50 BEST UNVEILS 50 NEXT, A GLOBAL LIST OF YOUNG PEOPLE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF GASTRONOMY

The organization behind The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars has today unveiled the first edition of 50 Next, a list of young people shaping the future of gastronomy. Designed to inspire, empower and connect the next generation of leaders, 50 Next celebrates people aged 35 and under from across the wider food and drink scene, from producers and educators to tech creators and activists. This year’s virtual announcement will be followed in 2022 with a live event in the region of Biscay, in the Basque Country of Spain, the official Host Destination Partner to 50 Next, once travel restrictions are eased.

A list but not a ranking, 50 Next specifically celebrates people, complementing the annual rankings of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Bars. It was formed through robust research and analysis by 50 Next and the internationally renowned Basque Culinary Center, following an overwhelming response to open calls for applications and nominations and a proactive scouting for candidates.

The inaugural list aims to represent the diversity of the global gastronomic scene, featuring people from 34 different countries across six continents. Delving into the wider meaning of gastronomy, 50 Next is divided into seven industry-led categories: Gamechanging Producers; Tech Disruptors; Empowering Educators; Entrepreneurial Creatives; Science Innovators; Hospitality Pioneers (supported by S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy) and Trailblazing Activists. Each category is unranked and comprises a broad spectrum of professions, with those on the list recognized for their overall contribution to the gastronomic ecosystem, as well as their ongoing potential to drive significant positive change.

The class of 2021 includes ground-breaking Australian fish butcher Josh Niland, progressive agriculture advocate Cherrie Atilano from the Philippines, Ghanaian tech innovator Isaac Sesi, Mexican indigenous pioneer Claudia Albertina Ruiz and Jhannel Tomlinson, a Jamaican climate change champion who empowers women through coffee. The youngest on the list is 20-year-old Basque medical student Maitane Alonso Monasterio, who has invented a machine to preserve food.

William Drew, Director of Content for 50 Best, says: “As the world of gastronomy strives to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic, it is more important than ever for us to support, empower and celebrate those at every level of the food and drink chain. By bringing together this truly diverse list of young people with the support of the Basque Culinary Center, the Biscay region and the wider 50 Best family, we pledge to nurture, uplift and provide a platform for those fighting for a brighter future for gastronomy. 50 Next allows us to connect today’s leaders with the next generation.”

Highlights from the list include:

  • Inaugural 50 Next list features people from 34 countries across six continents, identified as next-generation leaders in food and drink;
  • Seven categories recognize those working across gastronomy in production, tech, education, creative industries, science, hospitality and activism;
  • Unranked list includes 24 women, 19 men and seven groups, with individuals ranging in age from 20 to 35;
  • 700 candidates were considered from a pool of applications, nominations and talent directly scouted by the Basque Culinary Center, 50 Next’s Academic Partner;
  • Live 50 Next event to follow in Bilbao in the region of Biscay, in the Basque Country of Spain, in early 2022.

As the first global list of its kind, 50 Next includes five people based in Africa, six in Asia, one in the Caribbean, 18 in Europe, seven in Latin America, two in the Middle East, three in Australasia and eight in the USA. While there are 29 countries of residence featured, there are 34 countries of origin, owing to the fact that many young innovators have left their home countries to settle in tech, business or educational hubs such as the UK and US.

Full information about the list and selection process can be found on the 50 Next website http://www.theworlds50best.com/50next/

 

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Beer and food pairing potential hailed by top chef

Beer is becoming an increasingly popular accompaniment to meals and one of the world’s best chefs has given it his endorsement. 

A Global Data report shows that 47% of consumers find the concept of pairing food and beer appealing, leaving it behind only wine in terms of popularity.

Joan Roca, chef of Girona’s three Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca – twice voted the world’s best restaurant – told DRN: “Beer gives diversity and complexity and it is being used more in our pairings. 

“Beer has so many opportunities because of its soft palate flavour, and it is bitter and sweet at the same time. This makes it versatile and it can be used with so many different pairings.

“I don’t think it can ever replace wine in our Mediterranean cuisine, because our culture has a very long tradition with wine pairing and not beer, but Estrella pairs very well with tapas and that is a big opportunity.”

Estrella has teamed up with Roca to produce a Food & Drinks Trends report, which, among other things, highlights the growing use of botanicals in drinks. The chef was in Manchester to present his ideas at a gastronomy congress.

“I like working with Estrella not only because it’s Catalan, but it does things well,” said Roca. “It supports the gastronomy business and it’s very refreshing. ”

James Healey, Estrella Damm’s UK manager, added: “Gastronomy is a key focus for Estrella Damm and we celebrate beer’s place as the ideal beverage for pairing or cooking across a multiplicity of foods and dishes. 

“Working with the talented and creative chef Joan Roca this year has identified transparency and the wellness of our planet as key trends for 2018, which is very exciting for us, in line with our own business ethos, and a key opportunity for food and drinks businesses in the UK. 

“Estrella Damm has been brewed using local Mediterranean ingredients and the original recipe since 1876, so it’s great to see that knowing where your food and drinks come from is becoming important not only to us and restaurateurs but also to consumers.”

Marston’s now distributes Estrella in the UK after buying Charles Wells last year, and it sits alongside Erdinger and Kirin in an intriguing world beer portfolio.

The brewer’s insight executive, James Hodgkinson, said: “Although mainstream lager dominates the category, it is world beer which remains the category success story. 

“Consumers are discovering and becoming attracted to more premium, less ubiquitous brands, drinks with an authentic image and unique taste profiles which differ to other lagers. 

“It is also becoming a credible premium beverage to accompany quality meals, as opposed to an affordable drink for relaxation. 

“This can be done via premium packaging, positioning as a connoisseurs’ drink or greater focus on taste notes and how they can improve foods or food’s flavours.”

Source: http://www.drinksretailingnews.co.uk/