Happy 15th Birthday to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Laura Price - 26/06/2017

Header image: Ferran Adrià, Massimo Bottura and Heston Blumenthal in 2007

Back in 2003, if a gilded envelope arrived on your doorstep, you were part of an exclusive club – The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Over the years, the process went digital, with confidential “You’re on the list” emails being sent to restaurant owners in countries as far and wide as Slovenia and South Africa, but the privilege of being on the list remains the same as it was at the very beginning.


Those who have followed the list since the outset will have tracked the historic moments over its history, from Noma’s dramatic rise to No.1 following four years with El Bulli occupying the top spot to the latter’s closure in 2011 and later the triumphs of El Celler de Can Roca, Osteria Francescana and, most recently, Eleven Madison Park.

For many, the historic London Guildhall building is synonymous with the awards ceremony, but in 2015 The World’s 50 Best Restaurants announced its global tour, moving first to New York in 2016, then to Melbourne in 2017 and next year to Bilbao. There have been plenty of other changes too, with the introduction of the #50BestTalks series of events in 2014 and a host of new awards to celebrate individual achievements.

Now, as The World’s 50 Best Restaurants celebrates its 15th anniversary with a star-studded event in Barcelona, presented by Miele and co-hosted by Ferran Adrià, we take a look over 15 years of gastronomic milestones. Watch the video:




The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is celebrating its 15th Anniversary with a special #50BestTalks event at the Fabrica Damm in Barcelona on Tuesday 27th June. You can tune into the livestream on our Facebook page from 11:45 CET.

After the #50BestTalks event, Ferran Adrià will co-host a gastronomic celebration and contemporary world tapas experience at Bravo24 at the W Barcelona hotel.