Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards were announced earlier this month at a ceremony in Singapore. Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand was selected as the continent’s top restaurant. The capital city of Thailand had several other selections including Nahm, Bo.Ian, Eat me, and Issaya Siamese Club. Gaggan which is run run chef Gaggan Anand serves Indian cuisine with a modern and molecular twist. The edgy style of the dishes stands in stark contrast to the colonial-style building in which the restaurant is located.
Dish from Gaggan Restaurant
This year only marks the third year of these awards, and they have proven to be far less predictable than many of their counterparts. The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards largely remain the same as the Scandinavian restaurant, Noma, has been dominating the list in recent years. That said, three Asian restaurants did appear on the list for the first time including Cambodia’s Sime Reap’s Cuisine Wat Damnak, and the Philippines’ Tagaytay restaurant Antonio’s .
Narwisa was once again named the second best in the continent, and best from Japan. Other notable restaurants that made the list include the signature restaurant at Hong Kong’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Amber. Head chef from Amber, Richard Ekkebus, won the Chef’s Choice Award, as his restaurant was ranked as the sixth best in the continent.
Fe He Hui, a vegetarian restaurant from Shanghai, ranked highest amongst all new entries with the nineteenth spot. The Four Seasons Hong Kong, which was the first three Michelin star restaurant specializing in Cantonese cuisine fell 9 spots from 11 to 20.
The judging panel from Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards includes more than 300 notable members of the continent’s restaurant industry. Judges range from chefs to restaurateurs to critics.