Romito’s debut and the suspense for Scabin

With the ceremony for the 50 Best coming up (on Monday night in New York, Paolo Marchi will be there, with fingers crossed for Massimo Bottura possible number one) today the list for the places between the 51st and the 100th was revealed. Niko Romito enters, Davide Scabin leaves, being 65th, after 51st in 2014 (but this could also be a good news, the reason below). Five main considerations.

1 - Niko Romito finally enters the list, and in fact it was strange he wasn’t already included. He’s 84th, but has all it takes (including the international appreciation, see – for instance – our interview with Mauro Colagreco, the best in France according to last year’s 50 Best, at number 11). Omens therefore are that this is the beginning of a nice climb. This was his comment to Identità Golose: «The satisfaction is double. First of all, for our work: mine, that of my sister Cristiana and of all the team. Then for Abruzzo, which together with us is for the first time part of this important international list».

2 – Some are saying “Romito is the only Italian in the 51-100 list”. Not true: Umberto Bombana is 86th, many forget about him because his 8 ½ is in Hong Kong. Yet the passport is the right one. His position is sweet and sour, since he was 62nd in 2015.

3 – Speaking of descents: bad result for Inaki Aizpitarte’s Le Chateaubriand, 74th. Only last year he was 21st and he’s always been among the 50 Best in the past. In 2011 and 2010, respectively ninth and eleventh, it had become a sort of “case”: it was the first French restaurant in the list, a bit of a humiliation for French cuisine, overcome by this informal signature bistro. The 50 Best had therefore indicated a sort of model for renovation, which clearly is no longer appealing (and the change of management also had its influence).

4 – Up or down? Last year, together with Bombana there was another Italian between the 51st and 100th place: Davide Scabin. This year he’s not in this list. Is it another clamorous failure, after Michelin’s choice of taking away a star? It could be, but it could also be the opposite: the chef from Rivoli is of course crossing his fingers as he could also be among the first 50 places. Has the jury of the 50 Best decided to reward him, given what happened? Maybe there’s justice, even in this world.

5 - Neither Enrico Crippa nor Massimiliano Alajmo, 27th and 34th last year, are in this list. We cross our fingers, but nothing can make us expect such a drop they left the list entirely.

Hypothesis: with Bottura possible first place, Crippa and Alajmo confirmed among the 50 Best, Scabin perhaps growing among them, Bombana holding on and Romito as a new entry, Italian fine dining could well be satisfied.