Netflix’s Chef’s Table alumnus Nancy Silverton is a household name in the US. She’s received the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef award, sitting among the ranks of luminaries such as Julia Child and Jose Andres. In sun-drenched, food trend-glutted Los Angeles, her restaurant Osteria Mozza stands out as one of few Italian eateries in Southern California to be minted with a Michelin star. Its Singapore outpost closed its doors in 2018, but returned recently, replaying hits, such as her wood-fired sourdough pizzas, fresh pastas cradling pull-apart tender meat, and zesty chopped salads.
Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Tuscany, Italy
Dario Cecchini might be the world’s most famous butcher. He works at his store in Panzano, Chianti, and is best known for his Chianina beef. He famously held a funeral for the cows because he didn’t appreciate the way so many people were ‘disrespecting’ them. Now he gets his cows from Spain. As you enter the butcher shop, there are samples of lardo, salumi (Italian meat products typical of an antipasto), and glasses of chianti. Then you sit down for a feast.
Pepe In Grani, Caiazzo, Italy
Franco Pepe makes my favourite pizza in Italy. He is relentless in his pursuit of the best flour, cheeses, and tomatoes. He wants to be the first pizzeria awarded a Michelin star. Why he doesn’t have at least one Michelin star already is beyond me. Franco is a friend. Not merely a restaurant friend, but a bosom buddy.
Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
We’ve had emotional meals at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant. One of his most famous dishes, The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna, is a standout. Massimo has captured the specific memory and emotion related to eating the crunchy part of lasagna well, and brought a classic to a level well over the top. I typically visit this restaurant twice a year and the menu is always different from the last time I went.
Pollo A La Brasa, Los Angeles, USA
I love the authenticity of this Peruvian spot—no frills, just great food at a great price. It is more like a woodpile than a restaurant. You’ll find a pit of crackling logs and embers behind a takeout window. Here, you can expect great rotisserie chicken that is perfectly scorched on the outside but juicy underneath. Enjoy it with a green aji sauce (a hot sauce of fresh cilantro, aji amarillo, huacatay and cheese) that packs a punch.
