Yesterday, the highly anticipated results of the Top 100 Chefs by The Best Chef Awards 2023 were unveiled at a prestigious awards ceremony held in Yucatan, Mexico, with two of Hong Kong’s finest culinary artists, Cheffe Vicky Lau and Chef Agustin Balbi, both improving their positions on the renowned list.
Hong Kong’s Cheffe Vicky Lau, acclaimed for her innovative French Chinese cuisine at two Michelin-starred TATE Dining Room and Michelin Green-starred MORA in Hong Kong, secured an impressive position at no.53 on the list (moving up from #74). Also, Chef Agustin Balbi, known for his creative and multicultural approach to cuisine at one Michelin-starred Andō, was ranked at no.46 (up from #61).
The Best Chef Awards, a widely respected platform in the culinary world, serves as a benchmark for recognising outstanding chefs globally. The 2023 list is a testament to the global influence of Hong Kong’s chefs Vicky Lau and Agustin Balbi, showcasing their significant contributions to the culinary landscape.
The positions secured by these chefs among the top 100 underscore their exceptional skills, innovation, and dedication to the art of gastronomy.
Chef Agustin Balbi – Andō – #46
Born into a Spanish and Italian family, Agustin’s love for food was ignited at his grandmother’s dining table, where fond childhood memories of his late Lola’s homemade Latin dishes would inspire much of his innovative cuisine today at Andō.
During his formative years as a chef, Agustin’s rebellious streak took him eastwards to Japan, where he spent several years honing his craft in Tokyo’s veritable kitchens, including two Michelin-starred Zurriola, 3 Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin and 2 Michelin-starred Cuisine Michel Troisgros.
Andō earned a Michelin star under Chef Balbi’s guidance, cementing its status as a culinary gem in Hong Kong.
Chef Vicky Lau – TATE Dining Room & MORA Hong Kong #53
The undisputed queen of innovative French-Chinese fine dining in Hong Kong, Chef Vicky Lau takes pride in her talent for visual artistry from her previous life as a graphic designer.
Her innate creativity is evident in the seasonally evolving tasting menu of “Edible Stories”, each course designed by Chef Vicky Lau to evoke emotions and stir the imagination with an intriguing play on flavours and textures. In 2015, Chef Vicky was named Asia’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Her culinary skill and artistic talent earned TATE Dining Room’s first Michelin star in 2013, successfully maintaining its star in the years that followed until receiving its second Michelin star in 2021. Chef Vicky was also named as the Chef of the Year by Tatler Dining by Hong Kong Tatler in 2023.
The Best Chef Awards 2023 Yucatan
Honouring talented chefs who create the best food experiences worldwide, The Best Chef is a vibrant world community of passionate food lovers. From a shortlist of 200 nominees, including 100 “fresh faces” as well the Top 100 from the previous edition who are automatically nominated again, the 100 fresh faces are shortlisted through a group of 100 anonymous professionals who scour the world and discover talents.
The professionals include food journalists, critics, bloggers, photographers, and other notable people with a broad knowledge of fine dining – experts within the industry.
The second phase of the voting process takes place via a secure online survey where each member is sent a unique link with a simple voting option. Each person can vote for ten chefs, choosing from a drop-down list, and the point system is 10 – 100.
The voting started at the beginning of May with a one-month window to vote. Chefs cannot vote for themselves. Once the survey has been completed, the votes have been cast. By then, there is no way to change a vote, and not even The Best Chef organisation has access to the results until the voting period has ended.
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