Latest news with #NikkeiCuisine
Arab News
6 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Where We Are Going Today: Kuuru in Riyadh
Kuuru, an ambitious Saudi concept from Leylaty Group and Peru's MCK Hospitality, delivers on its promise of a vibrant fusion of Peruvian passion and Japanese precision. The experience begins upon entry. The interior is undeniably sophisticated, radiating a chic, fine-dining ambiance perfect for a special culinary journey. Visiting the Riyadh branch located in the King Abdullah Financial District, the service was impeccable, significantly elevating the evening. Our server was a knowledgeable guide, tailoring recommendations and orchestrating a seamless flow of dishes. The culinary adventure started strong. The Kuuru ceviche was a standout, incredibly fresh and complex. Be advised: Its vibrant acidity is boldly and intensely sour, a hallmark purists adore but some palates might find assertive. The hotate aburi offered rich, creamy scallop perfection. The tiradito hotate, featuring luxurious Hokkaido scallops and truffle, delivered exquisite flavor, though a touch more textural contrast (perhaps a crisp element) would have elevated its otherwise soft composition. The Nikkei-style nigiri maintained excellence. The nakka truffle (salmon belly) was beautifully balanced and simple, while the wagyu a lo pobre with the quail egg added to the umami experience. The niku karashi main course featured a succulent grilled ribeye, perfectly complemented by Nikkei chimichurri and Japanese sweet mustard atop smooth potato puree. Dessert provided a satisfying finale. The Lima chocoreto combined moist chocolate cake with Peruvian manjar (dulce de leche), ganache, and honeycomb — rich yet not cloying. The signature Aka sour cocktail proved a vibrant companion throughout but may have been overpowering on the palate, especially with the already sour element to the dishes I ordered. My verdict is that Kuuru offers a compelling, multisensory Nikkei experience within Riyadh's upscale dining scene. While the ceviche's sourness is authentic and the tiradito hotate could benefit from added texture, these are minor notes in an otherwise superb symphony. Backed by stellar service, a distinctive menu, and an elegant setting, Kuuru is a must-visit destination for adventurous food lovers seeking memorable fusion.
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘Rodent never tasted so good': My 14-course meal at the world's best restaurant
The very first dish leaves me so baffled I have to ask the waiter which bits I am supposed to eat. The only edible part, it turns out, is the tiny blob of brown foam, made from Amazonian chorizo, perched on top of a spiky bed of desiccated scales from the arapaima, one of the world's largest freshwater fish. Each the size of a credit card, the scales vaguely resemble prawn crackers; it's a shame, I think ruefully, that they are there purely for decoration. This is the first mouthful of a 14-course tasting menu at Maido, a restaurant in Lima's touristy Miraflores district (just a short walk from my home of the past 15 years) that specialises in Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, known as Nikkei. Even by the stellar standards of Peru's gastronomic boom, Maido is not just another high-end eatery. After years of bouncing around the top 10, in June 2025 it finally achieved the number-one spot at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards. Never mind Michelin (which has yet to include South America in its star system) – the 50 Best, voted on by more than 1,000 industry insiders, is arguably the gold standard for international culinary excellence. Maido, hidden behind a cluster of Eucalyptus trunks on an otherwise nondescript street corner, can thus claim to offer the most superlative gourmet experience on planet earth. Its chef-owner, Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura, is now the Leo Messi of gastronomy. And I am here to soak up his skills. The waiter recommends I pick up the hors d'oeuvre and down it in one. As I pop the foamy morsel into my mouth, it seems to simultaneously vaporise on my tongue and explode into improbably distinct flavours and textures. Seasoned with annatto (derived from the seeds of the achiote tree), Brazil nuts, the juice of a local mandarin-citron hybrid, sweet chilli peppers and yacón (a crisp tuber from the Andean foothills), the foam clearly delivers a porky flavour. But it also gives off subtle tones of smoke, citrus and fresh fruit, along with layers of umami and sweetness that feels familiar but which I cannot identify. Ethereally light, the jungle-inspired chorizo concoction somehow also manages to have a faint, satisfying crunch. What follows is a virtuoso voyage across Peru's dazzlingly diverse geography – without ever stepping out from beneath the forest of ropes that hangs over the dozen, highly-coveted tables in Maido's dining room. Although it is hard to make out, they portray the Hinomaru, the Japanese national flag. As new diners enter the dimly-lit space they are greeted by staff with a chorus of 'maido', meaning 'welcome' in the Osaka dialect of Tsumura's ancestors. Diners are then swept from the 1,500-mile Pacific coast over the soaring Andes and down into the endless rainforests of the Peruvian Amazon and their myriad exotic fruits. There are sea urchins and scallops served with basil oil, and a sauce made from another rare tuber – arracacia – blended with tumbo, an acidic fruit once used, before the Spanish brought citrus to the Americas, to make a precursor of ceviche. Then comes arapaima butifarra – slivers of a fishy cold cut in a diminutive bun, flavoured with an emulsion of sweet chilli peppers, karashi (a Japanese mustard) and honey. And Cuy San, or san guinea pig – Tsumura's haute-cuisine take on the fluffy (but, in this neck of the woods, very edible) Andean staple. A diminutive, delicately-battered leg is served with chilli peppers and greens; rodent never tasted so good. Towards the end of the marathon feast there is charqui, a kind of Andean beef jerky but made with wagyu and garnished with huacatay, a minty marigold used widely in Peruvian cooking. All of it is washed down with a New World wine pairing that runs from a semillon made from old vines in Argentine Patagonia, to two different sakes. The service is friendly and efficient but never fawning. Maido is actually the second Lima restaurant in three years to claim the top spot in the 50 Best, after Virgilio Martínez's Central in 2023 (now in the rankings's hall of fame and withdrawn from future consideration), also a 10-minute walk from my home, but in the other direction. The Nikkei emporium leads a cohort of four restaurants from the Peruvian capital in the 2025 list. London, by comparison, has just two in this year's 50 Best, the genre-defying Ikoyi at 15, and Kol, offering Mexican fusion, at 49. Like most top Peruvian restaurants, Maido achieves this at relatively competitive prices. My tasting menu with wine pairing came to 1880 Sols (roughly £390), including service. That's rather more than I am used to paying for lunch. But it's also hardly the arm and leg that many of Maido's international peers charge. The story of how Peru, a poster child for political corruption and underdevelopment, came to overshadow gastronomic powerhouses such as Paris, Tokyo and New York is rooted in a national food culture that is highly original and diverse, and genuinely includes Peruvians of all races and classes. That culture is itself the product of breathtaking geography as well as immigration from across the globe, and even, believe it or not, the brutal legacy of the Maoist terrorists of the Shining Path. Peru's natural pantry is unrivalled, thanks to its tropical location and the Andes's vast altitudinal variation. The country is home to just about every ecosystem, and therefore every crop, plant and game species on earth. Successive waves of immigrants, not all of them willing, from Spain, Italy, Africa, France, China and Japan, among others, have each left their stamp. So too distinct pre-Columbian traditions from the desert coast, mountains and jungle. No Peruvian kitchen, for example, would be complete without a wok or various uniquely local ajíes or chillies. Then a generation of young chefs, including Tsumura, trained in the 1990s at top culinary schools from San Francisco to Rome and Tokyo. Many did so to flee a national collapse partly triggered by the Shining Path's bloodletting. On their return, they began applying their new, cutting-edge techniques and ideas on Peru's extensive pantheon of home recipes. Adding some extra spice is the national propensity for breaking the rules. It's a trait that makes Peruvians both Latin America's worst drivers and best cooks. Mexico – whose wonderful food I do not underestimate, having lived there for four happy years – is a clear but distant second. Eventually, after three hours of what becomes a quickfire blur of dazzling delicacies, I emerge back into the grey light of Lima's overcast, southern winter. I'm satisfied full, there's no question, but it will take me days to fully process the experience, perhaps the way one might after visiting an exhibition by a truly great artist. The highlight dish? Tsumara's nuanced take on Peru's national dish, ceviche, titled Sea and Pistachios. Miniscule chunks of fortuno, a small local fish species, were served with diced squid and snails, floating with nuts and avocado pieces in a light, tangy chilled broth. And does Maido live up to its new reputation as the 'world's best restaurant'? I can't say. But the meal is one I will remember for the rest of my life – which is not a bad thing to say of your local.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
World's best restaurant for 2025 revealed
And the world's best restaurant for 2025 is ... Maido! This Lima restaurant combines Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients into rarefied cuisine that follows a seasonal menu. (Maido via CNN Newsource) It looks like Lima is going to be welcoming a lot of fine-dining fans in the coming months. Two restaurants in the Peruvian capital landed in the top 10 on the 2025 list of the 'World's 50 Best Restaurants,' including the coveted number one spot. The awards — considered the Oscars of innovative fine dining — were handed out at a ceremony in Turin, Italy on Thursday night, with Lima's Maido walking away with the top prize. Ranked number five on last year's list, it's owned and run by chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura. Maido serves what's known as Nikkei cuisine, 'blending meticulous Japanese techniques with vibrant Peruvian ingredients to create a dining experience that is both culturally rich and innovatively modern' according to the 50 Best organization. 'This is going to be 16 years of Maido,' said Tsumura while accepting the award. 'I think gastronomy — food and hospitality — can do amazing things. They can make dreams come true.' Coming in second was Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, while Mexico City's Quintonil snagged third place, followed by Diverxo in Madrid (No.4) and Copenhagen's Alchemist rounding out the top five. Moving to Asia, Bangkok emerged as the big winner of the night, with six restaurants making the top 50 list, including Gaggan at number six. Gaggan Bangkok restaurant Gaggan earned the number six spot this year. (Gaggan via CNN Newsource) At number seven was Tokyo's Sézanne, followed by Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris at number eight. Ninth place went to Kjolle in Lima, with fellow South American restaurant Don Julio in Buenos Aires holding onto the tenth spot — exactly where it landed last year. The only U.S. restaurant to make the top 50 list was New York's Atomix, at number 12, which also walked away with the award for 'Outstanding Hospitality' at the recent James Beard Awards. Meanwhile, the Thai capital also saw the highest new entry in the top 50 — Bangkok restaurant Potong snagged the 13th spot this year in its inaugural appearance on the list. Opened in 2021 in the city's Chinatown area by chef Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij, it's set in a five-story historic building that, from 1910, housed the family's Chinese herbal medicine business. Potong's innovative tasting menu, featuring Thai-Chinese cuisine, has earned it fast fans and a Michelin star. London restaurant Ikoyi secured the highest climber award by moving up 27 spots from the 2024 list to land at number 15 this year. Serving what 50 Best refers to as 'category free cuisine' it scooped the the One To Watch prize in 2021. Ikoyi has since moved to London's The Strand, where diners can enjoy its signature dish —smoked jollof rice — from a menu inspired by sub-Saharan West Africa. The top 50 The annual list is compiled based on the votes of the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of 1,080 international restaurant industry experts including food writers and chefs, in 27 regions around the world. Restaurants can only win the top prize once, after which they're entered into a separate 'Best of the Best' program. Members of that elite group include Geranium and Noma in Copenhagen, as well as New York's Eleven Madison Park, The Fat Duck near London, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, Mirazur in Menton, France and Central of Lima. Last year's '50 Best Restaurants' winner, Barcelona's Disfrutar, is also now on that list. 1. Maido (Lima, Peru) 2. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain) 3. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico) 4. Diverxo (Madrid, Spain) 5. Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark) 6. Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand) 7. Sézanne (Tokyo, Japan) 8. Table by Bruno Verjus (Paris, France) 9. Kjolle (Lima, Peru) 10. Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 11. Wing (Hong Kong) 12. Atomix (New York City) 13. Potong (Bangkok) 14. Plénitude (Paris, France) 15. Ikoyi (London, England) 16. Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Italy) 17. Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand) 18. Reale (Castel di Sangro, Italy) 19. The Chairman (Hong Kong) 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler (Brunico, Italy) 21. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan) 22. Suhring (Bangkok, Thailand) 23. Boragó (Santiago, Chile) 24. Elkano (Getaria, Spain) 25. Odette (Singapore) 26. Mérito (Lima, Peru) 27. Trèsind Studio (Dubai, UAE) 28. Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 29. Mingles (Seoul, South Korea) 30. Le Du (Bangkok, Thailand) 31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy) 32. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy) 33. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria) 34. Enigma (Barcelona, Spain) 35. Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand) 36. Florilège (Tokyo, Japan) 37. Orfali Bros (Dubai, UAE) 38. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden) 39. Mayta (Lima, Peru) 40. Septime (Paris, France) 41. Kadeau (Copenhagen, Denmark) 42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal) 43. Uliassi (Senigallia, Italy) 44. La Cime (Osaka, Japan) 45. Arpege (Paris, France) 46. Rosetta (Mexico City, Mexico) 47. Vyn (Skillinge, Sweden) 48. Celele (Cartagena, Colombia) 49. Kol (London, England) 50. Restaurant Jan (Munich, Germany) By Karla Cripps, CNN
CNN
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
World's best restaurant for 2025 revealed
It looks like Lima is going to be welcoming a lot of fine-dining fans in the coming months. Two restaurants in the Peruvian capital landed in the top 10 on the 2025 list of the 'World's 50 Best Restaurants,' including the coveted number one spot. The awards — considered the Oscars of innovative fine dining — were handed out at a ceremony in Turin, Italy on Thursday night, with Lima's Maido walking away with the top prize. Ranked number five on last year's list, it's owned and run by chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura. Maido serves what's known as Nikkei cuisine, 'blending meticulous Japanese techniques with vibrant Peruvian ingredients to create a dining experience that is both culturally rich and innovatively modern' according to the 50 Best organization. 'This is going to be 16 years of Maido,' said Tsumura while accepting the award. 'I think gastronomy — food and hospitality — can do amazing things. They can make dreams come true.' Coming in second was Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, while Mexico City's Quintonil snagged third place, followed by Diverxo in Madrid (No.4) and Copenhagen's Alchemist rounding out the top five. Moving to Asia, Bangkok emerged as the big winner of the night, with six restaurants making the top 50 list, including Gaggan at number six. At number seven was Tokyo's Sézanne, followed by Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris at number eight. Ninth place went to Kjolle in Lima, with fellow South American restaurant Don Julio in Buenos Aires holding onto the tenth spot — exactly where it landed last year. The only US restaurant to make the top 50 list was New York's Atomix, at number 12, which also walked away with the award for 'Outstanding Hospitality' at the recent James Beard Awards. Meanwhile, the Thai capital also saw the highest new entry in the top 50 — Bangkok restaurant Potong snagged the 13th spot this year in its inaugural appearance on the list. Opened in 2021 in the city's Chinatown area by chef Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij, it's set in a five-story historic building that, from 1910, housed the family's Chinese herbal medicine business. Potong's innovative tasting menu, featuring Thai-Chinese cuisine, has earned it fast fans and a Michelin star. London restaurant Ikoyi secured the highest climber award by moving up 27 spots from the 2024 list to land at number 15 this year. Serving what 50 Best refers to as 'category free cuisine' it scooped the the One To Watch prize in 2021. Ikoyi has since moved to London's The Strand, where diners can enjoy its signature dish —smoked jollof rice — from a menu inspired by sub-Saharan West Africa. The annual list is compiled based on the votes of the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of 1,080 international restaurant industry experts including food writers and chefs, in 27 regions around the world. Restaurants can only win the top prize once, after which they're entered into a separate 'Best of the Best' program. Members of that elite group include Geranium and Noma in Copenhagen, as well as New York's Eleven Madison Park, The Fat Duck near London, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, Mirazur in Menton, France and Central of Lima. Last year's '50 Best Restaurants' winner, Barcelona's Disfrutar, is also now on that list. 1. Maido (Lima, Peru) 2. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain) 3. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico) 4. Diverxo (Madrid, Spain) 5. Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark) 6. Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand) 7. Sézanne (Tokyo, Japan) 8. Table by Bruno Verjus (Paris, France) 9. Kjolle (Lima, Peru) 10. Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 11. Wing (Hong Kong) 12. Atomix (New York City) 13. Potong (Bangkok) 14. Plénitude (Paris, France) 15. Ikoyi (London, England) 16. Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Italy) 17. Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand) 18. Reale (Castel di Sangro, Italy) 19. The Chairman (Hong Kong) 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler (Brunico, Italy) 21. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan) 22. Suhring (Bangkok, Thailand) 23. Boragó (Santiago, Chile) 24. Elkano (Getaria, Spain) 25. Odette (Singapore) 26. Mérito (Lima, Peru) 27. Trèsind Studio (Dubai, UAE) 28. Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 29. Mingles (Seoul, South Korea) 30. Le Du (Bangkok, Thailand) 31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy) 32. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy) 33. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria) 34. Enigma (Barcelona, Spain) 35. Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand) 36. Florilège (Tokyo, Japan) 37. Orfali Bros (Dubai, UAE) 38. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden) 39. Mayta (Lima, Peru) 40. Septime (Paris, France) 41. Kadeau (Copenhagen, Denmark) 42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal) 43. Uliassi (Senigallia, Italy) 44. La Cime (Osaka, Japan) 45. Arpege (Paris, France) 46. Rosetta (Mexico City, Mexico) 47. Vyn (Skillinge, Sweden) 48. Celele (Cartagena, Colombia) 49. Kol (London, England) 50. Restaurant Jan (Munich, Germany)
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
These are the world's best restaurants – and two are in London
A restaurant in Lima serving Japanese-Peruvian fusion has been named the best in the world. Maido, opened by Lima-born chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura in 2009, took the top spot in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, an annual ranking widely recognised as reflecting global fine dining trends. The list was revealed at a chef-packed ceremony at Turin's Lingotto Fiere convention centre on Thursday 19 June. Skip to: The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 The top five Maido's win cements Nikkei cuisine – the fusion of Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients, rooted in the Japanese diaspora in Peru – on the global culinary stage. Chef-owner Tsumura, son of Japanese immigrants, showcases this heritage through a multi-course menu featuring dishes like squid ramen with Amazon chorizo, Peru's national dish ceviche, and nigiri. As confetti showered the stage, the Maido team celebrated their popular victory. Tsumura called it 'the most beautiful thing that has happened in my life [...] a dream come true,' adding that Maido is about 'having fun' and 'democratising deliciousness.' The win means long-standing Basque Country restaurant Asador Etxebarri remains in second place, with Quintonil (Mexico City) third, DiverXO (Madrid) fourth, and Copenhagen's Alchemist fifth. Rankings are based on independently adjudicated votes from 1,120 restaurant experts, including chefs, restaurateurs and writers. Restaurants cannot be nominated or apply for inclusion; judges vote based on recent visits. Maido succeeds Barcelona hotspot and 2024 number one Disfrutar, which joins the best of the best group of past winners, including Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck (2005) and Lima's Central (2023) – making them ineligible for future World's 50 Best lists. It was a strong night for Bangkok, with six of its restaurants on the list. Progressive Thai-Chinese venue Potong was the highest new entry at 13, and its chef-owner Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij won the best female chef award. Ikoyi in central London, praised by The Telegraph as 'terrific' for its vivid, imaginative and immaculately cooked dishes, won the 'highest climber' award. The restaurant, which layers hyper-seasonal British ingredients with West African flavours, soared from 42nd place in 2024 to 15th. Chef and co-owner Jeremy Chan said, 'I'm very surprised and very grateful. I feel proud to represent British cuisine, produce and technique on the world stage.' Kol, Mayfair's contemporary Mexican-British fusion restaurant by Santiago Lastra – hailed by The Telegraph as 'the most ambitious and exciting new booking in London' when it opened in 2020 – held onto its top 50 spot but slipped from 17th to 49th. In the previously revealed top 100 ranking there was further UK success: Tomos Parry's Basque-inspired Mountain in Soho placed 74th, and the modern British Clove Club in Bethnal Green came in 86th. However, open-fire restaurant Brat and three Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth both dropped out. Isaac McHale, chef-owner of The Clove Club, said London is 'a victim of its own success,' explaining that with so many great restaurants, visitors with limited time have fewer chances to vote for any one spot. In less saturated cities, he said, diners' attention is more focused. Individual awards at the World's 50 Best ceremony also recognised Australian First Nations food and culture, a contemporary Egyptian restaurant near the Giza Pyramids and sustainability champions. But the final word went to chef Tsumura, whose persistence at Maido has paid off: 'Nikkei cuisine wasn't well known in the streets, and now it's known all over the world.' The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 50. Restaurant Jan – Munich, Germany (new entry) 49. Kol – London, UK 48. Celele – Cartagena, Colombia (new entry and winner of sustainable restaurant award) 47. Vyn – Skillinge, Sweden (new entry) 46. Rosetta – Mexico City, Mexico 45. Arpège – Paris, France 44. La Cime – Osaka, Japan 43. Uliassi – Senegallia, Italy 42. Belcanto – Lisbon, Portugal 41. Kadeau – Copenhagen, Denmark 40. Septime – Paris, France 39. Mayta – Lima, Peru 38. Frantzén – Stockholm, Sweden 37. Orfali Bros – Dubai, UAE 36. Florilege – Tokyo, Japan 35. Nusara – Bangkok, Thailand (new entry) 34. Enigma – Barcelona, Spain (new entry) 33. Steirereck – Vienna, Austria 32. Piazza Duomo – Alba, Italy 31. Le Calandre – Rubano, Italy 30. Le Du – Bangkok, Thailand 29. Mingles – Seoul, South Korea 28. Lasai – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (new entry) 27. Tresind Studio – Dubai, UAE (best restaurant in Middle East) 26. Mérito – Lima, Peru (new entry) 25. Odette – Singapore 24. Elkano – Getaria, Spain 23. Boragó – Santiago, Chile 22. Suhring – Bangkok, Thailand 21. Narisawa – Tokyo, Japan 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler – Brunico, Italy (new entry) 19. The Chairman – Hong Kong 18. Reale – Castel di Sangro, Italy 17. Sorn – Bangkok, Thailand 16. Lido 84 – Gardone Riviera, Italy 15. Ikoyi – London, UK (highest climber award) 14. Plenitude – Paris 13. Potong – Bangkok, Thailand (highest new entry) 12. Atomix – New York, USA 11. Wing – Hong Kong (art of hospitality award) 10. Don Julio – Buenos Aires, Argentina 9. Kjolle – Lima, Peru 8. Table by Bruno Verjus – Paris, France 7. Sézanne – Tokyo, Japan 6. Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand (best restaurant in Asia) The top five 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark Theatrical cooking – and then some. Dinner at chef Rasmus Munk's restaurant is a multi-sensory experience unfolding over several mind-bending hours and 50 edible 'impressions'. A ticket will set you back 5,400 DKK (£618) – if you're lucky enough to get one. 4. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain Visionary chef Dabiz Muñoz takes diners on a rollercoaster ride of unexpected flavours, blending his Spanish heritage with bold Asian influences. Dishes on the 15-course menu might include blue crab with kimchi ice cream and wild strawberries. 3. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico Chef Jorge Vallejo celebrates Mexico with a creative spin on native ingredients, many of which are grown just steps from the restaurant. Bluefin tuna aguachile and duck tamales might feature, along with a touch of entomophagy – think tacos with chicatana ants. 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain It's 35 years since chef Bittor Arguinzoniz opened this now-legendary grill restaurant in his home village in the Basque Country. Diners flock here for a menu where exceptional local ingredients are kissed by flame – even the smoked milk ice cream with beetroot juice that rounds off the meal. 1. Maido, Lima, Peru Nikkei cuisine from the global master of Japanese-Peruvian fusion. Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura's multi-course menu is led by fish, with dishes such as squid ramen with Amazon chorizo and nigiri made from the day's catch. A favourite in the gastronomic world – he won the World's 50 Best Chef's Choice Award in 2024 – he pairs inventive cooking with warm hospitality at his city-centre restaurant (fittingly, maido means 'welcome' in Japanese).
