After hovering within the top 10 list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants over the last few years, New York's Eleven Madison Park finally slid into the top spot Wednesday to claim the lofty title of best dining destination on the planet.
Winners of the ranking were announced at a gala event out of Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, attended by some of the most powerful and influential chefs and restaurateurs around the world.
Overall, France, Spain and the US dominated the leader board, each with six addresses on the list.
France's performance is particularly notable, as the country doubled the number of restaurants this year compared to 2016, bringing to mind the fuss kicked up in 2015 when local gastronomes loudly decried the list as "silly" nonsensical and opaque "schmozzle" that promotes chemistry-set cooking.
The outrage stemmed from the fact that the ranking was conspicuously weak in French representation, and led to the launch of the France's answer to The World's 50 Best, La Liste.
Meanwhile, when last year's winner, Italian chef Massimo Bottura, was announced as the recipient of the second spot for his restaurant Osteria Francescana, a murmur of understanding swept through the room.
Eleven Madison Park, helmed by chef Daniel Humm and partner Will Guidara, first debuted on the list at No. 50 in 2010, and rose through the ranks to hover within the top 10 list over the last four years.
The triple Michelin-starred restaurant serves modern European fare in a multi-course tasting menu. Standout dishes include roasted duck glazed with honey and lavender and celery root cooked in pig's bladder.
Interestingly, the win comes ahead of a major renovation plan scheduled for the summer, when the restaurant will close for three months.
In an eloquent acceptance speech, Guidara spoke of the chef and restaurateur's role as a means of escapism, in an increasingly strange world.
"We get to create these magical worlds where people can escape in a world that increasingly needs a little more magic," he told the star-studded culinary audience.
"And that's something we choose to do because it's something we believe in. I don't think any of us here do what we do for the accolades, but affirmation is a beautiful thing. It fills your gas tank and it fuels you and gives you the ability to keep pushing. And this, because it comes from every one of you here, this is the greatest affirmation of all."
Other big winners from the 15th edition of the awards include Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel, who took the title of world's best pastry chef and Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez, who took the Chefs' Choice Award.
Here are the top 10 restaurants 2017 on the World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards:
1. Eleven Madison Park, New York
2. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
3. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
4. Mirazur, Menton, France
5. Central, Lima, Peru
6. Asador Extebarri, Axpe, Spain
7. Gaggan, Bangkok
8. Maido, Lima, Peru
9. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
10. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
Chefs' Choice Award: Virgilio Martinez, Central, Lima, Peru
Highest New Entry: Alleno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris at No. 31
Sustainable Restaurant Award: Septime, Paris
Miele One to Watch Award: Disfrutar, Barcelona (previously announced)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Chef Heston Blumenthal (previously announced)
World's Best Pastry Chef: Dominique Ansel
World's Best Female Chef: Ana Ros, Hisa Franko, Slovenia (previously announced)
Art of Hospitality Award: El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
Highest Climber: Blue Hill at Stone Barns, New York, up 37 spots to No. 11
Best Restaurant in Asia: Gaggan, Bangkok
Best Restaurant in South America: Central,, Lima, Peru
Best Restaurant in Europe: Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Best Restaurant in North America: Eleven Madison Park, New York
Organized by the UK-based Restaurant magazine, more than 1,000 food writers, critics, chefs, restaurateurs and "gastronomes" cast their votes for their favorite dining destinations this year. For the full list visit http://www.theworlds50best.com.
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