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.