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A tiny beach restaurant located in an isolated South African fishing village was named the best in the world on Monday.
Chef Kobus van der Merwe, who has not started to cook seriously before the age of 30, is looking for ingredients every day on the wild Atlantic coast, at the same time. west of the Western Cape, near his restaurant Wolfgat, where he prepares his own bread and butter.
The Wolfgat – whose six staff members, mostly women, have no formal training – opened two years ago in a 130-year-old cottage and cave on Paternoster Beach.
Its seven-course tasting menu costs the equivalent of 53 euros, a fraction of what you would pay at a leading Parisian table.
However, its modest setting and Van der Merwe's belief in sustainable cuisine, based on a return to basics, appealed to the judges of the first World Restaurant Awards in the French capital.
The 38-year-old, who can only feed 20 people in session, told AFP: "I do not feel worthy. It's a big title. My collaborators, who go every day looking for herbs, succulents and spinach, should be here … it's their baby.
"I look forward to celebrating with them with a big glbad of South African sparkling wine."
With dishes such as twice-cooked bowl (seaweed), angel fish with bokkom sambal and wild garlic masala, limes, mussels and sea vegetables harvested within sight of its "Steeple" (porch), Wolfgat also won the prize for the best "Off-Map". Destination".
Van der Merwe – a former bearded journalist – said that, apart from the influence of the subtle spices of Cape Malay's local cuisine, his philosophy was to "huddle as little as possible into products and products." to keep them pure, raw and untreated.
"It's a very local cuisine, but we try to create new flavors, like the dune with celery."
– Pasta with pork bladder –
Without a "kitchen hierarchy," he said, "we all do everything.
"If you choose something that you prepare yourself and maybe then put it to the table and explain it to customers."
The leader, who said he would not raise prices, said his victory was a win for the "African continent and my beautiful, diverse country".
The sober restaurants known for their affordable food are prominently featured in the awards, set up by one of the founders of Joe Warwick's list of top 50 restaurants to challenge his primacy.
While the 50 Best have been hit by allegations of lobbying and bias against French cuisine, the new awards claim to be proud of their "diversity and integrity", with 50 men and 50 women among the judges.
They were not afraid to send industry snapshots with a series of casual awards for the "Chef of the Year Without Tattoo" (won by French culinary legend Alain Ducbade) and "Kitchen of the Year". without lawn mower ". (Bo.lan from Bangkok).
The very lively Mocoto de Sao Paulo, named after the Brazilian cow hoof stew that he served, won the category "No reservations required", while the house special was awarded to the Lido 84 , rather Italian, which overlooks Lake Garda – and which contains its pasta "cacio e pepe" inside a pork bladder.
– The blow of the French hat –
Andoni Luis Aduriz, considered the most innovative chef in Spain since El Bulli's Ferran Adria hung up his apron, won the "Forward Drinking" award for the "stellar" wine list for his good quality- price in Mugaritz, his restaurant in San Sebastian.
The Londoner Noble Rot won a "small plate" prize for his red wine.
"The event of the year" continues the down-to-earth theme, going to the festival of food for refugees, which started in France and has now spread to 18 cities around the world.
The legendary La Mere Brazier won the "Enduring Clbadic" crown in the country's culinary capital, Lyon, while the upscale Parisian table, Le Clarence, won the "Original Thinking" award.
Italian super-chef Mbadimo Bottura, of which Osteria Francescana tops the list of the 50 best, has won the honor of "Ethical Thinking" for the Food for the Soul community kitchens that he helped set up to fight against food waste.
Ireland scored a surprise double with two Cork restaurants winning awards at home. Ballymaloe House won the Best Dessert Cart and Paradiso Mecca award for its partnership with Gortnanain Farm.
The judges, including René Redzepi of the Danish restaurant Noma, King of Cookbooks Yotam Ottolenghi and Northern Ireland chef Clare Smyth, the first woman to win three Michelin stars in Britain, also had to decide which restaurant had the best Instagram account – that of the guru of vegetables in Paris, Alain Pbadard.
While Redzepi was short of three prizes, Thomas Frebel, his German-born son, originally from Noma, won the "Arrival of the Year" award for his new table in Tokyo, Inua, which was hailed as the newest "most exciting restaurant in Japan".
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