Nahm in Bangkok has secured the No.1 spot at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 awards, earning the title of The S.Pellegrino Asia’s Best Restaurant. Opened in 2010, the Bangkok restaurant has also been named The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Thailand.
At Nahm, Australian-born chef David Thompson celebrates the bold flavours of authentic Thai cuisine by reviving and reinterpreting centuries-oldrecipes of former Thai matriarchs. Nahm’s fiery, feisty menu strikes a delicate balance between tradition and innovation, cultural practices and contemporary style. Ranked No.3 at the inaugural Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards last year, the restaurant gained global attention when it first appeared on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2012 at No.50, jumping to No.32 a year later.
China leads Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 with 16 establishments ranked on the list, followed by Japan and Singapore landing 10 and eightrestaurants respectively. The 2014 list welcomes 10 new entries, including first-time representation from restaurants in Korea (Jungsik, No.20), and Taiwan (Le Moût, No.24).
Now in its second year, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and organised by William Reed Business Media, announced the 2014 winners at an elegant awards ceremony at Capella Hotel in Singapore.
Individual Country Awards:
- Among the 16 China entries, Amber (No.4) in Hong Kong earns the title of The S. Pellegrino Best Restaurant in China. New additions to China’s rankings include Family Li Imperial Cuisine (No.46) in Shanghai and Tenku RyuGin (No.50) in Hong Kong.
- Japan boasts the most new entries with three Tokyo restaurants making their debut on the list, namely L’Effervescence (No.25), Sukiyabashi Jiro (No.38) and Sawada (No.41). Last year’s winner Narisawa (No.2) takes the title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Japan.
- Singapore confirms its position as a leader in Asia’s dining scene with eight entries, including the new addition of Tippling Club at No. 23. Securing the No.6 position on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Restaurant Andre is named The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Singapore for the second consecutive year. Chef-owner Andre Chiang also picks up the respected Chefs’ Choice Award, voted for by his peers on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
- India is well represented on the list with six entries. Bukhara (No.27) leads the contingent, securing the coveted title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in India. The country is represented by returning favourites, including Indian Accent (No. 29), Dum Pukht (No. 30) and Varq (No.32).
Recognising the region’s culinary diversity, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants also awards Nihonbashi in Colombo (No.44) the title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka and Sarong in Bali as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Indonesia.
The winners’ circle also includes Ivan Li of Family Li Imperial Cuisine in Shanghai (No.46), who is the worthy recipient of The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award. Chef Lanshu Chen of Le Moût in Taiwan has twice as many reasons to celebrate: aside from Le Moût entering the list at No.24 and securing the title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Taiwan, Lanshu is named Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef.
- One To Watch, sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro: Tenku RyuGin
While Tokyo’s Nihonryori RyuGin is ranked No.5, its satellite Hong Kong restaurant, Tenku RyuGin, makes its debut on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No.50. Opened in 2012, Tenku RyuGin continues chef Seiji Yamamoto’s tradition of serving time-honoured Japanese dishes with a hearty dose of modern style and impeccable Japanese hospitality.
- Highest Climber Award, sponsored by Zacapa Rum: Fook Lam Moon
A Hong Kong institution, the family-run Fook Lam Moon rose 29 places, from No.48 in 2013 to its current standing at No.19. Serving traditionalCantonese dishes with a deep respect for authentic flavours and ingredients, Fook Lam Moon continues to attract international gourmands andlocal residents alike.
- Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry: Janice Wong
For a second consecutive year, Janice Wong is the recipient of this prestigious award. Owner of 2am: dessertbar in Singapore, Janice draws inspiration from her travels in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, presenting impeccably-styled desserts and artfully combining unexpected flavours.
- Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by LesConcierges: Jungsik
Among the vanguard of young chefs redefining Korea’s fine dining scene, Jung Sik Yim combines traditional Korean ingredients with modern cooking techniques. Entering Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No.20, Jung Sik Yim’s flagship Seoul restaurant earns the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by LesConcierges, as well as The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Korea.
William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants continues to evolve and grow, as evidenced by the addition of 10 new restaurants to the list. These new entries highlight the creativity, variety and sophistication of Asia’s ever-changing culinary scene.”
How Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is created from The Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 900 international leaders in the restaurant industry, each selected for their expert opinion of the international restaurant scene. The Academy comprises 26 separate regions around the world. Each region has its own panel of 36 members including a chairperson to head it up. The panel is made up of food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘foodies’, each of whom has seven votes. Of the seven votes, at least three must be used to recognize restaurants outside of each voter’s region. At least 10 panelists from each region change each year. None of the employees of any of the sponsors associated with the awards, including the main sponsor, votes or has any influence over the results.
Votes for restaurants in the following countries in Asia, cast during the voting period for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, will result in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants: Bangladesh, Burma/ Myanmar, Brunei, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, the Maldives, Micronesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
The full list of award winners is available at www.theworlds50best.com/asia