las vegas top10

TOP ten restaurants
· Joel Robuchon – French style
· Aureole – French style
· Nobu – Japanese Style
· Le Cirque – French style
· Mix – French style
· Spago – American style/ Californian style
· Alex – French style
· Guy Savoy – French style
· Picasso – French style
· Emrils New Orleans Fish house - seafood
We used the 3 tier system to rank the restaurants.
Therefore, the restaurant with the highest points rating is Joel Robuchon with 230 points from tier 1 and tier 2 rating guides. Coming in second place is Aureole with 210 points from tier 1 and tier 2 rating guides. In third place is Nobu with 170 points from tier 1 and tier 2 rating guides. The chefs to be discussed will be Joel Robuchon, Charlie Palmer, and Nobu Matsuhisha.






Joel Robuchon

http://www.joel-robuchon.com/
http://www.mgmgrand.com/dining/joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%ABl_Robuchon
Joel Robuchon is a visionary chef who was born in the small town of Poitiers, France on April 7, 1945. He owns and operates several restaurants across the world, including his namesake restaurant, Joel Robuchon located in Las Vegas, the original L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon located in Paris, a more recent restaurant, Robuchon a Galera, located in Macau. He plans on opening his next restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Robuchon began his career, at the age of 15, as an apprentice chef at the Relais of Poitiers hotel, located in his hometown of Poitiers. After years of experience and moving up the promotional ladder, he finally became an executive chef at the Harmony-Lafeyette hotel, at the age of 28. He would open the first out of his many restaurants in Paris, before moving out to other cities across the world. He has been credited as being mentors for popular celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Michael Caines. He is renowned for his style of cuisine, a more traditional French style, and his perfection of his cuisine.
His first operation in the USA is in Las Vegas and he named it after himself similar to many of his restaurants. It was founded in 2003, and is operated by his highly talented and qualified team of chefs, among them another Meilleur Ouvrier de France award winner. The restaurant is a small banquet hall setting, with a private section for a more intimate setting. The design and décor is an elegant French style designed by Pierre Yves Rochon.
Robuchon uses the freshest possible ingredients available to produce his meals. In the Joel Robuchon, the menu items are produced in various forms; a 6 course tasting menu, a 7 course meal, a 16 course tasting menu, and an a la carte menu. His signature dish is considered to be the Pommes Puree, which is his original style of mash potatoes. He tends to create a variety of dishes which include fish, high-quality meats, seafood, fresh vegetables, and various grain products. More information on the various menus can be found here
Due to immense dedication to the culinary arts, Robuchon has received many accolades for his mastery of French cuisine. He received the highly touted Meilleur Ouvrier de France, an award for the top French craftsman in their field, when he was 31. In 1989, he was labelled as the Chef of the Century by the guide Gault Millau, a highly influential French restaurant guide. As a result of his dedication and high standards, he has been awarded a total of 17 michelin stars for his various operations; the only chef in the world to reach that amount.
The chef has also ventured into other areas related to cuisine. He published many cookbooks in French, two of which have now been translated into English. He has hosted a culinary television show in France. Finally, he contributed to an edition of Larousse Gastronomique, an encyclopedia which looks at the relationship between culture and food.


Charlie Palmer
Picture : www.unionfloor.com/gallery.php
http://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/aureole.aspx
http://topchefs.chef2chef.net/recipes-2/charlie-palmer/#Biography
Charlie Palmer is widely renowned as one of the greatest American chefs of our time. He focuses on a progressive American-styled cuisine and owns five restaurants in New York and two in Las Vegas. Raised in New York, Palmer acquired his knowledge of culinary styles and tastes from the Culinary Institute of America. He found a job after graduation at one of the most prestigious French-styled restaurants in New York called, La Cote Basque. He would later move on to become executive chefs in various restaurants including the River Café, a restaurant owned by American actor, Michael O’ Keefe. After his tenure at the River Café, he would open his first restaurant in New York, which would be the first of his many popular restaurants he would open across America.
The Aureole of Las Vegas in particular, caught the attention of many restaurant critics. It was created in 1999 and has gone onto receive recognition in several areas. It has been recognized as a four diamond restaurant since its inception. In 2006, the restaurant won the award for outstanding wine service. Recently, in 2008, the restaurant received a Michelin star. Arguably, the main physical attraction is the four story wine tower, which holds more than 10,000 different types of wine.
Palmer’s signature dishes are a reflection of progressive American cuisine. Progressive American cuisine can be described as a combination of culinary tastes from various cultural backgrounds within America. He tends to use high quality beef and fish in his meals. A sample from his menu supports this notion. The first course options include caviar, a thai influenced soup, and ravioli with goat cheese. The main course options include trout, veal, and rack of lamb, all of which are presented with their own set of side dishes. For a descriptive sample of Palmer’s menu, see here.For his excellence in the culinary arts, Palmer has received several awards. In 1997, Aureole joined a short list of American restaurants that were inducted into the Relais and Chateau, a European based association of hotels and restaurants. In 1997, Palmer was awarded the James Beard award for “Best Chef” in New York, while a year later he was awarded the James Beard award for “Who’s who of food and beverage in America”.
Palmer has initiated other projects outside of the kitchen as well. He set up an association of farmers “to supply his restaurants with local produce” (Chef2Chef). He is the authour of Great American Food, a cookbook which was published in 1996 along with another book Charlie Palmer’s Casual Cooking published in 2001.

Nobu Matsuhisa
Picture : www.time.com
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is the owner of the most prolific Japanese styled restaurant in Las Vegas, named the Nobu. Born on 1949 in Saitama, Japan, Nobuyuki creates authentic Japanese cuisine using ingredients from all over the world, most especially imported from South American countries. Since opening his first Matsuhisa in 1987, he has gone on to open more than a dozen restaurants across the world including his Nobu in Las Vegas which opened in 1999.
Nobu started his career as an apprentice in a sushi bar in Tokyo before he opened his first sushi-bar in Peru, South America. It was here that he gained his appreciation and his knowledge of South American ingredients. He has gained recognition from various food critics and commentaries. In 1989 he was considered to be one of America’s top ten chefs by Food and Wine magazine and was awarded a “Who’s who of Food and Beverage in America” by the James Beard foundation in 2002.
He has two signature dishes: a miso infused black cod and a shrimp tempura with cream sauce. Both dishes were created in his first restaurant in New York, and has since gained popularity in his other restaurants as well. Nobuyuki uses similar menu items in all his restaurants, with the main focus on the different types of sushi. Some examples of his specialty courses include: King Crab Claw tempura, and New Style Sashimi. Both of these courses involve elements of sushi but are made as a main entrée item. Since his cooking style brings out the natural flavours of the ingredients, he is very strict in selecting his ingredients

Los Angeles and Southern California

The Top 10 Restaurants in Southern California and Los Angeles

The top ten restaurants in Los Angeles and Southern California were carefully selected using a three tier ranking system comprised of different recognition levels. For each level of recognition, the restaurant received points based on the type of award or recognition given. After each restaurant was examined, we added up the points each restaurant had earned to determine the top ten restaurants. The first tier was where each restaurant could potentially receive the most points, since each level of recognition was national or internationally known. Tier two was where each restaurant could receive the second highest amount of points. This level of recognition included local and regional areas. Tier three offered the least amount of potential points, since the recognition received includes individual food critics and local critics, such as a local newspaper or magazine. Our group did a biography on each head chef in the top three establishments. However, the website for Bastide is temporarily unavailable due to recent renovations, so we decided to use the fourth best restaurant and chef as there is a minimal difference in points received.

1)Mellise
2)Spago
3)Bastide

4)OsteriaMozza

5) Providence

6) Lucques

7) Sona
8) Urasawa
9) Water Grill

10) Saddle Peaks

Top Three Chefs

Melisse Restaurant: Chef Josiah Citrin

The restaurant Mélisse was named after a lemon-scented herb that is found in the Mediterranean. It is a fine-dining upscale restaurant in the casual culture of Southern California. Mélisse opened its doors by Josiah Citrin and his wife Diane in July of 1999 and continues to be a great success today. The restaurant earned a mobile 4-star rating after only eighteen months of operation and has continued these standards each year. The menu offers contemporary American/French cuisine with many French influences in each recipe.
Josiah’s recipes all reflect his experience and skills learned while working in Paris. The interior of Mélisse has a warm European feel and style to it. Guests often say it “feels like a warm French country home.” Mélisse was voted "Best Restaurant in Los Angeles" in Zagat 2006, "Best New Restaurant" in July 2000 by Food & Wine Magazine, "Best Newcomer" in the collector's edition of Gourmet Magazine's, Guide to America's Best Restaurants, and one of "The World's Most Exciting New Restaurants" by Conde Nast Traveler.

As a young boy growing up in Santa Monica, CA, Josiah always had an intense passion for food. He grew up in a household consisting of his Grandmother and Mother who were also food lovers and shared a passion for the art of cuisine.
Josiah graduated from Santa Monica High school and decided to move to Paris to further his love for the culinary arts. Little did he know his Paris experience would change his life forever. While living in Paris Josiah worked in a fine dining restaurant and began to work his way up. Paris is where Citrin fell in love with French cuisine and has influenced many of Josiah’s recipes.
Josiah decided he had spent enough time in Paris and moved back to the United States to apply his new found knowledge and skills. He began to work in some of Los Angela’s finest well known restaurants with the finest chefs. Citrin worked alongside the famous Wolfgang Puck and restaurants including Chinios and Granita. Josiah’s love for food was continuously evolving while learning and working with the best of the best.
Over the next few years Josiah moved on to work in the most famous restaurants in Los Angeles, which included Patina and Pinot Bistro, Capri Restaurant, and Jackson’s. He married a beautiful woman by the name of Diane and had two kids, a boy and a girl.
After working with the best chefs in the best restaurants in LA, Josiah knew he wanted the challenge of owning his own restaurant. On July 23rd, 1999, Josiah and his wife opened a local upscale restaurant, known as Mélisse. The restaurant was perceived as an instant success by the local neighbourhoods along with business and leisure travelers from all over the world.
Some of his favourite ingredients include salt, heirloom tomatoes, morels, fava beans and white asparagus. Josiah likes to use seasonal produce that exudes his passion for French cuisine. By using farmer market fresh foods his passion is to create new flavours while still keeping in touch with old traditions. Today Josiah is considered to be one of the most popular restaurateurs and continues to be featured in different television food shows and recipe books. Josiah also has many prestigious titles under his belt including “top ten new chefs” by Food and Wine Magazine (April 1997) and “Rising Star-1997” by restaurant hospitality.

http://www.melisse.com/

Spago Restaurant: Chef Lee Hefter

Spago is located in Beverly Hills California it is one of many Wolfgang Puck fine dining restaurants. A James Beard Foundation award winning restaurant it is highly popular too many. Spago is a relaxed bar and grill atmosphere that serves quality and flavorful menu items.
Lee Hefter is a managing partner and executive corporate chef to the Wolfgang Puck fine dining group. Hefter began his journey into cuisine at a young age starting his apprenticeship in New Jersey and New York area at local restaurants and was in charge of a New York country club at the age of 21. This was the start of his journey on becoming a great chef. After working in the New York area Hefter decided it was time to try something new he ventured to San Francisco and began working with Chef Barbara Tropp at her China Moon Café. This is the time when he was finally noticed by Wolfgang Puck and began working at the original Spago restaurant in West Hollywood as a sous chef. Throughout his career he is credited at working at some of the world’s top restaurants including such names as, L'Ousteau de Baumaniere, L'Aubergarde , Troisgros and Granita. And then in 1997 he was titled with his role as head chef for Spago in Beverly Hills.
Hefter uses seasonal ingredients and cultural influences to tap into some of the world’s most original and flavorful dishes. Spago classic menu items include such things as handmade Sweet Corn Agnolotti with Mascarpone, Chino Farms Roasted Beet Salad, as well as daily changing selections of fish and produce of the season.

http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/finedining/spago/beverlyhills/index.php

Osteria Mozza: Chef Mario Batali

Osteria Mozza is a small Italian cuisine restaurant located in Los Angeles, California. The restaurant features something called a “Mozzarella Bar” where fresh food items area produced from Mozzarella, Burrata, Bocconcini, Strachiatella and many more. The dining room offers window seating surrounding the entire room with an impressive wine rack on display. The room presents an indoor and outdoor opening onto Melrose Ave and also offers a private dining area that can seat up to forty people at a time. Osteria Mozza has come to be a famous hot spot in Los Angeles and continues to impress everyone and anyone who is lucky enough to get a reservation at Osteria Mozza.

Mario Batali is the head chef/owner of the famous Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Seattle and was raised in a household that loved food and loved to cook. As a child Mario would gather fresh berries and work with his Grandmother in preparing different types of pies and jams. After graduating from Rutgers University, Mario decided to enrol at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school to further his love affair with food and cooking. However, Mario felt that he needed more “hands on” learning, and quickly realized the classroom was no longer for him. Mario quit culinary school and took on an apprenticeship working alongside one of London’s famous chefs, Marco Pierre White. Mario then moved on to work for three intense years in a small town in Northern Italy. After three years of working in Northern Italy, Mario felt he had enough experience and knowledge to return to the United States and further his career and passion in the culinary arts.
Mario continuously worked in many New York hot spot restaurants and in 1998 he opened the famous Babbo Restaurant. Within the same year, the James Beard Foundation awarded Babbo as “The Best New Restaurant” of 1998. The New York Times also awarded the restaurant three stars. Since Babbo was such a well known hit, Mario decided to open up nine other restaurants, included Osteria Mozza, in Los Angeles, New York, and Los Vegas.
Mario enjoys sharing this knowledge and passion for food any way he can. You may have already seen him on many television shows, such as the Food Networks Iron Chef. Mario has also published a total of six cookbooks throughout his career.
Throughout his career he has had many accomplishments and has been recognized for numerous awards. In 1998 he was named “Man of the Year” in the chef category by GQ Magazine; In 1999 Babbo Restaurant was awarded the James Beard Foundation for “Best New Restaurant”. In 2002 Mario was awarded the James Beard Award for the “Best Chef: New York City”. In 2005 his Babbo restaurant was awarded the Restaurant & Institutions “Ivy Award”. Also, in 2006 the Molto Italiano was awarded the James Beard Foundation for “Best International Cookbook http://www.mariobatali.com/restaurants_osteriamozza.cfm

The Top 10 Restaurants in Southern California and Los Angeles

The top ten restaurants in Los Angeles and Southern California were carefully selected using a three tier ranking system comprised of different recognition levels. For each level of recognition, the restaurant received points based on the type of award or recognition given. After each restaurant was examined, we added up the points each restaurant had earned to determine the top ten restaurants. The first tier was where each restaurant could potentially receive the most points, since each level of recognition was national or internationally known. Tier two was where each restaurant could receive the second highest amount of points. This level of recognition included local and regional areas. Tier three offered the least amount of potential points, since the recognition received includes individual food critics and local critics, such as a local newspaper or magazine

1) Mellise
2) Spago
3) Bastide
4) Osteria Mozza
5) Providence
6) Lucques
7) Sona
8) Urasawa
9) Water Grill
10) Saddle Peaks

Top Three Chefs

Top Chefs Tokyo

Tokyo has been described as one of the most interesting tourism destinations of the world. The area has come a far way from its previous times as a small fishing village, now occupying more than 8 million people within its 23 wards (Wikipedia). It is a very diverse destination, acting as an international financial hub. Besides its flourishing economy, Tokyo, as Japan’s capital, may be one of the most food-crazed cities on earth, introducing new trends and flavours at an alarming pace. After a throughout investigation, our group has come up with the top ten restaurants, based upon a ranking system, in Tokyo:

1. L’atelier de Joel Robuchon
2. Restaurant L’Osier
3. Sukiyabashi Jiro
4. Restaurant Qunitessence
5. Genyadana Hamadaya
6. Sushi Mizutani
7. Ginza Koju
8. Kanda
9. Raku-tei
10. Yugi

The system that our group employed to come up with the top ten restaurants was a three tier system. The first tier was where a majority of the restaurants’ points were accumulated. They included national and international awards from recognizable affiliations such as Michelin, Zagat, and the World’s 50 best from the current year and previous years. The second tier included local and regional recognition while the third and final tier was based upon individual favourable reviews. We did have the occurrence of a tie for 6th place, between Sushi Mizutani and Ginza Koju, and seeing as both carried the same amount of rewards, we based our decision on the individual reviews, and Sushi Mizutani’s appeared more favourable.

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon – Chef Joel Robuchon

The name of this restaurant may be world renowned to some; it is a gourmet French restaurant with locations in Tokyo, Paris, New York, London, and numerous other large cities. His restaurants, all bearing a part of his name Joel Robuchon, pride themselves on haute cooking. French dishes are elaborately prepared, with much precision and care, ending with a mouthwatering result.

Born in Poitiers, France, Robuchon began his culinary career at the ripe age of fifteen as an apprentice chef at the Relais of Poitiers Hotel. At the age of 28 he was promoted to head chef at the Harmony-Lafayette Hotel, before opening his own restaurant shortly after.

Chef Joel Robuchon has won a combination of 17 Michelin Guide Stars from his restaurants, more than any other chef in the world. He has been described as one of the most influential chefs of the post nouvelle cuisine era mentoring such well known chefs as Gordon Ramsay and Michael Caines.

The entire dining experience does not only revolve around the food at Chef Robuchon’s restaurants. Many of them have seating that allow guests to see their food being prepared and enjoy the unique atmosphere. This speaks volumes about the cooking style of Robuchon. Chef Robuchon has tried to get away from the fascination with “nouvelle cuisine”, which is essentially a simple, reduced method of cooking and preparing French cuisine. Many chefs have tried to avoid the elaborate and extravagant ingredients and preparation methods required in French cuisine; while Chef Robuchon thrives on it. Chef Robuchon has earned an excellent reputation for his precision and care towards the preparation of his dishes, and is often described as a perfectionist. It is not difficult to get lost in watching Chef Robuchon prepare a dinner – some of his dinner menus (which change every day) are nine courses! As you might have guessed, Chef Robuchon uses some of the finest quality ingredients, and often his dishes contain many ingredients that are very unique to one another. One of his dishes, for example, is caviar with green asparagus, served with melissee leaves as a garnish. This takes over twenty minutes to prepare, all of it individually by hand. Dishes such as this are common for Robuchon, which demonstrates the quality of chef that he truly is. Few can match this chef’s ability to create, prepare and present dishes at such a high-level of quality.

L’ Osier Restaurant - Bruno Menard

Chef Bruno Menard, the executive chef of L’Osier Restaurant in Tokyo was born 1962 in Tours, France. He grew up in a family known for their various culinary interests with two of his brothers amounting to a chocolateir and pastry chef. As well, his sister is also the manager of a small hotel in Paris and his grandfather is a butcher.

Chef Bruno began his career at the age of 15 as an apprentice at Domaine d'Orvault. He subsequently served at Charles Barrier, a restaurant that rose from its "2 Star" rating to "3 Star" standing, and is revered by chefs throughout France. Menard also accumulated experience at Jean Bardet, the most popular restaurant in his home city of Tours, and stints at other establishments as well. The sum of all this experience led him up to his great expertise.

At one time in his career, Bruno also helped run his father's chocolate boutique, a pioneering presence in France. He first came to Japan in 1995, where he compiled an impressive record as chef at Tatou Tokyo in the exclusive Roppongi quarter of Tokyo, as well as at La Baie in the Osaka Ritz Carlton in Osaka. In 2005, while in charge of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, Menard earned the Mobil Five Star, AAA Five Diamond ranking; an honour equivalent to a Three Star rating under the Michelin system. In the same year, with the hearty commendation of Jacques Borie, Bruno was named the new chef at L'osier.

Chef Bruno says:

“It is a tremendous honour for Restaurant L’Osier to have received a three-star rating. My culinary style was inspired by the traditional cooking methods of Auguste Escoffier and could be described as “neo-classic.” Yet at the same time, the ingredients and cuisine feature a modern, novel style that suits the contemporary palate. I am confident that this style perfectly complements L’Osier’s modern and elegant character as a place for fine dining. L’Osier has explored tradition and innovation since its birth in Ginza in 1973, and I will strive to ensure that the restaurant remains an original and crowd-pleasing establishment for years to come.”

Sukiyabashi Jiro - Jiro Ono

Sukiyabashi Jiro is one of only a few Tokyo restaurants ever to get a Michelin three-star award. The master behind the restaurant is sushi-master Jiro Ono, whom which the restaurant is obviously named after. Sushi-master Jiro Ono is the oldest chef ever to have their restaurant awarded three-stars by Michelin. At 82 years old, he might also be the oldest sushi chef ever named a Sushi-Master.

Chef Jiro Ono began cooking at the age of nine, where he began to hone his skills and eventually developed his cooking hobby into his craft. After years of learning, he decided to become a proprietor of his own restaurant in 1965. Chef Jiro is one of those men that you feel like you have known for a long time, even if this is the first time you have even heard of him. He is a kind man, and a simple man, and this can be portrayed by the exterior design of his restaurant. Sukiyabashi Jiro is literally located in the basement of an old building in Tokyo. One of the first things you will see at Sukiyabashi Jiro is the men’s bathroom. The restaurant does not have a menu and they still do not accept any credit cards.

Instead of worrying about menus and electronic payment methods, Chef Jiro instead focuses on providing the highest-quality sushi to his customers, which he has been able to do for over 50 years as a result of his true passion for his work. Chef Jiro takes pride in being a Sushi-Master, and despite the fact that he is 82 years old and already world-famous, continually yearns for greater knowledge and ways to further his cooking skills.

Chef Jiro follows the traditional methods of many Japanese sushi chefs in that he will often calculate each customer’s bill from memory, by adding up the prices of the ingredients he used in his head. Chef Jiro has admitted that he will often forget to add more expensive items into the price. He estimated that forgetting to factor in more expensive items probably costs him $8,000 per year!

Chef Jiro feels so much stress in trying to exceed customer expectations that he does not necessarily worry about which ingredients he uses. He says that since there are over 30 different ingredients that can be used in sushi, why worry if one is unavailable? He is not afraid to instinctively change an ingredient in one of his sushi dishes, so long as he feels that the former ingredient is of inferior quality. Chef Jiro recently noticed that a type of tuna he often used in one dish started to get smaller in size. He thinks that because of global warming the fish cannot grow as large. Ono will not stress himself to find the most superior Tuna. He believes there isn’t any “good” tuna anymore, anyways.

Sydney, Australia

Top Ten Restaurant's

1. Tetsuya
2. Rockpool
3. Marque
4. Icebergs Dining Room and Bar
5. Aria
6. Est.
7. Pier
8. Bilsons
9. Bistro Moncur
10.Wildfire

We used the three tier awards and recognition system to rank the top 10 restaurants in Australia. The three restaurants that had the most points we used as out top three choices. This happened to be Tetsuya with 200 points, Rockpool with 180 points and Marque with 150 points. These three restaurants managed to become top three because of there international recognition with the worlds 50 best and the Wine Spectators award of excellence.

Top Three Chef's

Tetsuya's

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda






Tetsuya's cuisine is unique, based on the Japanese philosophy of natural seasonal flavors, enhanced by classic French technique and the freshest possible ingredients. Diners are offered a frequently changing array of ten courses . Courses are planned to build upon one another, careful consideration is given to each offering to ensure that it perfectly compliments the last.

Tetsuya’s Wakuda grew up in a Japanese town named Hamamatsu and when he turned 22 he decided to travel to Australia. Tetsuya got his first job as a kitchen hand at Fishwives in Surry Hills. Only a year later he met Sydney chef Tony Bilson who hired him on as a cook to make Japanese sushi. There he learned the classical French technique which forms part of its style today.

Tetsuya left Tony Bilsons restaurant to partner ship in a new restaurant called Ulimo’s with the head server. This is when he realized that work and commitment that was needed to run a restaurant. In 1989 he opened his own restaurant known as Tetsuya’s in the Sydney suburb of Rozelle. In November of 2000 he relocated him restaurant from Rozelle to Kent Street.

His restaurant is known for his great cooking skills and his philosophy on pure, clean flavours that are decisive, yet completely refined. Some of the dishes on his menu include, Smoked Ocean Trout & Avruga Caviar, Sashimi of Big Eye Tuna with Wasabi & Ginger Vinaigrette, Ravioli of Queensland Spanner Crab with Tomato & Basil Vinaigrette, and Grilled Wagyu Beef with Lime & Wasabi.



Rockpool

Chef Neil Perry

“The cornerstone of good cooking is to source the finest produce"- Chef Neil Perry





One of Australia’s leading and most influential chefs, Neil Perry has managed several quality restaurants in Sydney and today concentrates on his flagship brands, Rockpool Restaurant. This is what Perry became famous for and Rockpool Consulting – which comprises a team of six who consult to Qantas on menu development, staff training, image and presentation. He is also the author of three award-winning recipe books, four classical/recipe CD’s and creator of a range of Neil Perry Fresh products.

Perry began his career in the hospitality industry managing Sails Restaurants at McMahons Point and then at Rose Bay. Neil learnt most of his floor management skills here. By the age of 24, Perry found himself gravitating towards the kitchen and realised his passion for cooking by working with and learning from chefs such as Damien Pignolet, Gay Bilson, Stephanie Alexander, Steve Manfredi and David Thompson.

Neil Perry became head chef at Barrenjoey Restaurant, Palm Beach and was given creative control over Perry’s in Paddington. In October 1986, he opened the Blue Water Grill at Bondi Beach which was an overnight success.

Perry is known for using the best Australian produce with Asian influences and Mediterranean flavours. Some of his dishes include; Bluefin tuna sashimi with fresh wasabi, sushi rice, ginger and soy dressing; Slow cooked abalone, smoked oyster, mussel, clam and fine noodle salad with mushroom soy and truffle oil dressing; Velveted blue eye trevalla fillet with roast fennel agnolotti and fennel flavours; Bass groper poached in garam masala and coconut milk with semolina noodles; Confit of suckling pig with yam and ginger puree, mustard fruits and “banda rossa” aged balsamic vinegar.


Marque Restaurant

Chef Mark Best








Mark Best, the head chef of Marque Restaurant is a world renowned chef. He has won awards such as the Josephine Pignolet Award for “Best Up and Coming Chef”. In the same year he placed second in a large group of culinary students for the’ Oliver C. Schoal’ Scholarship. Both of these had occurred before Best had opened Marque. Just a short five months after the grand opening, Marque received Two Chefs Hats in the 2000 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and best new restaurant in Miettas National Guide. Just one year later he received two more hats to make it 17/20. In 2003, Best was said to have the best French cuisine in Sydney, Australia.

Mark has a French style cuisine which originated when he was an apprentice in France. He learned from some of the best and therefore learned some traditional recipes along with some very unique ones. He worked under Chef Alain Passard at the three Michelin star rated L’Arpege in Paris, France. While working here he started to make even more of a well known name for himself by getting some exposure in a world renowned fine dining establishment.

A lot of Best’s cooking is done with fresh seafood. What better place to use fresh seafood then when it’s from right around the corner from one of the largest bodies of water in the world. With endless varieties of seafood including; crab, ocean trout, yellow finned tuna, calamari and prawns just to name a few. With every great chef comes dishes of all sorts and Mark Best is no exception. Some of the entrees on his menu at Marque consist of; roast Muscovy duck, suckling pig, and young rabbit. His menu items seem very unique and very extravagant compared to some of the other restaurants in Australia or even around the world.

The Restaurants

Top 10 Restaurants in London as according to GSM (Gareth Steve and Megan)

1. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
2. Le Gavroche
3. Nobu London
4. Hakkasan
5. St John
6. The Greenhouse
7. The Square
8. Petrus
9. Hibiscus
10. Chez Bruce

The basis of our decisions for ranking the top ten restaurants in London, England was based on restaurants obtaining points through a three tier scoring system. The restaurants were then ranked accordingly. The first tier is where the most points could be accumulated and was based on national and international recognition. The three highest areas where points were awarded were a restaurant having 3 Michelin stars (100points), being awarded a position in the Worlds 50 Best restaurants (100points) or 2 Michelin stars (50points). Wine Spectator Awards, positioning in the Zagat’s best of publication or 1 Michelin star all gave 25 points.

Tier two was local and regional recognition and all worth 20 points. The third tier was worth 10 points and was based on positive reviews by food critics.

In the event of a tie score the restaurant with the most awards in the top tier won.

For your interest we’ve included a quick bio on the top three restaurants chef’s.



The Chefs
Our top three chefs were Gordon Ramsay of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa of Nobu and Michel Roux Jr of Le Gavroche.
Gordon Ramsay
“PHOQUE!” is a commonly used word in the arctic. Its origin is French and its meaning is seal. More recently the word has become as synonymous a phrase as “BAM!”, “Now that’s right Pukka!”, “EVOO” and “It’s all about the flavor”. The man who has claimed this idiom as a culinary expression is none other than Gordon Ramsay.

Gordon Ramsay was born in Scotland in 1966 but raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. At a young age he showed a true talent for soccer and was eventually recruited to the Glasgow Rangers. Unfortunately, due to a leg injury his career was cut short. After the injury Ramsay attended school, studying hotel management.

Ramsay began his culinary career after school studying under Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s and Albert Roux in London Le Gavroche. After getting his fill of London, Ramsay moved on to hone his skills in French cuisine studying under Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon in France. Both chefs held Michelin stars. It would seem that it is here that Ramsay began to further define his culinary style.

Ramsay’s first and namesake restaurant is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London (http://www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/). The restaurant as described by their website is “elegant, intimate with unparalleled service”. Restaurant Gordon Ramsey not only boasts three Michelin stars but also a 3 course prix fix lunch menu and two prix fix menus for dinner, a three course and seven course.

Ramsays style is heavily influenced and easily described as classical French cuisine with hints of Italian. The second appetizer on his dinner menu proves this. It is a

Slow braised pied de cochon pressed then pan fried with ham knuckle, poached quail's egg with hollondaise sauce.

Through his popular shows, one comes to the conclusion that he is a heavy advocate of using local fresh ingredients. His menu combines this with some of the finest ingredients found in Western Europe.


Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
Nobu is a restaurant owned by Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa. Nobu started cooking in Tokyo and began opening restaurants all over the world. Currently, Nobu is operating in 20 different locations, with 12 of the 20 located in the United States. Nobu Tokyo was the first restaurant established of the chain, and after 8 years as Executive Chef, Nobu Matsuhisa decided to travel the World for more inspiration. At the present time, all Nobu restaurants are influenced with a South American and Western Japanese Menu, also known as “new style” Japanese. Nobu London is a 150 seat restaurant with an extraordinary view of Hyde Park, while the décor is very natural with light wood and stones to enhance the Japanese experience. Nobu London has been open since 1997, and the Executive Chef, Mark Edwards, has also been there since 1997.

Just like Nobu Matsuhisa, Mark Edwards believed that it would be in his best interest to gain more knowledge in his field of study by traveling the World. He started his escapade in Europe where he worked for 5 years, and then moved to the United States – more specifically, New York City. Mark spent 5 years in New York and became enthralled with Asian techniques in cooking. He then moved his studies over to Asia for around 2 years, and then traveled back to London England. In 1997 he met with Nobu Matsuhisa, and became the executive chef of Nobu England. Only a year later, Nobu England received a Michelin Star, which is one of the highest honors in food awards to date, and continues to hold said honor. Other positive reviews that Mark Edwards has received at Nobu England are as follows; World’s 50 best, Zagot’s top 10, trip advisor’s top 10, and a number of great independent food critic reviews.

Mark Edwards also lends his expertise to others in the form of motivational speaking. He is requested around the World to speak about his life, experiences, and host cooking demonstrations. Not only is Mark Edwards a brilliant chef, but he is extremely comfortable with his abilities and reputation, that he is able to share his knowledge and teach others some of his cooking techniques. Mark Edwards also collaborated with Nobu Matsuhisa in the writing of Nobu West, a cook book that brings simplicity and taste to the table. The book was published in 2007, and features over 120 traditional Japanese-style recipes with European and American influences.

Michel Roux Jr.

A mere seven years old when his famed father, Albert Roux, opened Le Gavroche in 1960, Michel Roux Jr. seemed destined to one day take the reins of him family’s iconic restaurant. Born Michel Albert Roux on May 23, 1960 in England, he began his culinary journey in 1979, apprenticing under Hellegouarche , a Master Patissier in Paris. After brief stints in both the military and accounting, he returned to England to study under Pierre Koffmann at the Prestigious ‘La Tante Claire’ in 1983. He joined his father at Le Gavroche in 1985.

Le Gavroche has been a mountain on the London dining landscape for decades, earning Michelin stars, spots on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants lists, and countless forms of local praise. Upon opening, it exposed the UK to French foods that, previously, had only been available in France itself. After the restaurtant won a three Michelin Star rating in 1991 (the first in all of Britain), Michel Roux Jr. took over from his father as Chef de Cuisine at Le Gavroche two years later.

The very definition of attaining three Michelin stars and being a slave to consistency, is against the cooking philosophies that are at his core. Roux believes in creation, and more importantly, the evolution of those creations. While he respects and honours the foundations of classical French cuisine, Roux is always looking around the corner for the next thing to offer his guests. A glance at his menu will reveal ingredients like pig’s trotters, beef marrow, veal sweetbreads and saddle of rabbit. He takes great pride in taking ordinary or generally discarded ingredients and creating something truly magical from them. He also sees this as a challenge that can test his skills as a chef, and enjoys making ‘every penny count’ whether the ingredient is expensive or not. This sense of presenting value to his customers is evident in his early career when, before it was fashionable to do so, Roux Jr. was offering his guests eco-friendly sustainable fish, such as Pollock.

Traditionalist and innovator, Michel Roux Jr. sets the standard that all chefs should aspire to.

Vancouvers Top 10 Restaurants and Top 3 Chefs

Vancouver’s Top 10 Restaurants
Lumiere
Blue Water
West
Fuel
Simply Thai
Raincity
Boneta
Aurora Bistro
La Terrazza
Chambar

Lumiere= Chef Dale MacKay
Chef Dale MacKay has just recently joined Lumiere restaurant. Previously to working at Lumiere Dale acquired a position with Chef Gordon Ramsey at the London Restaurant, which is located in the NYC hotel. Dale was considered to be a very influential and essential part of the team. Their team was awarded 2 Michelin Stars and Best New Restaurant in the Zagat Guide. Dale built his resume by perfecting his skills with restaurants in London, Tokyo, Rome and New York. He has nothing but the highest expectations for Lumiere, as he wants to bring its food reputation to the next level and make this restaurant his own. In April 2008, Lumiere was recognized for Best Service In Dine Out Magazine. At Lumiere, the menu offers 4 categories: Vegetarian, Chefs, Cheese and Signature. Each section offers around 5 choices, from appetizers to desserts. Every menu has a set price and you have the ability to choose any of the selections. They feature wine selections from both local and international vineyards. There is an extensive wine list which offers a variety of wines ranging from red wines to dessert wines. All menus, including the wine list are available online giving the consumer the ability to browse prior to visiting the restaurant.

Blue Water= Frank Pabst
Chef Frank Pabst is considered to be one of Vancouver’s leading chefs. Known for is creativity and dedication towards seafood, he has established himself as the Executive Chef at Blue Water Cafe. Frank was the Chef de Cuisine when he first came to Vancouver at Lumiere back in 1993 . This is where he helped build that restaurants reputation to where it is today. Frank is always showcasing his talent as a Chef with fresh seafood and impeccable service. They have nothing but the best quality food and they strive to achieve customer satisfaction by obtaining their seafood from fisherman who catch in their regional waters. Frank has said that showing respect for the fruits of labour equals appreciation for those who have helped provide them. At Blue Water Café, they offer 5 different options on their menu. First plates, Principle Plates, Raw Bar, Oysters, Seafood on Ice and finally, dessert. Each menu has their own selections but Blue Water prides themselves in the freshest Seafood on the west coast. Prices vary from dish to dish.

West= Warren Geraghty
Chef Warren Geraghty Came to the West in 2008. He was previously residing in London, England, where he had established a well recognized resume. His most recent accomplishment was the appointment of Executive Chef at Marco Pierre White’s L`Escargot restaurant in Soho. What drives Warren in coming to Western Canada is its diversity. Warren has a vision and that vision is always expanding. Its like any job really, everyday you accomplish or discover something new and that’s how Warren approaches the kitchen, room to improve, room to expand. Now, the West restaurant itself has gained much praise from the local community, often being referred to as the ‘jewel’ of Vancouver’s culinary crown. They have won four consecutive years for Restaurant of the year by Vancouver Magazine Restaurant awards. It was also given the title of being in the worlds Top 10 by UK`s Sunday independent. Warren is in the process of getting to know his staff as he wants to transform West and make it his own by adding his own trends to the already prestige menu. A unique feature about West is that they offer a tasting menu for the different dishes that they offer. Prices are high but not for the quality you are receiving. The menu that is offered has dishes from Duck to Seafood. They also offer a Prix Fixe menu where the menu has a set price and the dishes are pre determined by the chef.




While completing this research, we have put forth a major emphasis on restaurants strictly in the Vancouver area. Due to the large array of restaurants and talented Chefs in the surrounding regions, we feel giving a few honourable mentions is important. First, when discussing British Columbia as a whole, it is important to note that with the eyes of the world on British Columbia with the up and coming 2010 Olympics , world renowned chefs are being able to make there mark in the culinary field before the opening ceremonies. With this event approaching quickly, there is a lot of excitement and a lot of great talent to be seen. First, located in Whistler B.C is the Rimrock Café. Chef/Owner Rolf Gunther has established is his resume with extensive formal training around the world. Chef Rolf has worked in many locations ranging from Hotel Euler in Basel Switzerland to The Banff Springs Hotel in Banff Alberta. This Restaurant is known for is emphasis on the finest fish and game.
Second, Quails Gate Estate Winery is located in Kelowna, British Columbia . Chef Roger Sleiman dishes reflect the light, fresh and fruitful style of there wines. At Quail, they put a main focus on serving the best ands freshest of the valleys local attisans and the west coast markets
Third, Aerie Resort Restaurant is located in Malahat, British Columbia. Chef Castro Boateng blends the seasonal, regional and organic flare in to his cooking style. He has a vast amount of experience and built his resume by working at resorts from Scotland to Bermuda. He has also gained exceptional experience by working at the Rimrock which was mentioned before. He has now established himself as the Executive chef by approaching slow food philosophies and respecting the heritage of food.

Toronto and Niagara's Top 3 Chefs!

Top 10 Toronto and Niagara Restaurants

1. Canoe

2. Splendido

3. Scaramouche

4. Escabeche

5. Bymark

6. Jamie Kennedy Restaurant

7. Casa Mia

8. 17 Noir

9. Peller Estates Winery

10. LIV at White Oaks

Top 3 Chefs and Restaurants

Number One Restaurant

Canoe

Executive Chef – Anthony Walsh

Canoe has been said to be among Canada’s best restaurants by critics for its unique location, style and cuisine. Canoe is located in the heart of Toronto’s downtown atop the TD Bank Tower and provides a beautiful view of the city for its customers. Executive Chef Anthony Walsh uses Canadian inspired ingredients on his menu to show off the raw and rich Canadian environment which is his favourite trend in the industry. Chef Anthony Walsh is inspired by the many aspects of Canadian cuisine to inspire his menu items at Canoe. Chef Anthony Walsh has already won many awards and has been deemed one of Canada’s new gifted young chefs. He was the first Chef to represent Canada at the World Gourmet Summit in Singapore.

Anthony Walsh likes to keep as many of his ingredients as Canadian as possible which include East Coast Halibut, Prairie Grain Crusted Lamb, Grandview Farms Venison Chop and local wines.

Canoe has been ranked as the number one restaurant in Toronto and Niagara because it has won many awards including CAA-AAA 4 Stars, Mobil Award and Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Chef Anthony Walsh has also represented Canoe as a restaurant that truly represents the elements of Canada within its menu items.

Number Two Restaurant

Splendido

Executive Chef – David Lee

Splendido is ranked as one of Canada’s top fine dining restaurants and is known for its devotion to fresh and creative food. Executive Chef David Lee is dedicated to a constantly evolving menu and a professional approach to service. David Lee was originally born in England and is the third generation of Chefs within his family. David Lee began in the food industry at a young age when he took on an apprenticeship in England. At the age of 17 David Lee

moved to London and worked under Chef Peter Kromberg at the Hotel Intercontinental in Hyde Park. While living in London David Lee experienced cooking Michelin starred food. He then moved to Switzerland where he developed his favourite technique of exposing the honesty of ingredients in food. David Lee moved to Canada at the age of 24 and took on a position of chef de cuisine. At the age of 29 he partnered with Yannick Bigourdan and opened Splendido. David Lee has developed relationships with local farmers since Splendido’s opening in 2001 and provides a truly Canadian inspired menu. His favourite trend is allowing intense flavour while preventing nutrition loss.

Most of Splendido’s main ingredients on its menu are from Canadian farmers including Nova Scotia lobster, B.C. Dungeness crab, chanterelles from Cape Breton and Nunavut caribou.

Splendido has been ranked as the number two restaurant in Toronto and Niagara because of its unique menu and professional service and at

mosphere. Chef David Lee provides a wide variety of menu items and supports local producers. Splendido provides Canadian with a restaurant that shows off the great ingredients Canada has to offer. Splendido has also won many awards in a short seven years since they opened in 2001 including CAA-AAA 4 Stars and Mobil Award.

Number Three Restaurant

Scaramouche

Executive Chef – Keith Frogget

Scaramouche has been one of Canada’s top restaurants for over twenty years because of its simple and classic techniques. Scaramouche’s cuisine is based upon classic Continental and French techniques. Executive Chef Keith Frogget utilizes seasonally available ingredients on the menu while keeping the dishes simple and pure. Keith Frogget believes that less is always more and it is always best to keep food pure and not overpowering.

Scaramouche offers a dining room menu as well as a pasta and salad bar. Some menu items which display Keith Frogget’s belief of less is more include Ocean Trout, Smoked White Fish, Organic Greens, Steak Frites and Peppercorn Fettucine.

Scaramouche has been ranked the number three restaurant in Toronto and Niagara due to its twenty year success in the industry and its simple meals. Scaramouche provides Toronto with a beautiful atmosphere and pure cuisine. Scaramouche has not failed to impress since 1981 during its first review.

Montreal's Top Ten Restaurants

1. Toqué!
2. Chez L’Épicier
3. Nuances
4. Au Pied de Cochon
5. Laloux
6. La Chronique
7. Le Beaver Club
8. Ferreira Café
9. Milos
10.Le Club Chasse et Peche



Top Three Chefs

Chef Normand Laprise

Chef Normand Laprise owns and presides over the kitchen at Montreal's top restaurant, Toqué! The purpose of Toqué! Restaurant is to showcase Quebec's products and the individuals who supply them. A recent Zagat survey names Chef Normand "The inventor of Quebec fusion cuisine". The restaurant is known for its high quality cuisine, service, decor and facilities. Chef Laprise was born and trained in Quebec. He began his career in well-known popular restaurants such as Marie-Clarisse and Café de la Paix. In 1999 he quickly became well known for his work at Montreal's Le Citrus. When not in the kitchen at Toqué! can be found globe-trotting as a guest celebrity chef at some of the most prestigious restaurants around the world. In 1992 with business partner, Christine Lamarche, Chef Norman opened Toqué!. In order to showcase the quality of Quebec produce Chef Normand has established several working relationships with local farmers, fisherman and growers. The cuisine at Toqué! is characterized as a seven course meal which features small portions each more surprising than the last. Chef Normand pays special attention to keeping the cuisine very traditional and elaborate. The chef encourages guests to feel the Quebec culture through his cuisine each and every visit. On the menu, each dish that is supplied from local growers and farmers is named in recognition of the producer. Some of the famous meals found at Toqué! are Ravioli de pigeon confit, armill aires couleur de mil et jus de viande, Cuisseau de porcelet roti, sauce aux pommes, panais croustillant, pieds de muton et ail confit and for dessert Poire pochée, mousse et sorbet à la poire, huile de pistache et craquant aux épices.

Chef Laurent Godbout


Chef Laurent Godbout is the owner, operator and head chef at Chez L’Épicier. Chef Laurent is 32 years old and has worked at over 15 different restaurants including; Aubauge Hetley and Aubage des Trois Tilleus of the Relais and Chateâux Network. He was recently featured in the French magazine le Figaro and is up for an award in wine spectator for his wine list. Chef Laurent's main goal with Chez L’Épicier is "to help rediscover good taste." He is recognized today as one of the driving forces behind the concept of entertainment food in Quebec. He prides himself on using contemporary expressive and inventive cuisine styles creating some of the most visually appealing meals. Chez L’Épicier offers Quebec specialty products, imported items as well as chefs' own creations under the label Les Saveurs de L’Épicier. Some of these items include Parmesan Oil, Maple Vinegar and Blueberry Maple Syrup. The restaurant itself is casual with an elegant ambience. There is a private room that can accommodate between ten and one hundred diners, which is ideal for business meetings. Chez L’Épicier also has an onsite wine cellar which stores up to two thousand bottles of wine with a vast selection including "bottles for every budget". The wine selection is constantly updated to suit the meals and changing seasonal specialties. Examples of original creations offered at Chez L’Épicier are Shepherd’s Pie with Escargot with Celery Root and Roasted Garlic, an Orzo Graten with Beets and a Club Sandwich was Chocolate and Pineapple Fries.








Chef Jean-Pierre Curtat

Nuances’ is one of the most unique dining experiences that one can experience. The ambience is created by decorative lighting. The focus of Nuances is to enhance and heighten each sense in a different way to create a total experience that is unforgettable to the guest. Nuances has received many highly acclaimed titles including a five star diamond rating from CAA and AAA since 2000 and was awarded the 2007 Restaurant of the Year by Guide Debeur. Nuances is located in the Casino Montreal on the fifth floor and specializes in French cuisine and has a very elaborate wine list including a selection from 1,400 different countries around the world with both Old World and New World flavors. Nuances’ creates fresh new ideas and techniques to create a dynamic environment where each experience is identical in quality and service but uniquely different in mood and ambience. Jean-Pierre began his culinary career in high-class hotels and restaurants under top chefs. Curtat continued his progress through highly rated restaurants in Paris before returning to Quebec to assume the position of Executive Chef at Nuances since it first opened in the casino in 1993. After studying in Quebec and France, Jean-Pierre has a very distinguished French style of cooking. The menu at Nuances is quite sophisticated and elaborate, entrées range from $40.00 to $45.00 including Longe de cerf rôtie, coing caramélisé et purée de pommes de terre, jus de gibier aux baies de sureau and for dessert Assortiment de glaces et sorbets.


Justification

Montreal restaurants are best known for showcasing the true beauty of Quebec cuisine. The way we discovered which restaurants in Montreal were considered to be on top of their game was from sources such as; 10 Best, Zagat, CAA/AAA, Trip Advisor, Montreal Gazette, Wine & Food Magazine and many more.


The information gathered from the above mentioned sources were then put on a scale using a 3 tier system. Tier 1 was restaurants having National and International Recognition, tier 2 having Local and Regional Recognition and the final Tier 3 having Individual favourable reviews by individual food critics. Based on these tiers we were able to assign points to each restaurant which in the end gave us the top 10 of Montreal.From all the research we gathered we truly do believe that based on the reviews, awards and acclamations written about the restaurants that Toqué!, Chez L’Épicier and Nuances and chefs Normand Laprise, Laurent Godbout and Jean-Pierre Curtat are truly the top chefs behind these great restaurants.