It's been a pretty good year for London in this year's World's 50 Best Restaurants List. With two restaurants in the Top 10 - The Ledbury and Dinner by Heston - the UK's capital holds its own with America and is just one behind Spain which is the best in the world with three restaurants in those upper echelons.
Surely the happiest person in the room at the Guildhall last night was Rene Redzepi who looked thrilled to bits at regaining the top position for Noma after being knocked off last year by Spain's El Celler De Can Roca. "This is too fucking crazy," he said. "How many of you expected this?"
He then proceeded to give the speech he'd written for the first time he won, but was too shy to deliver, reserving his key praise for his wife, who's just about to give birth to their third child and his team. "You guys are my dream team - my inspiration. The patience and dedication you give year in year out is more than I could have expected in my wildest dreams." Not a dry eye in the house.
Described as "fundamentally a celebration - not a competition" which let's face it is total bollocks, this year's awards were also great news for Ashley Palmer Watts Head Chef of Dinner by Heston which rose two places from 7 to 5. "It's incredible to be amongst amazing chefs. I could never have dreamt this, to be honest. Very humbling!" Ashley told us.
Other British restaurants celebrating tonight were The Clove Club who were widely predicted to enter the Top 100 and duly did at No. 87. Fergus Henderson, already lauded as this year's Inspiration Award also went home happy in the knowledge that St John had risen 16 places to 55 while Hedone in Chiswick was no 63 up No 55.
The Fat Duck team probably weren't quite so thrilled. Although they stayed on the list, they dropped 14 places to 47.
All in all, a good ceremony and one that this year was saved from any leaks - even if host Mark Durden Smith did describe the list as one that "any half decent hacker could have accessed and saved you all the air fare". Other key awards were Chef's Choice Award which went to Alex Atala from DOM in São Paulo; Highest new entry at No 17 which was Gaggan from Bangkok and the highest climber at No 15 up 35 places which was Central from Lima in Peru.
Read the full list, including 51-100 and what makes the top 10 so special.
