Peruvian cuisine is now at the top of the culinary world as Central, a fine dining restaurant in Lima, has been crowned the World's Best Restaurant of 2023.
Bangkok's Le Du is No.15 on the list, the highest entry from Thailand. Gaggan Anand, also from the Thai capital, is ranked No.17. They are the only two candidates from Thailand to achieve global recognition this year.
The annual World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards ceremony was celebrated last week in Valencia, Spain, presenting restaurants from 24 countries across five continents.
Central, which was named second best in last year's list after top winner Geranium in Copenhagen, is a one-of-a-kind dining establishment founded in 2008 by chef Virgilio Martinez and his wife Pía León.
León is also the recipient of the 2023 World's Best Pastry Chef Award.
Its cuisine celebrates the unique biodiversity of the country's indigenous ingredients through a multicourse menu that represents 15 different ecosystems and altitudes -- from deep under the Pacific Ocean to 4,200m up in the Andes.
With each dish reflecting the origin of its ingredients, from Dry Valley shrimp, loche squash and avocado to Amazonian pacu fish, watermelon and coca leaf, the whole meal is a tribute to traditions and history, whilst championing sustainability.
Eight other restaurants in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru were in the top 50 selection, including from São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago and Bogotá. This has further strengthened South America's position in global gastronomy.
Asia follows with seven restaurants on the list. Singapore's Odette topped the regional selection at No.14 and is named the Best Restaurant in Asia.
Bangkok's Le Du, which ranks at No.15, is a Thai restaurant inspired by the country's three seasons.
Gaggan Anand, at No.17, also from Bangkok, is the four-year-old namesake reincarnation of the progressive cuisine restaurant, which closed down in Aug 2019, by the radical Indian chef.
In 2018 and 2019, chef Anand helped Thailand reach the top five as Gaggan was placed at No.5 and No.4 respectively.
No other eateries in Thailand have made it to the Top 10 list since.
The 50 Best selection is created from votes of the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a group of more than 1,000 independent authorities in the world of gastronomy, from renowned international chefs and food journalists to travelling gastronomes.
For the full list, visit theworlds50best.com.
