Celebrating the World's Best Chefs

At the top of this year’s awards are three exemplary chefs whose visionary contributions have redefined modern gastronomy:

1st ROW: Rasmus Munck – Alchemist, Danimarka 🇩🇰

Known for his avant-garde approach, Munk blends theatrical elements with gastronomic innovation at Alchemist, delivering an experience that has made him a global sensation.

2TH ROW: Albert Adrià - Enigma, Spain
At Enigma, Adrià, an icon of gastronomic experimentation, continues to push boundaries by combining storytelling with innovative techniques, consolidating his influence in the industry.

3TH ROW: Eric Wildgaard - Jordan, Denmark
Known for his commitment to sustainability and purity, Vildgaard’s works in Jordnær represent the artistry of local Scandinavian materials, making his work globally impressive.

Special Award Winners

As part of The Best Chef’s revolutionary new ranking system, the awards also celebrate chefs who have made outstanding contributions in specific areas:

• Best Game Changer: Albert Adrià, Enigma (Spain)
• Best Pastry Award: Rene Frank, Tail (Germany)
• Best New Performer Award: Mei Kogo, Sushi-Meino (Japan)
• Best Terroir Award: Jaime Rodriguez, Celele (Colombia)
• Best Science Award: Angel Leon, Aponiente (Spain)
• Best Food Art Award: Julian Royer, Odette (Singapore)
• Best NextGen Award: Michele Lazzarini, Contrada Bricconi, (Italy)
• Best Customer Experience Award: Vaughan Mabee, Amisfield (New Zealand)
• Best Creativity Award: Paco Mendez, Come Restaurant (Spain)
• Best of Dubai Award: Himanshu Saini, Tresind (UAE)
• Professionals' Choice Award: Ana Ros, Hisa Franko (Slovenia)
• Best Origins and Future Award: (1) Eva, Lilian, Emilie Rihani, Three by Eva (UAE) (2) Mohamad, Wassim, Omar Orfali, orfali bros (UAE)

 Knife Recognition

In a historic move, The Best Chef Awards has introduced a three-stage Knife recognition system to provide a more comprehensive look at culinary excellence. Leaving traditional rankings behind, the system honors 6 gastronomy professionals across 521 continents, dividing chefs into three categories based on their influence and skills:

• Three Blades (Best): Celebrating the highest level of culinary mastery, achieving 80% or more of the maximum score Awards given to 91 chefs.
• Two Knives (Premium Quality): %Achieving 40 or more Getting to know 168 chefs, an award that represents their expertise worldwide.
• A Knife (Perfect): Achieving 20% ​​or more Giving to 262 chiefs, an award that recognizes his/her significant contributions in this field.

A Showcase of Dubai's Finest Cuisine

The awards ceremony concluded with three days of exciting events including thought-provoking panel discussions, the Food Meets Science conference and exclusive gastronomy experiences. The 2024 ceremony attracted over 3.000 attendees, creating a vibrant platform for chefs, industry leaders and gastronomy enthusiasts from around the world to connect, collaborate and be inspired.

Dubai’s dynamic cuisine was highlighted with a bright vision at the Best Chef Awards 2024, with several Dubai-based chefs recognised in the Knife categories. The recognition reflected the city’s growing influence on the global gastronomy scene:

• Three Knives: Gregoire Berger ((Ossiano) and Himanshu Saini (Tresind)
• Two Knives: Mohamad Orfali (orfali bros) and Daniel Birk (Row on 45)
• A Knife: Rahul Rana (Avatara), Solemann Haddad (moonrise), and Tom Allen (Dinner by Heston)

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, under the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai, said: “Dubai’s successful staging of the Best Chef Awards 2024 has cemented the city’s status as the global gastronomy capital. The city not only celebrates global culinary talent, but also provides a platform to bring the industry together to share knowledge and explore innovation. We congratulate all the chefs recognised at this year’s awards ceremony and are proud to include Dubai-based culinary talent among them; they continue to contribute to our ambition to be the best city to visit, live and work in.”

Cristian Gadau, Co-Founder of The Best Chef, said: “Bringing The Best Chef Awards to Dubai is a historic moment for us and we couldn’t have asked for a better city to hold this celebration. Dubai’s ambition, spirit and commitment to excellence perfectly reflected the calibre of talent we witnessed at this year’s awards. My heartfelt congratulations to every chef honoured—your work is an inspiration to the culinary world. It’s a reminder of how extraordinary this industry is when so many talented individuals from around the world come together to share their passion and innovation.”

Joanna Slusarczyk, Co-Founder of The Best Chef, added: “This year, we had the privilege of honouring 550 extraordinary chefs, each a reflection of their skill, vision and dedication. The new Knife Recognition system has enabled chefs at every stage of their journey, paying due respect to their craft and contributions. From established masters to rising stars, it was incredibly moving to see the talent here in Dubai. We are honoured to be a part of this journey and look forward to these chefs continuing to shape the future of global gastronomy.”

The success of The Best Chef Awards in Dubai reinforces the city’s position as a leading culinary hub and demonstrates its commitment to supporting international talent and innovation. With the conclusion of this iconic ceremony, Dubai’s reputation as a global culinary city has been enhanced and it has left an indelible mark on the international culinary scene.

Source: HORECA TREND and The Best Chef Awards

One of Turkey's leading hotel chains Elite World Hotels & Resortscontinues to carry its brand domestically and abroad with new hotels. Elite World Village Istanbul Polonezköy, the chain's first hotel to serve under the "Elite World Village" brand within the scope of its growth strategy with the franchise business model, opened its doors with the participation of the protocol. The opening ceremony was attended by Republican People's Party Deputy Chairman Suat Özçağdaş, CHP Üsküdar District Chairman İbrahim Çağlar Atalar, Istanbul Mayor Advisor Mert Bahçetepe, Beykoz Deputy Mayor Turgay Sucuoğlu, Üsküdar Deputy Mayor Mithat Özdemir, Maltepe Mayor Private Secretary Ömer Can Agin, Trabzon Platform President Ahmet Köksal Öztürk, Elite World Hotels & Resorts CEO Orkun Petekçi, Business Development Manager Giray Arıkan, Elite World Village Istanbul Polonezköy General Manager Dilaver Doğru, Systemgroup Turizm Chairman Ahmet Yılmaz, Vice Chairman of the Board Erol İnce and Gökhan It was held with the participation of Turkmen, provincial and district protocol and press members. The hotel, which was implemented in cooperation with Systemgroup Tourism, consists of rooms of different sizes and concepts. Elite World Village Istanbul Polonezköy has a 30-acre green area that will host individual events or corporate events such as weddings, 5 meeting rooms of different sizes, a restaurant serving Turkish and international cuisine, swimming pools, spa and fitness areas.

The Chain's First Hotel Branded as "Elite World Village"

Elite World Hotels & Resorts CEO Orkun Petekçi, “As Elite World, we have hosted thousands of guests in our hotels so far with our 50 years of experience in the tourism sector. We work non-stop every day to reach a wider audience with our new brands that we have created taking into account changing tourism trends. As part of this strategy, one of our new brands, Elite World Village, is of great importance within the scope of our chain's nature-friendly and sustainable tourism targets. "Elite World Village offers the opportunity to rediscover life in touch with nature, with its rooms in harmony with nature, restaurants inspired by the culture of the region, spa centers and meeting rooms guided by a healthy lifestyle." he said.

Ahmet Yılmaz, Chairman of the Board of Systemgroup Tourism, said: “Our hotel, which is both in Istanbul and with an environmentally friendly concept, is waiting for its guests to host individual events or corporate organizations such as weddings and to bring Istanbul tourism together with a brand new experience. From now on, we will serve under the umbrella of Elite World with our hotel, which provides alternatives for both holiday, business and meeting accommodation. "With the advantage of our unique location in both the city and nature, we aim to appeal to wider audiences with the contribution of Elite World's brand power and marketing network." he said.

Source: HORECA Trend and Elite World Hotels & Resorts

Eksun Gıda CEO Ahmet DemirHe stated that Turkey's flour exports increased by 2024 percent in the first half of 15 compared to last year. Demir said, “While the exports of many sectors are decreasing, we are proud to consolidate our world leadership with the increase in flour exports. Our country will produce 2024 million 1 thousand tons of flour in the first half of 800.  realized the export. This situation makes us proud. We believe that we can easily reach the 2024 million tons of flour export targeted for 4. "As Eksun Gıda, we are in an important position in this export and we aim to increase our export volume by the end of the year," he said.

Making evaluations about the wheat yield, Demir said, “2024 wheat crop estimates are expected to be around 20 million tons. "Although there has been a decrease in yield in some of our regions due to lack of rainfall, wheat production is above our expectations and this has a positive impact on our export volume," he said. 

Continues to Grow with New Export Routes

Stating that they increased their export volume last year, Demir said, “We are present in every market, far or near, where flour is exported from Turkey. There are regions where we aim to strengthen and increase market share. We continue our efforts to further expand our export volume, especially in the East African, Far East, Central and South American markets. We aim to contribute to the country's economy by establishing strong export networks in these regions. In addition, we develop strategic collaborations to explore new markets and strengthen our position in our existing markets. “We are constantly improving our logistics network and technological infrastructure to make our export processes more efficient.” he said. 

Food Safety Remains Important

Stating that the social and political developments in recent years have further increased the importance of food safety, Demir said, “In the United Nations as well as other global food reports, it is stated that millions of people have difficulty accessing food, and this once again reveals the importance of food safety. In this regard, not only the states have a great responsibility, but also the companies that have an important place in the sector due to their global export power. As Eksun Gıda, we have never stopped and will never stop taking on the responsibility we can with this awareness. "We take care to be everywhere in the world markets with our logistics competencies, and we continue to work with a people-centered approach while maintaining our commercial competitiveness," he said. 

“We are sending it to Venezuela!”

Noting that the farthest point they export to is Venezuela, Demir explained the process as follows: "The ships that start from Russia and Ukraine with the import of wheat cover approximately 15 thousand kilometers by sea when they complete all the processes of processing the wheat into flour and exporting it. "Our teams visit the export country before shipment, visit ports and warehouses, and ensure delivery security by holding a series of meetings with the companies we sell products to," he said.

Exports Flour to More than 30 Countries

Operating under the roof of Eksim Holding and incorporating Sinangil, one of Turkey's leading flour brands with more than 200 products, Eksun Gıda maintains its sectoral superiority by increasing its export volume with its strategic investments. The company, which produces in three separate facilities of approximately 96 thousand square meters, two in Tekirdağ and one in Konya, has an annual production capacity of 600 thousand tons. Eksun Gıda, which has a network in more than 30 countries and periodically changing exports, carries out the majority of its exports to the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America and Asian countries. Especially countries such as Iraq, Indonesia, Venezuela, Cuba, Ghana and Guinea Bissau are among the company's main export markets.

Source: HORECA Trend and Eksun Food