Europe: Dining Itinerary

I take my dining itineraries very seriously. As a researcher by trade, it's second nature to gather insights from various sources for information. Whether it be Michelin guides, regional/global restaurant lists or food blogs, any information I can get a hold of is used to narrow down my selections.

In the November 18 issue of Time Magazine, there was a feature on the Gods of Food. Although controversial due to the lack of female representation, information is still information. I think of it as a road map to the next generation of great chefs. Nowadays, I'm looking for emerging chefs rather than flocking to places where everyone is flooding their phone lines.

In under 8 weeks, we're traveling to London, Paris and Brussels. Our dining itinerary is nearly complete except for one booking that has yet to be reserved. Here's the line up:

London

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Ranked #7 of the World's 100 Best Restaurants; ** Michelin stars

 

Sketch

Co-owned by Pierre Gagnaire; ** Michelin stars

 

St. John

Ranked # 71 of the World's 100 Best Restaurants; Anthony Bourdain listed it as one of the 13 Places to Eat Before You Die; * Michelin star

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Part of my bucket list to dine at every Joel Robuchon restaurant around the world; * Michelin star

 

The Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs

The Chef's Table behind Bubbledogs; former Head chef for Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley and with stints at The Ledbury, Per Se and Noma

Paris

 

L'Arpege

Ranked # 16 of the World's 100 Best Restaurants; influential chef; *** Michelin stars

 

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon - Saint Germain

Ranked # 24 of the World's 100 Best Restaurants; ** Michelin stars

Pierre Gagnaire

Ranked # 51 of the World's 100 Best Restaurants; *** Michelin stars

Brussels

Local cuisine: Mussels and fries, beer, Belgium waffles and chocolate