Early November saw the world’s best chefs recognised at The Best Chef Awards. Five hundred and twenty-two chefs from 62 countries were honoured at the event.

Rasmus Munk from Alchemist, Denmark took home first place, with Albert Adrià from Engima, Spain placing second. Eric Vildgaard from  Jordnær in Denmark round out the top three.

The Best Chef co-founder Joanna Slusarczyk said, “this year we were privileged to acknowledge an extraordinary 522 chefs – each one an embodiment of skill, vision, and dedication.”

“The new Knife system has allowed us to highlight chefs at all stages of their journey, giving due respect to their craft and contributions. Witnessing this level of talent, from renowned masters to emerging stars… has been profoundly moving.

“We are honoured to be a part of this journey and look forward to seeing these chefs continue to shape the future of global gastronomy.”

Held in Dubai, the lavish ceremony marked the first time the global event has been held in the Middle East.

The Best Chef co-founder Cristian Gadau said bringing the awards to Dubai had proved to be a landmark moment.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more remarkable city to host this celebration,” he said.

On the baking front, René Frank from Coda in Germany took out the Best Chef Pastry Award.

René has taken out the title twice, in addition to receiving the title of Patissier of the Year four time – in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2020, while his dessert-only restaurant, Coda, has received two Michelin stars each year since 2020.

The full list of winners and honourees can be found on The Best Chef website.