Roca at the top, Bottura second

What a series of surprises, yesterday in London, for the 14th edition of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, which in fact are not fifty as the list goes down to number 100, though hardly anyone pays attention to the second part. After all, who every bought a 45 rpm record for its B-side, except for The Beatlesand Michelle?

First, like two years ago, El Celler de Can Roca of the Roca brothers in Gerona, Spain, Joan, Josep and Jordi, the chef, sommelier and pastry chef who thus enjoy this sweet result once again, after the bitter outcome of last spring, when they were second. The second place goes to Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena, in third position for two editions in a row, where this year is René Redzepi with his Noma in Copenhagen. Given the other tumbles, losing two places and keeping to the podium is all the better.

Had there been any betting in the pressroom, I guess few would have guessed the outcome, I certainly wouldn’t have. Only those who make the forecasts will mistake them, used to say Gianni Brera, the best sport reporter in Italy. Those who don’t risk a thing, don’t make a mistake yet end up like the indolents. Many, including me, were forecasting a boom for Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan, fourth in 2014, and following them, a place on the podium also for Grant Achatz and his Alinea in Chicago.

The truth was quite different. When they announced restaurant number 26 the surprise was huge because no one would have imagine it: Alinea, a very painful tumble, -17 from the 9th place. Five more announcements and here we are again: Brett Graham’s Ledbury in London was at number 20 after number 10. Two more and at number 17 the speaker pronounces only one word: Arzak. Astonishment. The Basques from San Sebastian, father Juan Mari and daughter Elena, have a steep slip from the 8th place.

When the top10 is approaching, a break arrives to give the lifetime achievement award to Daniel Bouloud, a Frenchman who has been in New York for ages. Sixty last March, he touched wood (“I still have much to say in the kitchen”) and warned the organisers (“Celebrating only 50 chefs is limiting, you should broaden the audience to 500, then 100 would be French”). And when he realised he’d been speaking for a while he joked: “You gave me the microphone, I can only use it now”.

The list then continues: 10. Gaggan in Bangkok, previously at 17; 9. DOM in San Paolo, Alex Atala, offended for the seventh place in 2014 was not here; 8. Narisawa in Tokyo, used to be at 14. At number 7 the intruder, Dinner in London, used to be at 5. Andoni and Mugaritz in the Basque Countries were sixth and they stay there. The tension increases, Federico De Cesare Viola and I expect Virgilio Martinez’s Central in Lima. No longer than a dozen months ago, it stopped not far from number 10, at 15, and climbing up ten places is a reason to celebrate. Instead, the gigantic screen shows that the best restaurant in North America is about to be awarded, and everyone understands: Eleven Madison Park is fifth. Humm’s walk is not that fast. Having been fourth last year, he hardly imagined this step backwards.

My forecast, Humm – Roca – Bottura, collapses. Virgilio Martinez, fourth (- 11 places!), is awarded as the number one in South America. Then silence falls. The third place goes to... Noma. Redzepi is happy, he knows his success last year made many people turn up their noses. The presenter says only a few, clear words: “All the world would like to be here to play for the top, but it’s a matter between Italy and Spain”. Everyone is quiet at such times. The Catalans score: Celler is first and Francescana second. The Roca brothers get back what they lost in 2014, and Massimo is satisfied with getting even closer to the very top: “I dedicate this second place to my team, an exceptional team. When I saw Alinea and the others move down I asked myself: is an earthquake about to arrive?”. Indeed it was, but it had nothing to do with him.

Raffaele Alajmo, Calandre from 46th to 34th and Enrico Crippa, Piazza Duomo from 39th to 27th were also happy. Italy has three chefs in the top50, just like Mexico City. It makes you wonder. And the ceremony will cross the Atlantic Ocean in 2016. London retired yesterday, there’s New York in the future: “How beautiful it would be to win in Manhattan”. Bottura is already set to start.