LONDON – El Bulli was named the world's best restaurant, and that's the fourth year in a row, but its head chef dedicated the prize to his British runner-up.
The restaurant in Catalonia came top of the S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants 2009 following a poll of more than 800 chefs, restaurant critics and industry insiders for Restaurant Magazine.
Accepting the highly coveted award, El Bulli chef Ferran Adria said it had been "a very important night for Spain", with Spanish restaurants occupying three of the top five spots.
He also gave praised to Heston Blumenthal, the chef at Britain's The Fat Duck restaurant, who was forced to temporarily close his establishment earlier this year after a health incident and who came in as runner-up.
"I dedicate this prize to Heston Blumenthal. He has shown me what honesty means in this business.... This prize is for you," Adria said.
Heston Blumenthal returned the complement, crediting Adria as "my teacher".
He added: "If you had told me 10 or 15 years ago that I would be in the top 200 restaurants in the world I would have been delighted."
2009 winners list:
- El Bulli, Roses, Spain
- The Fat Duck, Bray-on-Thames, UK
- Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark (Chef's Choice)
- Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain
- El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
- per se, New York City, US
- Bras, Laguiole, France
- Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain
- Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, France
- Alinea, Chicago, US
- L'Astrance, Paris, France
- The French Laundry, Yountville (Napa Valley), California, US
- Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
- St John, London, UK
- Le Bernardin, New York City, US
- Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville, Crissier, Switzerland
- Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia
- L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris, France
- Jean-Georges, New York City, US
- Les Creations de Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
- Chez Dominique, Helsinki, Finland
- Cracco Peck, Milan, Italy
- Die Schwarzwaldstube, Tonbach, Germany
- D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
- Vendome, Kadettenstrasse (near Cologne), Germany
- Hof van Cleve, near Kruishoutem, Belgium
- Masa, New York City, US
- Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Italy
- Oud Sluis, Sluis, Netherlands
- Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
- Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York City, US
- Oaxen Skärgårdskrog, on the island of Oaxen, Sweden
- Martin Berasategui, San Sebastián, Spain
- Nobu, UK
- Mirazur, Menton, France
- Hakkasan, London, UK
- Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek, South Africa
- La Colombe, Cape Town, South Africa
- Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain
- Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France
- Daniel, New York City, US
- Combal Zero, Rivoli, Italy
- Restaurant Le Louis XV, Monaco
- Tantris, Munich, Germany
- Iggy's, Singapore
- Quay, Sydney, Australia
- Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France
- Dal Pescatore, Canneto sull'Oglio, Italy
- Le Calandre, Padua, Italy
- Mathias Dahlgren, Stockholm, Sweden
