Attention Foodies: World’s Best Restaurant Now Located in Barcelona
Joan, Jodri and Josep are the latest greatest trio in the restaurateur business, with their restaurant El Cellar de Can Roca named on Monday as #1 of the 50 best restaurants in the world.
Just up the road from Barcelona, Spain, the Roca brothers opened El Cellar in 1986. Since then, their innovative take on Catalan cuisine has garnered fame and respect from all corners of the world and won several awards. This year, however, is the first time the restaurant has been awarded the first place global title, previously held for three consecutive years by Noma in Denmark.
Image via Flickr/ Renée S. Suen’s
Sponsored by Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino, the list is awarded democratically by a panel of chefs and food writers. The remaining top five includes Noma in second place, Italy’s Osteria Francescana in third, Mugaritz from Spain in fourth, and in fifth place, Eleven Madison Park from New York City, USA.
The press release described El Cellar’s style as “free-style cooking, with a commitment to the avant-garde, but remaining faithful to the memory of different generations on the family’s ancestors.”
“Joan heads up the kitchen, Jordi is head pastry chef and Josep is head sommelier, in charge of front of house.”
Among their most-renowned plates are a starter caramelized olive dish, asparagus with truffles, and Iberian suckling pig with pepper sauce.
The Roca brothers recently announced their latest endeavor: El Somni, The Dream, a so-called “culinary opera” complete with artists, dancers, musicians and poets, will premier in Barcelona on May 6th and strives to mix the mediums of beautifully-sculptured food designs with other artistic outlets. It will be presented in 12 acts—and 12 courses—and will be attended by, of course, 12 selected people.
So, you may miss that. But if you’re heading to Barcelona and wish to dine at the world’s new best restaurant, you should reserve your table now. Rene Redzepi, owner of Noma, said that when his restaurant was awarded the honor, more than 100,000 people placed online reservations. And be prepared to pay a pretty penny—the tasting menu alone will set you back $170.
