With applications currently open for 50 Next 2022, we celebrate the movers and shakers in the Class of 2021 who have been endorsed by the chefs behind the Best of the Best restaurants – the elite group of venues that have topped The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list since its inception.
Applications for next year’s edition are open until the 22nd of September, so apply or nominate someone who you think is shaping the future of gastronomy. Now meet the high-achievers of 2021 and hear what chefs like Massimo Bottura have to say about them.
Who? Isaac Sesi
Where? Kumasi, Ghana
What? Once a hungry 11-year-old who hawked homemade snacks and resold flash drives to pay for essentials, Isaac studied engineering and later founded Sesi Technologies, a company that develops hardware and software solutions for farmers and agribusinesses across Africa. Its main product helps farmers reduce post-harvest losses by keeping track of the moisture content of harvested grains.
Endorsed by: Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca, El Celler de Can Roca
What they said: "Innovation and technology make sense when they serve to improve society. Isaac’s work has a positive and sustainable impact on local production systems and is an example of self-sufficiency instead of importing to find a solution. In a continent where food security can be achieved through the implementation of circular economy systems, he uses the potential of natural resources to positively impact the planet."
Who? Josh Gilbert
Where? Gloucester, Australia
What? Born into a family that has farmed New South Wales’ land for over 40,000 years, Josh has deep roots in Aboriginal culture and community. Using his influence as a senior manager in PwC’s Consulting programme, he is changing the landscape of agriculture by giving Aboriginal people a say in policy-making and modern farming infrastructure.
Endorsed by: Ferran Adrià, El Bulli
What he said: "Josh shares many of the values I have always stood for. Proactive and innovative, he is in search of a connection with knowledge as well as translating his learnings from history into opportunities for the future. In addition, he champions the importance of understanding nature and the role of climate change in agriculture and the food sector. An entrepreneur who is willing to influence society by betting on great change, he is turning his business into a cultural enterprise with a vision for the future." 
Who? Jon Gray
Where? New York, USA
What? Jon is changing perceptions. Inspired by the diversity of communities, cultures and flavours of his teenage life in the Bronx, he set up Ghetto Gastro. His food collective sparks conversations about race and inclusivity and distributes food to low-income families, all in the name of “showing you what we already know: the hood is good”.
Endorsed by: Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana
What he said: "Jon and I share a passion for music, food culture and identity. He is true to his roots and brings the Bronx into the gastronomic discussion. He is able to cross over from art to music to fashion to food in a way that few others are able to. Most importantly, he is the spokesperson for a movement identifying the black American kitchen and how rich and diverse it is. Gastro Ghetto was founded in 2012 and since then has travelled the world cooking and poking audiences to think differently about what ‘American’ cuisine is. This continual push or poke is just what the culinary world needs right now to get out of its comfort zone. Plus, these guys can really cook up a storm."
Who? Kiara Nirghin
Where? Stanford, USA
What? Kiara is on a formidable scientific journey with humble origins. After researching the materials in babies’ diapers, she set her sights on aiding droughts in South Africa by creating a superabsorbent polymer made from biodegradable food waste. This year she intends to bring her invention to market, and with it, the hope of increasing global food security and safeguarding the environment.
Endorsed by: Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck
What he said: "There is simply no excusable reason why everyone in the world doesn’t have access to food and drinkable water. The one source that is still open to most is the sky, and Kiara’s work in trying to create a way to hold onto this water for longer so that it may be used to create sustainable food and other things is just brilliant. The fact that the science is possible through using food waste in orange skins and avocados doesn’t surprise me as I have spent my 25-year career looking deeply into the invisible universe of our food stuffs and have found one or two incredible things myself. But to find them takes hard work, imagination and a creative approach, so to find a potentially game-changing ability in her kitchen, for me, makes Kiara a hero already."
Who? Claudia Albertina Ruíz Sántiz
Where? San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico
What? Claudia Albertina is a woman of many firsts. As the first indigenous woman to study gastronomy at university and work in the kitchen at Pujol, she went against the grain of her southern Mexican Tzotzil community. Her own restaurant, Kokonó, follows in her footsteps and retains her heritage, providing training, skills and jobs to other young indigenous people.
Endorsed by: René Redzepi, Noma
What he said: "I was so fortunate to have spent almost a week with Claudia Albertina in her village in Chiapas. I was incredibly impressed with her willpower, her knowledge of food and her instincts on the role of food in all aspects of life and society. She is a role model for people around the world who are finding it difficult to even dare to dream, let alone to hope that a dream could come true. She has proven that to be possible, and now maybe more than ever, we need people from indigenous backgrounds to be given a platform to share their skills and ancient knowledge with the world."
Who? Matt Jozwiak
Where? New York, USA
What? After climbing the ladder in the kitchen and being appointed chef de partie at Best of the Best restaurant Eleven Madison Park, Matt took on a new challenge. Armed with a determination to fight poverty, he launched Rethink Food, an organisation that collects excess restaurant food and provides meals to thousands of people in need every day.
Endorsed by: Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park
What he said: "I’ve been so impressed by Matt ever since he first worked with us at Eleven Madison Park, and can’t think of anyone who deserves this honour more. His vision for a seamless way to tackle food insecurity and support restaurants through the most difficult year in memory led us to create the Rethink Certified program together in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With visionaries like him, the way to change the restaurant model and end hunger seems so much more achievable."
Applications and nominations for 50 Next are open until 22nd September 2021. For further information on the selection process, our partners and how to apply or nominate, visit the 50 Next website.
