigious gastronomic list. On that occasion she was also named best pastry chef in the region. It has definitely been a worthy recognition of an extraordinary Ecuadorian talent on the world stage.
At the same time we had the opportunity to offer the more than 1500 guests at the event a selection of ice creams specially designed for the occasion. Among them you could delight in:
“Valencia Water Ice Cream” inspired by the famous drink of the place that has hosted the awards, “Horchata Sorbet” served with Fartón (dessert of Valencian gastronomy) and two other options: “Kefir Sorbet” and “Basil Sorbet”.
The best restaurants in the world: Top 3
In the list of the world’s best restaurants: Central, the Lima signature restaurant of chefs Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, was crowned No.1, succeeding 2022 winner Geranium in Copenhagen, which now rises to the Best of the Best Hall of Fame.
Central, which took the No.2 position on the list in 2022, is a tribute to Peru, with a menu
that celebrates the unique biodiversity of the country’s indigenous ingredients; guided by its research arm, Mater Iniciativa, along with its traditions and history, while promoting sustainability. Central is followed by Disfrutar (No.2) in Barcelona and Diverxo (No.3) in Madrid.
Best of the Best
The restaurants in the elite group of the No.1 ranked restaurants (listed below) have more than proved their worth and will forever be honoured as iconic dining destinations in the Best of the Best hall of fame. The chefs and restaurateurs who have brought their restaurants to the top of the list have expressed their desire to invest in the future of the sector and “give back” to the world of gastronomy through new projects and initiatives.
The following restaurants have been named No.1 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants since the list’s inception and, therefore, have not been eligible to be voted for in 2023, nor will they be in future years:
- El Bulli (2002, 2006-2009)
- The French Laundry (2003-2004)
- The Fat Duck (2005)
- Noma – local original (2010-2012, 2014)
- El Celler de Can Roca (2013, 2015)
- Osteria Francescana (2016, 2018)
- Eleven Madison Park (2017)
- Mirazur (2019)
- Noma – local actual (2021)
- Geranium (2022)
Here is a summary of what went on at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 awards ceremony: