Between October 1 and 2, Milan’s East End Studios became the heartbeat of the culinary world as it hosted The Best Chef Awards 2025 — an annual celebration of creativity, innovation, and excellence in gastronomy. Over two vibrant days, the venue buzzed with energy as chefs, food writers, and culinary enthusiasts from every corner of the globe came together to share ideas, experiences, and inspirations that continue to shape the future of dining.
From its inception, The Best Chef has aspired not merely to rank chefs, but to map a living ecosystem — one where creativity, ethics, sustainability, and cultural dialogue hold as much weight as technical skill. Milan, a city steeped in design and culinary heritage, proved a fitting host: a place where tradition and innovation coexist in harmony.
Over two days, audiences witnessed more than the naming of winners — they saw a narrative unfold: the rise of new voices, the quiet revolutions inside kitchens, and the pride of nations claiming their place on the global stage.
Unlike many other awards, The Best Chef celebrates the individual vision behind the plate. The annual list is shaped by the votes of 972 members — including 572 chefs and 400 professionals from food journalism, academia, and gastronomy.
To be named a Best Chef today is to embody more than culinary mastery. It’s about curiosity, courage, and conscience — creativity that challenges boundaries while respecting roots. These are chefs who use their kitchens as laboratories of emotion and innovation, transforming food into a tool for connection, change, and cultural storytelling.
The Top 3 Champions And Beyond The Plate
At No.1, Rasmus Munk of Alchemist, Denmark, once again redefined what dining can be. At Alchemist, Munk fuses science, art, and theatre into an immersive experience that challenges perception and emotion in equal measure. His back-to-back win cements his place among the world’s most visionary chefs — a creator who turns the act of eating into both performance and philosophy.
In second place, Ana Roš of Hiša Franko, Slovenia, carried her country’s wild landscapes and terroir to the global stage. Her daring menus — rooted in heritage yet fearlessly innovative — have firmly placed Slovenia on the international culinary map.
Third place went to Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Studio, UAE, whose reimagining of Indian cuisine marries modernist artistry with deep respect for tradition. His achievement marks not only a personal triumph, but also the UAE’s rising presence in global gastronomy.
Together, these three chefs embody the evolving spirit of The Best Chef — visionaries proving that modern cuisine is as much about storytelling and conscience as it is about technique and precision.
This year’s Special Awards illuminated the diversity of modern gastronomy. Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana was honored as The Best Visionary for his enduring creativity and social leadership. The Best Humanity Award went to the Chefs of World Central Kitchen, founded by José Andrés, recognizing those who cook in response to crisis and compassion.
Across continents, innovation took many forms. Pía Salazar of NUEMA in Ecuador was named Best Pastry Chef, while Debora Fadul of DIACÁ in Guatemala received the Best Terroir Award for her devotion to local ecosystems. The Best Creativity Award went to Jason Liu of Ling Long in Shanghai; Quique Dacosta of Quique Dacosta in Spain took home Best Food Art.
Other honorees included Prateek Sadhu (Naar, India) as Best New Entry, Anika Madsen (Iris, Norway) for Best Dining Experience, and Diego Guerrero (DSTAgE, Spain) for Best Science. Best NextGen went to Sebastian Jiménez (Ræst, Faroe Islands*), while Best Milan and Best Origins & Future celebrated Andrea Aprea and Diego Rossi, respectively — local heroes defining the city’s evolving culinary identity.
Each award, in its own way, pointed toward one truth: that gastronomy’s future lies in empathy and imagination as much as in flavor.
Vietnam’s Rising Voices
For Vietnam, The Best Chef 2025 carried a special resonance. as a wave of local chefs stepped into the global spotlight with their first appearance in The Best Chef Awards guide — each recognized with one knife for excellence.
From Hanoi, Hoang Tung of T.U.N.G Dining, Sam Tran of Gia, Hiroshi Yamaguchi of Hibana by Koki and Quang Dung of Chapter brought the capital’s inventive spirit to Milan. Saigon was equally well represented: Peter Cuong Franklin of Ănăn Saigon, Sam Aisbett of Akuna, and Viet Hong of CieL each stood out for their bold, boundary-pushing visions. Together, this new cohort signaled Vietnam’s growing momentum on the international stage — a scene defined by youthful energy, deep respect for heritage, and fearless experimentation.
Their presence at The Best Chef 2025 in Milan underscored how Vietnamese gastronomy is no longer just emerging — it is asserting itself as part of the global conversation. In a city celebrated for design and reinvention, these chefs reminded the world that Vietnam, too, is a place of bold culinary vision, where heritage and innovation walk hand in hand.
A Movement, Not Just Ranking
As the lights dimmed in Milan and conversations spilled into the streets, one thing became clear: The Best Chef 2025 has outgrown the concept of competition. It is now a dialogue — between generations, between science and emotion, between local roots and global ambition.
For the international audience, the 2025 edition reaffirmed that gastronomy is no longer defined by geography or luxury but by curiosity and conscience. And for Vietnam, the presence of so many homegrown names on the list was a promise — that its chefs are no longer emerging; they are arriving, with intent and imagination.
From Copenhagen to Saigon, from Ljubljana to Dubai, the message from Milan was unmistakable: the future of gastronomy lies in diversity, dialogue, and the courage to imagine beyond the plate.
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