Australian Icon: Neil Perry Honoured at World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the “Oscars” of the Food World

In a list otherwise devoid of Australian entries, veteran chef Neil Perry took home the Woodford Reserve Icon Award for his services to the industry.

Veteran chef and creator of the Rockpool restaurant group, Neil Perry was the sole Australian to receive an honour at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards held in Las Vegas on June 6. Neil is best known for launching his series of Rockpool restaurants in Australia and his work on the inflight menu for Qantas; he now runs the restaurant Margaret in Sydney’s Double Bay.

But neither Margaret, not any other Australian restaurants, appeared on the 2024 list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The only Australian entry was for seafood chef Josh Niland whose restaurant St Peter in Sydney landed at 98 on the extended 51-100 list that was announced in May.

Global dining superstars

Good news for travellers to Spain, with Disfrutar topping the list. Created by El Bulli alum Oriol Castro, the Spanish fine diner first opened in 2014 and quickly climbed the list to second place last year. This year it knocked Lima’s Central from the top spot with Central moving to the Best of the Best list with legends like The French Laundry, Noma and El Bulli.

The runner-up spot also went to a Spanish entry, Asador Etxebarri, a fire-driven restaurant by chef Victor Arguinzoniz in the Basque village of Atxondo that foregoes the usual fine-dining bells and whistles.

Third place went to Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris featuring a long counter and open kitchen where you can watch the chef plate his famous Colours of the Day, a daily dish of whatever seasonal herbs and vegetables the kitchen is featuring.

Hong Kong also had a good year, with Wing in Hong Kong earning the award for the Highest New Entry. Wing flew onto the list at number 20 for its nostalgic homage to “the eight, great Chinese cuisines”.

Hong Kong was also home to The Highest Climber Award, sponsored by Highstreet World, for The Chairman which moved up 24 spots to number 26. Led by Danny Yip with the support of head chef Kwok Keung Tung, the menu features dishes like Sichuan peppercorn stewed oxtail and steamed fresh flowery crab with aged Shaoxing wine, fragrant chicken oil and flat rice noodles. 

Peer-reviewed excellence

Joining Neil Perry on the individual honours board were Pablo Rivero, sommelier and owner of Don Julio, Buenos Aires who won the The Beronia World’s Best Sommelier Award, Nina Metayer was named The World’s Best Pastry Chef for her creations that have garnered attention the world over; and Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, the chef-owner of Maido in Lima, took out the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award 2024, the only award to be voted for by his peers, honouring his dedication to putting Peru onto the world culinary stage.

Hungry for more? Check out our list of the The World’s Best Hotel Restaurants.