50 Best Restaurants In The World 2004

-ranked by Restaurant Magazine (in association with Penfolds) Earlier this year, in April, Restaurant magazine revealed this year’s “50 Best Restaurants in the World”(2004). The winners were voted for by an international panel of over 300 restaurateurs, chefs, critics and journalists. The 50 Best rankings and a full list of award winners are shown below. California’s restaurant, The French Laundry, again won the title of Best Restaurant in the World. The French Laundry is famed for combining exceptional ingredients and wonderful surroundings with a fanatical attention to detail. This is the second year running that Chef Thomas Keller has scooped the award and he even found the time to open a second restaurant, Per Se, In New York. British restaurant, The Fat Duck in Bray ranked number 2, and also picked up awards for ‘Best Newcomer to the List’ and ‘Best European Restaurant’. Chef Heston Blumenthal is famed as a ‘molecular gastronomist’, who combines techniques from science and cooking to incredible effect. Signature dishes include ‘Snail porridge’, ‘Sherbet dib dab’ and ‘Smoke bacon and egg ice cream’. The third place goes to a restaurant in Spain, El Bulli, which has won the same ranking since 2002. Among the 50 award winners, five restaurants are based out of New York; three are located in California. Celerity Chef Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in Chicago won the 32th place in the ranking. Nearly 20 winning restaurants in major dining cities like London and Paris dominate the list. One Indian Restaurant made to the list – Bukhara, 36th place; FROM Hong Kong, Felix (Peninsula Hotel) gained the 47th place.