It had always been his dream to open his own restaurant. And as soon as he graduated, Israel Ramos took the leap, and it was the right decision. Now, he runs a Michelin-starred restaurant in Jerez, named Mantua. The key to his success? Serving traditional dishes that transport people back to their grandma’s recipes, but with a surprising twist. However, his main focus is not on the dishes, but on the hospitality and the overall guest experience. Every detail counts, and with that in mind, Ramos has been running his restaurant for four years now. We headed to Jerez for an interesting chat with the chef and founder of Mantua.
chefs
Rarely has a restaurant location felt so fairytale-esque as the setting that surrounds El Lago restaurant in Marbella. Established in 1999, the Greenlife Golf Clubhouse in the heart of Elviria Hills is an idyllic place. From the start of their adventure, they have sought their own path, one based on an authentic, intimate and seasonal culinary discourse, where the main goal is to build a close rapport with a great team comprising artisan producers from the surrounding area. This commitment to the regional cuisine of Malaga and wider Andalusia, combining local top-quality produce and creativity, characterises the place. As the cherry on the cake, the restaurant was the first haute cuisine restaurant in Andalusia to be awarded the Km0 certificate by the international Slow Food organisation, which honours restaurants who only use ingredients cultivated within a radius of 100 km. El Lago also obtained a Michelin star in 2005.
Located on the waterfront near the Rotterdam Euromast, Parkheuvel restaurant has been an icon in the Dutch gastronomy landscape for many years. Chef Erik van Loo earned his stripes in this two Michelin-starred restaurant, with its refined, modern French cuisine, all served up in a chic, hospitable setting. Since his son Juliën van Loo joined the business around three years ago, the cuisine has been given a more contemporary twist with elegant presentations and new influences. A bright future seems guaranteed for Parkheuvel. Together with The Best Chef headed on over to taste and talk.
Paco Roncero is not like any chef. Not only is he the star chef at his restaurant in Madrid, he’s also a judge in cooking reality TV shows Master Chef Colombia and Top Chef Spain. Besides that he has written several cookbooks and participated in various running competitions such as the NY marathon and a half Iron Man. But most importantly, you can expect spectacular dishes in all the restaurants that are managed by this top chef, especially in his beloved Paco Roncero Restaurant in Madrid. Avant-garde Spanish cuisine with classic techniques, influences from all around the world and local top-quality products make Paco Roncero’s dishes so special. To give you an idea of the amazing flavours, the chef shared the recipe of his interpretation of hake fish with crab and a Bilbaina sauce. Continue Reading
The 33-year-old Javier Aranda is a young promising chef on his way to become a renowned name in the culinary world. Not only does he own two restaurants in Madrid (Gaytán and La Cabra), the culinary management of restaurant Retama also rests on his shoulders. Should there still be any doubt about Javier Aranda’s success: all the three restaurants have already been awarded with a Michelin star. In his gastronomic restaurant Gaytán, located in the heart of Madrid, Javier Aranda juggles with innovative flavours and surprising textures. These can be found in his fish dishes, of which he likes to share the recipe of the red mullet from Galicia. Continue Reading
In the heart of Munich in Schwabing district you will find restaurant Werneckhof** by Geisel. The half German, half Japanese chef Tohru Nakamura serves you incredibly flavourful dishes from a modern cuisine with influences of German and Asian culinary culture. As there hasn’t been a great fried chicken concept in Munich, the chef saw an oppurtunity in the COVID-19 crisis and started a street food concept at the Schwabinger Wahrheit Hotel. It became a huge success. For those outside of Munich … Just try preparing Tohru’s recipe for the perfect comfort food: Miso Fried Chicken. Continue Reading
The twin top chefs Thomas and Mathias Sühring share their secret recipe for Spätzle. They prepare this typical German classic by the rules of art, yet giving it their personal touch. Learn how to prepare this wonderful dish and get to know the German cuisine a bit better. It is definitely worth it. Continue Reading
Young, ambitious and adventurous: chef Jim Ophorst – or ‘Jimmy’ as most Asian people like to say – is a name to remember. With his restaurant called PRU, he has made the Thai island of Phuket a must visit stopover for foodies, establishing a truly unique dining concept. The restaurant is situated in the beautiful Trisara Resort at the Andaman coast. The location seems to be a piece of heaven, boasting understated, yet refined luxury and top-notch service. At the heart of the resort, you’ll find PRU restaurant. The elegant, yet atmospheric design of the dining home immediately gets you in the right mood. Simple, stylish designs combining the local identity and international class, natural materials and beautiful atmospheric lightning set the tone.
Paco Roncero is famous for a gastronomic style that combines the best produce with great technique and creative avant-garde inspiration. His approach translates not only in his cooking method, but also in the way of presenting and understanding food as a unique sensory experience.
Awarded the title of ‘Discovery of the year 2019’, a recent 14.5/20 in the Gault & Millau guide, and a first Michelin star, chef Kevin Lejeune is most definitely a rising star and exceptional talent. After several years working as a sous-chef at La Paix restaurant, run by the renowned chef David Martin, Kevin decided to make the leap to his own restaurant, La Canne en Ville, just outside of Brussels city centre. Craftsmanship is reflected here in a refined cuisine bursting with personal touches and on-point flavours. Connoisseurs and experts describe the cuisine of chef Kevin Lejeune and his young team as contemporary, innovative and subtle. Continue Reading
The word is out! The Best Chef officially announced the Top 100 new candidates for the 2020 Awards, as well as their plans for this year’s event. On the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of September, the world’s leading culinary platform will host the Food Meets Science conference, the Area Talks live debate, and the Awards Gala in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Continue Reading
The talented young Spanish chef Javier Aranda provides a feast for the senses and a theatrical dining experience at Gaytán, his restaurant near Madrid’s Parque de Berlín. Continue Reading
In the northern part of Spain’s capital city, Madrid, you’ll find one of the country’s most extraordinary and surprising culinary experiences: DiverXO restaurant, by chef David Muñoz.
At restaurant The White Room, chef Jacob Jan Boerma – the three Michelin-starred chef of restaurant De Leest – transports his cuisine from the quiet and tranquil countryside to the vibrant city of Amsterdam. The restaurant is part of the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, the first NH Collection hotel of NH Hotel Group in the Netherlands. As gastronomy plays a prominent role in the experience at NH Collection Hotels, it was an obvious choice to house a fine dining restaurant here. With Jacob Jan Boerma as the driving force and Signature Chef behind this project, and the young Randy Karman as Chef de Cuisine, The White Room has become as a unique and highly valued restaurant. Here, they lift an elegant, yet accessible cuisine to perfection. Together with the sour nuances and spices Jacob Jan Boerma is known for, they give substance to the illusion of white, in accordance with the similarly-named restaurant. The young team’s mission is to offer recognisable flavours in an unexpected way. Being rewarded with a Michelin star within 1.5 years after its opening, the chefs and their team seem to have succeeded with their mission perfectly.
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to attend the very first edition of Chef’s Invitation, the brand-new project of former 3-star chef Gert De Mangeleer at restaurant L.E.S.S. Eatery in Bruges. Together with chefs Susumu Shimizu and Hiroyasu Kawate, Gert De Mangeleer and Ruige Vermeire created an exquisite menu that combined perfectly the cuisine and unique style of the four chefs. It became a great, culinary night out in the beautiful city of Bruges, boasting a well-balanced mixture of the Belgian and Japanese cuisine.