Inside the Inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards List Ceremony
Behind the scenes, selection process & our take.
We were invited to attend the first-ever North America’s 50 Best Restaurants List awards ceremony and it was one of the most glamorous nights of my life.
What is the 50 Best and how are the winners selected?
The World’s 50 Best has been ranking restaurants and bars since 2002, but this was the first list dedicated to restaurants in North America. The ceremony was held at the opulent Wynn Las Vegas.
Eventually The World’s 50 Best Restaurants became independently run from Restaurant magazine but is still published by parent company William Reed.
300 anonymous industry experts select their top 8 dining experiences of the year and the votes are tallied up. 25% of the voters change each year. It’s a slightly different number of voters than The World’s Best Restaurants list which has 120.
In addition to the World and North America lists, there are also dedicated lists for Latin America and Asia.
Glitz Meets Gastronomy
This event surpassed all expectations. Across two days guests were treated to caviar, Peking duck, hand rolls, and expertly crafted cocktails that culminated with the black-tie ceremony where the winners were announced.
The evening was backed by main sponsor S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna as well Estrella Damm, American Express & Resy, Lee Kum Kee, and Tequila Ocho. Hosting duties fell to NYC’s Lauren Scala, who kept the energy sharp and the evening seamless.
The atmosphere was electric. The night began with a glamorous 2.5-hour red carpet cocktail reception in one of the Wynn’s ballrooms, before moving into the Encore Theatre for the official countdown. The celebrations didn’t stop there — the party carried on poolside at XS nightclub with late night food stations and endless celebratory drinks. My personal fuel for the night was a perfectly made carajillo.
The room buzzed with familiar faces — not just the winners and their teams, but also industry icons like Chef Alain Ducasse and Chef Vikas Khanna, the celebrated Indian restaurateur, alongside countless other culinary heavyweights.
We chatted with some of the winners…
To my delight, we were stationed right on the red carpet, catching the winners as they walked into the cocktail reception — before they even knew where they’d land on the list. It was such a thrilling moment, especially since we’d never experienced anything like it before.
We asked each chef that we spoke to a set of questions, one being; ‘Where do you eat on your night off?’ The question that was the driving force behind Eating with Experts
Chef Eric Ripert is absolutely one of those icons of the food world. His restaurant Le Bernadin has held three Michelin stars since 2005, so of course, we weren’t surprise to see it placed ninth on the list.
Our first visit to Corima was in March of 2024, just a couple of months after opening. We knew pretty immediately that Chef Fidel Caballero and his partner, Sofia Ostos, had created something very unique and shot to the top of our favorite restaurants we tried that year. Corima landed at 36.
We experienced Dakar when visiting New Orleans last year and it was certainly a unique one. Chef Serigne Mbaye and Effie Richardson partner to serve a modern Senegalese tasting menu and were sixth on the list.
Chef Timothy Flores & Chef Genie Kwon are one of the many power couples who made the inaugural list, with their restaurant Kasama in Chicago at 36. It also holds the title of the first ever Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant in the world.
At Alma Fond Fina, husband and wife team Chef Johnny Curiel & Kasie Curiel created a contemporary Mexican concept in Denver that made the list at 45.
The father-son duo Chef Emeril Lagasse & Chef EJ Lagasse collaborate at Emeril’s in New Orleans which landed at 35, coincidentally the number of years the restaurant has operated.
Chef Andrew Carmellini’s namesake restaurant, Cafe Carmellini, marries Italian and French cuisine in a glamorous setting with impeccable service and made the list at 39.
Another New York chef who made the list was Chef Gregory Gourdet but this was for his Oregon restaurant Kaan which placed at 27 and serves Haitian cuisine combined with Pacific Northwest bounty.
Chef Kevin Tien, Chef Judy Beltrano and pastry Chef Susan Bae are the team behind Moon Rabbit, a Vietnamese restaurant situated in the heart of Washington D.C. who ranked at 17 on the night.
Chef Junghyun & Ellia Park’s Atomix made number one and were named ‘Best Restaurant in North America.’ They serve a 10-course tasting menu at an intimate chef’s counter.
As much as lists like this will naturally spark discussion and debate, I do think they’re an incredible thing for the industry — an industry that so many dedicate their lives to.
After speaking with several chefs and restaurateurs who made the cut, a few common threads stood out: passion, relentless dedication to their craft, and a genuine love for creating unforgettable experiences for others. Even in a brief conversation, you can feel that energy — and accolades like 50 Best offer a way to recognize not just their talent, but also their grit and creativity.
The list itself reflects a spectrum: rising young talent alongside seasoned veterans, and a mix of cuisines from around the world.