News Digest

El Celler de Can Roca returns to top as World’s Best Restaurant

Spain’s “El Celler de Can Roca” was crowned the world’s best restaurant on Monday, winning praise for the “collective genius” of the three brothers who run it. It was the second time the Girona eatery has topped the World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards in London, after taking the number one spot in 2013. Joan, Jordi and Josep Roca each have their own speciality: the first is head chef, the second creates the desserts, while the third sibling is in charge of the wine. The awards, run by trade magazine Restaurant, lauded the brothers’ combined talents as a “holy trinity”.

This recognition means that a lot of people trust in us and our commitment to our values and what gastronomy represents.

Josep Roca, one of three brothers who run “El Celler de Can Roca”

Jury members choose their seven favourite restaurants where they have eaten in the past 18 months. Critics say the system is open to abuse since the jury do not have to offer physical evidence of having actually visited any particular restaurant. Yet organisers hired the Deloitte consultancy firm to oversee the voting, and say jury members cannot vote on restaurants in which they have an interest. Nevertheless an Internet petition against the competition amassed more than 350 signatures, including those of France’s Joel Robuchon and Italy’s Giancarlo Perbellini, calling for sponsors to boycott the “opaque” awards.