The eighth edition of the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will be revealed during a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, 3rd December. 50 Best is also launching an exciting new initiative to recognise a wide collection of establishments that represent the spirit of Latin American gastronomy and to assist venues of all styles across the region in their recovery. Here are four key things you need to know about the upcoming reveal
1. A new project will raise awareness of a wide range of restaurants
This year, more than ever, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants will be about acknowledging and celebrating the spirit of the region: community, hospitality, endurance, flair and the unique passion that epitomises it. For the first time, the awards programme will include a new initiative, called El Espíritu de América Latina.
On Tuesday, 24th November, 50 Best will present a fresh collection of casual restaurants recognised for having a positive impact on their communities and local cuisine, whether during the recent crisis or over a sustained period of time. The unranked group of establishments will sit alongside Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants to raise awareness of the broad range of accessible, local hero spots that represent the spirit of Latin American cuisine. The collection is being created from personal recommendations from the chefs and owners of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020, as well as from the 50 Best Discovery online guide and 50 Best’s network of local experts.
2. Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants will support the sector’s recovery
First created in 2013, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants has always sought to promote the excellence and diversity of restaurants in the region as the only awards voted for by over 250 local experts – chefs, restaurant critics, food writers and well-travelled gourmets – across 21 countries. In late 2020, as restaurants in South America and the Caribbean start emerging from the lockdowns and closures, 50 Best believes it has a role to play in supporting the sector and encouraging diners to return safely to the hospitality businesses that form an essential part of the fabric of society.
Look back on the list of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2019:
From El Chato chef Álvaro Clavijo cooking meals for a homeless shelter in Colombia; to Boragó’s Rodolfo Guzmán in Chile creating a new concept to support the community of farmers and suppliers he has been working with for years; and Virgilio Martínez and Pía León opening the kitchens of Central and Kjolle in Peru to support other local businesses, the region’s cooks and restaurateurs have been doing outstanding work giving back to the community. 50 Best hopes to support the restaurant ecosystem’s recovery not only through the release of the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list and El Espíritu de América Latina, but also through its other 2020 initiatives, such as 50 Best for Recovery, the fundraising programme launched in May that is currently disbursing grants to 236 restaurants and bars worldwide, as well as donations to 10 charitable organisations.
3. The list will be unveiled during a virtual awards ceremony
The list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will be announced during a digital awards ceremony available to view on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants Facebook and the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel on Thursday, 3rd December. The show will start at 9pm GMT (15:00 MX; 16:00 CO/PE; 18:00 AR/BR/CL). The virtual awards ceremony will seek to bring the gastronomic community together, recognising the resilience and agility that hospitality businesses have shown as they respond to 2020’s unique challenges, and acknowledging the many ways in which restaurants are at the heart of their communities.
4. Special awards will recognise the region’s heroes and outstanding restaurants
From the American Express Icon Award to the Miele One To Watch, several individual awards will be announced in advance of the ceremony, starting in late October 2020. These awards provide special recognition for the restaurants and personalities that have had a positive impact on the region’s gastronomy over the last 12 months. The pre-announced awards will also include the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award and Latin America’s Best Female Chef; while the accolades to be announced during the virtual awards ceremony include the Sustainable Restaurant Award, the Art of Hospitality Award and the Latin America’s Best Pastry Chef Award.
Meet the 2019 winner of the American Express Icon Award:
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