From Massimo Bottura hopping on the decks to Ferran Adrià presenting the Icon Award, Disfrutar being initiated into the Best of the Best to Maido being named The World’s Best Restaurant 2025, it was a busy week in Turin.
Last week, the world’s greatest chefs, restaurateurs, international media, passionate gastronomes and many more arrived in the city of Turin for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
This was the first time the prestigious awards have been held in Italy, and there was time to celebrate the very best of the Piedmont region, while celebrating the very best in the world. Events took place at the legendary Lingotto – the historic former home of Fiat car manufacturing – and the palatial Villa Bria, which has roots stretching back to the 13th century.
Beyond celebration, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 events programme offered the chance for connection, knowledge sharing and community building. #50BestTalks: The Flavour Files, hosted at OGR Torino, saw speakers from some of the world's most renowned kitchens and bars take to the stage, with the audience enjoying the chance to sip, sample and savour some of their creations too.
At 50 Best Connects, women in the hospitality industry gathered at Casa Vicina in Green Pea Turin to hear from endurance mindset expert Alex Panayotou and to discuss and share their thoughts.
This year also saw the return of the 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship, in association with Parmigiano Reggiano. The three finalists, all with under three years’ experience in the industry toured Modena and the surrounding region, learning all there is to know about Parmigiano Reggiano, before attending the awards. The winner, Angélica Ortiz, will stage at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona (The World’s Best Restaurant 2013 and 2015) and SingleThread in Healdsburg (No.80 on this year’s extended list).
While the programme was packed full of exciting events, there’s no question that the hotly anticipated awards ceremony, in which Maido was crowned The World’s Best Restaurant 2025, was the apex of the week.
Following such a moment and matching the energy is no easy feat, but happily, Italian DJ legend Benny Benassi was more than up to the challenge – especially since he had a little help from Massimo Bottura. Besides cooking some delicious after party tortellini, he was happy to hop on the decks and keep the party jumping to the early hours.
See more highlights from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
The week of celebrations began with a welcome dinner at Turin's Piano35, with desserts by Carmen Rueda Hernandez, the Middle East & North Africa's Best Pastry Chef 2025.
Suave guests sipped on drinks made by Riccardo Rossi from Freni e Frizioni (No.53 on the extended list of The World's 50 Best Bars 2024) including the Campfire, made with Woodford Reserve, oloroso sherry, smoky apple cordial and Three Cents Ginger Beer...
...while other stylish attendees enjoyed a Gin Mare gimlet from Piano35's Ansony Murcia.
Guests gathered at OGR Torino for #50BestTalks: The Flavour Files. The speakers included The World's Best Female Chef 2016 and Icon Award 2021 winner Dominique Crenn.
Ikoyi's Jeremy Chan offered guests a beef tartare while discussing his creative process.
Mindy Woods, winner of the Champions of Change 2025 Award, gave an empassioned speech about indigenous Australian ingredients.
Chef-owner Bruno Verjus and head sommelier Agnese Morandi of Table by Bruno Verjus encouraged guests to tune in to their imagination when thinking about flavour.
All the speakers for #50BestTalks: The Flavour Files, hosted by Rachael Hogg, senior content editor at 50 Best. [L-R] Bruno Verjus, Virgilio Martínez, Agnese Morandi, Dominique Crenn, Giorgio Bargiani, Ago Perrone, Mindy Woods, Jeremy Chan, Rachael Hogg.
Seven 50 Best Signature Sessions dining collaborations between local restaurants and visiting chefs took place across the week. Del Cambio [pictured] teamed up with Le Doyenné, No.77 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 extended list.
At 50 Best Connects, women in the hospitality industry heard from guest speaker Alexandra Panayotou, an endurance mindset expert.
The 50 Best Connects attendees included Woodford Reserve Icon Award 2025 winner Lara Gilmore and Champions of Change 2024 winners Jessica Rosval and Caroline Caporossi.
Chefs gathered at La Drogheria for an aperitivo ahead of the Chefs' Feast celebration and enjoyed a glass of Alta Langa Piedmontese brut spumante from Piemonte Land of Wine.
The picturesque Villa Bria, found in the Torinense countryside, was the location for the Chefs' Feast.
Chefs on the 1-50 list (including Chef Ton and brother Tam Tassanakajohn, from Bangkok's Le Du and Nusara) were surprised by busts lining the pathway up to the villa.
Guests enjoyed a taste of la dolce vita, sipping on Martini cocktails in stunning surroundings.
Jaén Selección brought a taste of southern Spain to Turin with their selection of premium olive oils.
Guest bartender Dennis Zoppi served bespoke cocktails: Ramos Leaf (Gin Mare, clarified soya milk, fig leaf liqueur and Three Cents Dry Tonic); Sin & Sip (Woodford Reserve, Zoppi truffle vermouth, Illy Cold Brew and Three Cents Dry Tonic); and non-alcoholic option Cherry Blood (tomato water, Three Cents Cherry Soda, extra virgin olive oil).
Guests enjoyed snacking on jamón Ibérico from Cinco Jotas as the sun set.
Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura from Lima's Maido, The World's Best Restaurant 2025, poses with his bust.
Guests – including Eduard Xatruch from Disfrutar – toasted with a glass of Estrella Damm.
Legendary master pizzaiolo Franco Pepe kept partygoers well fuelled with pizzas including Contaminazione, topped with tapenade, salad, stracciata di bufala, za’atar and citrus.
Vicky Cheng from Wing in Hong Kong (No.11 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) enjoys a bump of Kaviari caviar.
The team from Moebius Milano (No. 38 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2024) shook up a Yoghurt Toreador, made with Tequila Ocho Plata, apricot eau de vie, citrus, yoghurt and smoked oil.
And then it was time for main event: The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 Awards Ceremony, which took place at Lingotto Fiere.
Ancho Reyes brought the heat to The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards reception with a twist on an old fashioned made with its chile liqueur.
Proudly Made In Italy, Berto's Chef Solutions was on hand to prepare some bites as guests gathered ahead of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards ceremony.
For canapés offering a taste of the region, guests turned to Visit Piemonte.
Junghyun 'JP' and Ellia Park from Atomix in New York (No.12 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) were greeted with their signature red scarves from Aspire Lifestyles on the red carpet.
Guests including Iré Hassan-Okudale from Ikoyi (No.15 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) enjoyed Craft Irish Whiskey's earthy The Turf Cutter, paired with Kaviari's Kristal Caviar. 
Dassai invited chefs, 50 Best Academy Chair Takanori Nakamura and Tracy de Groose, CEO of William Reed, to take part in a sake barrel smash, a traditional ritual which indicates the start of a special occasion or sacred ceremony.
The three finalists of the 50 Best Scholarship Award, in association with Parmigiano Reggiano. [L-R] Angélica Ortiz, Eva Stepak-Heritier and Christian Nwabunike.
As the list was revealed, chefs got to their feet to take in the crowd's applause. Yusuke Takada-san from La Cime in Tokyo (No.44 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) sported an excellent pair of glasses fit for the occasion.
Maxime Frédéric, head pastry chef at Cheval Blanc Paris, is this year's winner of The World's Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Sosa.
The team from Khufu's in Cairo took home the Resy One To Watch Award 2025, presented to them by Virgilio Martínez of Central, The World's Best Restaurant 2023.
Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, two legends of Italian hospitality, were the deserving winners of the Woodford Reserve Icon Award 2025.
London's Ikoyi climbed from No.42 in 2024 to No.15 this year, winning the Highest Climber Award 2025, sponsored by Lee Kum Kee in the process.
After reaching the pinnacle of the list in 2024, Disfrutar in Barcelona was inducted into the Best of the Best hall of fame at this year's ceremony.
The incredible moment when Maido was announced as The World's Best Restaurant 2025, sponsored by S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
The festivities continued late into the night with an afterparty featuring food from Massimo Bottura and Franco Pepe, as well as music from Italian DJ legend Benny Benassi.
Santiago Lastra of Kol in London (No.49 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) made sure his bust joined in on the celebrations.
Under a deluge of confetti, Massimo Bottura jumped behind the decks to share hosting duties with Benny Benassi.
The morning after the night before, Illy was on hand for those in need of a caffeine boost at the closing party, hosted at NH Collection Piazza Carlina.
Elena Reygadas from Rosetta in Mexico City (No. 46 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025) treated attendees to a refreshing dish of scallop, soursop and avocado leaf.
What would a party in Piedmont be without some agnolotti?
Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur, The World's Best Restaurant 2019, and Lionel Aguirre, chef de cuisine at Mauro Colagreco at Raffles at the OWO in London presented guests with a dish of elderflower pil-pil, confit Scottish langoustines and Kristal caviar, served in a buckwheat tartlet. 
Christian Nwabunike, one of three finalists for the 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship, in association with Parmigiano Reggiano, cracks into a commemorative wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bartenders from Locale Firenze (No.36 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2024) poured one last celebratory drink in the Italian sunshine, including the Pecan, made with Woodford Reserve, amontillado sherry and pecan.
Now watch some of the highlights from The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025:
Discover the full list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
