The ‘Bid for Recovery’ Auction is now open – head to 50BestForRecovery.com to place your bids on unforgettable food and drink experiences, extraordinary gastronomic holidays, rare bottles of spirits and much more. Always wished you could spend time getting to know your favourite chefs as they guide you around their hometowns’ top culinary spots? Get ready to bid with our round-up of 14 experiences around the world that will see you get up close and personal with the world’s top cooks
You have until 21:30 BST on Sunday, 12th July to participate in the 50 Best ‘Bid for Recovery’ Auction – the largest global event of its kind aiming to raise funds to provide direct and tangible financial relief for restaurants worldwide as they emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. With over 160 lots donated by the world’s best restaurants and bars, as well as some stellar experiences by 50 Best’s partner brands, participating in the virtual auction is a powerful way to help save independent restaurants and bars around the world. Enjoy these 14 highlights and head straight to 50BestForRecovery.com to place your bids.
Behind-the-Scenes at DiverXO & StreetXO with Dabiz Muñoz in Madrid
Madrid, Spain
Take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go behind the scenes with renowned chef Dabiz Muñoz in the world of his XO restaurants. Start your day with a guided tour by Muñoz to the groups’ key suppliers, where the chef will share secrets of what makes a one-of-a-kind dish. You’ll get an insider’s insight into the kitchens at StreetXO, DiverXO and the GoXO delivery space. The experience will be topped off with two incredible bespoke menus designed by Muñoz for lunch at StreetXO and dinner at DiverXO.
48-hour Bangkok Food & Drink Whirlwind with Chef Gaggan Anand & Family
Bangkok, Thailand
Spend two unforgettable days and nights with Gaggan – the charismatic chef behind the establishment that topped Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list a record four times. Revel in your host’s high-energy lifestyle with a tour of Bangkok, visit to a spa, time spent at his home (where you will stay for two nights) and sampling his home-cooked food. You will then enjoy the full dining experience at his freshly created restaurant, Gaggan Anand.
London Calling: Culinary Adventure with The Clove Club and Lyle's
London, UK
Discover the best of British cuisine and cocktails with this unique experience in London hosted by The Clove Club and Lyle’s. As part of this full-day experience, you will take a bread and pastry masterclass at Flor, the new restaurant from Lyle’s chef James Lowe, followed by a tasting menu lunch at Lyle’s. In the evening, enjoy a cocktail tasting with The Clove Club’s head bartender followed by dinner with wine pairings at The Clove Club. Join the chef-owners of both restaurants for after-dinner drinks at award-winning Coupette.
S.Pellegrino Presents an Unforgettable Discovery of Massimo Bottura's World
Modena, Italy
Take a once-in-a-lifetime experience with a tour of the restaurants of Massimo Bottura, one of the world’s finest chefs and owner of Osteria Francescana, which topped The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2016 and 2018. With accommodation at the stunning Casa Maria Luigia, run by Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore, you’ll explore Modena over two days, with dinner at Francescana at Maria Luigia, lunch at Franceschetta 58 and dinner at Osteria Francescana itself. You’ll also enjoy an art tour and welcome from Gilmore. This package is courtesy of S.Pellegrino, main sponsor and official water partner of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Cantonese Culinary Immersion in Hong Kong with The Chairman’s Danny Yip
Hong Kong, China
Discover the best of Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong with this insider’s tour guided by Danny Yip, owner of The Chairman, No.2 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020. Starting with an early local breakfast, you will move on to a seafood market usually closed to tourists. Feast on dim sum and suckling pig at Seventh Son, followed by a special dinner menu at The Chairman, cooked with the ingredients from the morning’s market trips.
Colombia, Coffee & Cuisine: Discover Bogotá and Cartagena with Leo Espinosa
Bogotá, Colombia
Discover Colombia through the eyes of Leonor Espinosa, Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2017 and owner of Leo, which made its debut onto The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019. As part of this gastronomic immersion, you will spend four to five days touring and tasting your way through Bogotá and Cartagena. The experience includes a full tasting menu experience at Leo, as well as a meal at Espinosa’s more casual restaurant, Misia, in Cartagena. This trip is flexible and can be personalised according to your availability.
Wild Food with Joshua Skenes: Hunting, Fishing and Cooking for 4
Washington State, USA
Join award-winning chef Joshua Skenes for an unforgettable day of fishing, hunting and cooking over fire at the remote Skenes Ranch in Washington State, where you’ll gain an intimate understanding and appreciation for food in its most fundamental form. You’ll experience a meal from start to finish and tap into the primal connection life has with the land at this tranquil setting with vast acres of rolling hay meadows and woodlands.
Foraging and Feasting Through Chilean Cuisine with Boragó Chef Rodolfo Guzmán
Santiago, Chile
Take a foraging trip through Chilean cuisine with Rodolfo Guzmán of Boragó, the seven-time Best Restaurant in Chile and winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award at Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants. As part of this one-day experience in Santiago, you will spend the morning discovering Chilean produce with chef Guzmán before having lunch at Rancho de Doña María, one of his favourite traditional local spots, for clay-oven cooking. In the evening, you’ll explore Chilean produce with a full tasting menu at Boragó. You will also take home a signed copy of Guzmán’s cookbook with a special dedication.
Ultimate Slovenian Food & Wine Immersion with Chef Ana Roš
Kobarid, Slovenia
Discover the stunning Soča Valley with Ana Roš, World’s Best Female Chef 2017 and owner of Hiša Franko. As part of this experience, you will take a foraging trip in the breathtakingly beautiful valley with chief forager Miha, followed by a picnic. Then meet Roš and the team, before enjoying the full dining experience at Hisa Franko with wine pairing and an overnight stay. Finally, take home a signed copy of Roš’s new book, Sun and Rain.
One Day with Mauro Colagreco at The World’s Best Restaurant Mirazur
Menton, France
Spend the day with world-famous cook Mauro Colagreco, chef-owner of Mirazur, voted The World’s Best Restaurant in 2019. As part of this full-day experience in Menton, France, you’ll be welcomed in the Mirazur garden, with the chance to pick your own seasonal produce and meet some of the restaurant’s suppliers. Then you’ll have a casual lunch with Chef Colagreco at his new organic pizzeria, Pecora Negra. After lunch, you’ll go behind the scenes with the Argentine-born chef in his new lab and creation kitchen with the chance to discover the secrets of his award-winning cooking. Then you’ll toast your adventure with a set of Stem Zero glasses, as used in the restaurant, and a case of wine courtesy of Nude Glass, before taking a tour of the kitchen and meeting the Mirazur team. Your experience will be topped off with a special dinner experience at Mirazur to try the restaurant’s brand-new tasting menu, inspired by nature.
Geranium Gastronomy & Wine Experience for 4 in Copenhagen with Rasmus Kofoed
Copenhagen, Denmark
Go behind the scenes to discover the magic of Geranium, No.5 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019, with co-owners Rasmus Kofoed and Søren Ledet. As part of this one-day experience, you will begin with a trip to the Danish countryside for breakfast at Chef Kofoed’s home, followed by a trip to a nearby organic farm. Then enjoy a private wine tasting with sommelier Ledet, before a full dinner with wine or juice pairing at Geranium.
Picking, Cooking and Dining with Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa at Den in Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
Spend a day with chef Zaiyu Hasegawa and the team behind Den, which has won accolades including the Art of Hospitality Award and is placed at No.3 and No.11 in Asia’s and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, respectively. You’ll start the day by picking mushrooms, one of Hasegawa’s favourite ingredients, followed by a private cooking masterclass and the opportunity to meet the team, including Puchi Jr., the Insta-famous family pup. Your experience will end with a full tasting menu at Den.
Atelier Crenn Farm, Wine & Chocolate Experience for 6 with Dominique Crenn
San Francisco, USA
Enjoy a money-can’t-buy gastronomic experience guided by Dominique Crenn, World’s Best Female Chef 2016 and owner of Atelier Crenn, No.35 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019. As part of this unique three-day experience for up to six people, you will tour Crenn’s San Francisco properties, including Atelier Crenn, Petit Crenn and Bleu Belle Farm, which supplies many of the restaurants’ ingredients. On day one, you will spend the day at Bleu Belle Farm, including taking classes such as fermentation, beekeeping and mushroom growing. On the second day, you will have an exclusive tasting with a Californian winemaker followed by a full tasting menu dinner with drinks pairing at Atelier Crenn, and on day three you will take a chocolate-making workshop with Atelier Crenn’s award-winning pastry chef, Juan Contreras, following by an evening with dinner and drinks at Petit Crenn, hosted by Chef Dominique.
The Ultimate Berlin Experience with Germany’s Top-Ranking Chef Tim Raue
Berlin, Germany
Take the ultimate Berlin experience with top chef Tim Raue, whose restaurant is ranked in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. From breakfast until late, the day will be punctuated by unique visits, amazing food and exceptional wines in the company of the charismatic Berliner. For lunch at the lakeside Villa Kellermann, Raue will serve traditional dishes paired with German Rieslings from his private cellar. Dinner is presented at Restaurant Tim Raue with a tailor-made menu. This incredible day ends with an after-dinner tour featuring currywurst and rosé.
Bid on these incredible experiences on the website 50BestForRecovery.com. Visit the Restaurant Recovery Hub and the Bar Recovery Hub to explore useful resources during the coronavirus pandemic and read the stories of chefs and bartenders around the world. Follow 50 Best on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for the latest news on our fundraising initiatives.
Reporting by Laura Price and Giulia Sgarbi
