Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will return with a regular in-person awards ceremony on the 28th March 2023 – the first full-scale gathering of Asia’s gastronomic community since 2019. Last year saw the reveal of the list celebrated with a series of live events across multiple cities in Asia, including Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo.The awards and event programme will return to Singapore in 2023, in collaboration with host destination partner Singapore Tourism Board, to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, which debuted in the Lion City in 2013. Chefs, restaurateurs, media and gastronomes will gather in March for the pinnacle of the year’s culinary calendar, celebrating the richness and diversity of Asian cuisines.
William Drew, Director of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “We are thrilled to announce Singapore as the location of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 awards ceremony this March and to be working with our established destination partner, Singapore Tourism Board. It is fitting that we are returning to the city where Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was launched in 2013 and further reinforces our original aim: to celebrate great restaurants, great chefs and reward culinary excellence across the continent. We cannot wait to gather this incredible community in March in Singapore in what is effectively a homecoming for these awards.”
Highlights for the program in Singapore will include the first Asia-based version of the 50 Best Signature Sessions, a series of collaborative dining events – featuring chefs from across the globe teaming up with local talent – that will be open to the public. The traditional Chefs’ Feast will showcase the finest produce and cooking from the region. At the same time, the awards evening on the 28th of March will feature red-carpet arrivals and interviews, a cocktail reception, and the ceremony and countdown itself.
Ms. Guo Teyi, Director of Retail & Dining Singapore Tourism Board, says: “Food is our national obsession, and there is no better place than Singapore to mark the 10th anniversary of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. As travel picks up, such events profile Singapore’s F&B talents, the distinctiveness of our cuisine, and the incredible diversity of our dining scene.”
Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino International Business Unit Director, says: “We are excited to gather Asia’s gastronomic community together for the first time since 2019. After three such unprecedented and extraordinary years, we can’t wait to reconnect in person to share experiences and celebrate the world we love. The 10th anniversary marks an important stage in the recognition and the promotion of Asian cuisine’s richness: we are proud that our leading brands, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, are part of it, supporting culinary excellence across the continent.”
In 2022, the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list named Den as The Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the first Japanese restaurant to claim the top spot since 2013. For those unable to join in person, the reveal of the 2023 ranking will be live-streamed via Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Facebook and the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel.
As part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants program, a series of special awards will be announced before the official awards ceremony, including Asia’s Best Female Chef Award, the Icon Award – Asia, and the American Express One To Watch Award. Additional awards will be announced during the official ceremony itself. As part of its mission to promote emerging talent and recognize the region’s diverse cuisines, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants will again announce the list of restaurants ranked from 51-100 before the awards ceremony to shine a broader spotlight and celebrate even more restaurants in the region.
The annual list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is created from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential gender-balanced group of over 300 leaders made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and regional culinary experts. Each Academy member votes for ten restaurants, with a minimum of three from outside their home country/SAR. However, if the individual cannot travel due to ongoing restrictions, they can vote for seven restaurants only.
