A Guide To The World's Best Fine Dining Restaurants

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A handful of the top 130 chefs are shown here. For the remainder, see book information below

These are just a few of the top 130 chefs from 18 different countries. For the remainder, and assumptions used for ratings, see book information below.

France - Profiles of the 'Very Best of the Best' Chef's

Alain Ducasse - Monte Carlo
Born: 1956 (age 66), Orthez, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Le Louis XV - Monaco, Gault & Millau 19.5, 3 Michelin stars, since 1987- current (36 years)
  • Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester - Matthias Ruhl 19, 3 Michelin stars
  • Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse- Gault & Millau 16.5, 2 Michelin stars
  • Beige Alain Ducasse - 2 Michelin stars
  • Alain Ducasse at Morpheus -2 Michelin stars
  • Blue by Alain Ducasse-  1 Michelin star
  • Muni Alain Ducasse - 1 Michelin star
  • Benoit - Paris - 1 Michelin star

Previous restaurants as chef:

  • La Terrasse in Juan-les-Pins, 2 Michelin stars in
  • 1984; L'Amandier in Mougins (Chef Roger Verge)- first Michelin star in 1980

Trained With: Michel Guérard and Roger Vergé- founders of nouvelle cuisine; Gaston Lenôtre, Alain Chapel
Notable Accomplishments:    

  • Youngest chef in France to receive 3 Michelin stars at 33
  • The first chef to own restaurants having three Michelin Stars in three cities
  • Only one of two chefs to hold 21 Michelin stars throughout his career
  • Trained nine top 3 star level chefs - the most of the current generation of chefs
  • Written over 25 books

Signature Dishes: Cookpot De Legumes De Saison; Cappon Magro- Salad With Vegetables And Seafood; Rum Baba
In His Own Words: "The key to success is innovation and to continue

      to evolve and improve. We have to be in search of perfection

     without ever reaching it." 

Michel Guérard - Eugénie les Bains, Southeastern France
Born: 1933 (age 90), Paris suburb of Vétheuil, France
Chef at: Les Prés d'Eugénie - Eugénie les Bains, Gault & Millau 19.5,  3 Michelin stars,

      since 1974- current (49 years)

Trained at: Le Crillon and Lucas-Carton hotels and Maxim's in Paris
Notable Accomplishments:  

  • He is a founder of nouvelle cuisine and the creator of cuisine minceur…. he created a 'great slimming cuisine' when he moved to Eugénie in 1974, an area where patients with metabolic diseases used its hot springs. Guérard wanted cuisine that was more appealing than diet food but low in extra fat, sugar, and salt, saying he "realized the extent of despair towards food that overweight patients at the spa were facing."  
  • Trained ten top 3 star level chefs - the highest number in history     
  • Les Prés d'Eugénie was awarded three Michelin stars for forty years consecutively, starting in 1977 and his first 3 stars in 1974.

Signature Dishes: River Crayfish Soup; Fish Market Stew In Cocotte;

      Baron DeLapereau Mange-Tout; Peach With Pomerol Granite
In His Own Words: "All of the principles of health cuisine are built

      on the basis of nutrition: the needs of the human body, the

      constitution of food and the nutritional recommendations that

     flow from it. Meat, foods containing gluten, sugar, or lactose that

     meet our nutritional needs and should not be restricted. Of course,

     you should be careful not to over-consume certain foods, like red

     meat. But we must also be careful not to fall into the opposite

     excess."


Guy Savoy - Paris
Born: 1953 (age 69) Nevers, Burgundy, France
Current restaurants operating:
Restaurant Guy Savoy - Paris, 2 Michelin stars, Gault & Millau 19.5,

    3 stars 2002-2023 (21 years). Note that a star was taken away in

    2023, but Gault & Millau's rating is exclusively used to rate French

    chefs for this chapter. Opened 1980 (43 years)
Restaurant Guy Savoy - Las Vegas, Gayot 19
Previous restaurants as chef: La Barriere de Clichy - Paris 1977,

     Restaurant Guy Savoy - New York City
Trained With: Troisgros Brothers, Alain Chapel
Signature Dishes: Colors of Caviar; Octopus Terrine; Artichoke and

   Black Truffle Soup with Toasted Mushroom Brioche & Black Truffle

  Butter
Notable Accomplishments:    
- Owns two 19's on different continents- Gault & Millau 19 in France

      and Gayot 19 in the United States
- Trained five top 3 star chefs
In His Own Words: "Cooking is the art of instantly transforming

historical products into pleasure.”

Thomas Keller - Yountville, California and New York City
Born: 1955 (age 67) Oceanside, California
Current restaurants operating:

  • The French Laundry - Yountville, CA. 3 Michelin stars since 2006, Gayot 19, open since 1994 (29 years)
  • Per Se - New York City, 3 Michelin stars since 2005, Gayot 19
  • Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, The French Laundry, La Calenda - Yountville, Ca.
  • Bouchon Bakery - New York
  • Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery- Las Vegas
  • The Surf Club - Miami

Previous restaurants as chef: La Reserve and Rakel - New York City
Trained With: Taillevent, Guy Savoy, Le Pré Catelan, Daniel Boulud -

      The Polo Lounge - New York City
Signature Dishes: Salmon Cornets; Oysters and Pearls; Butter Poached

      Lobster; Truffle Infused Custard; Coffee and Donuts, Bartlett Pears,

      “Dulce de Leche” and Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Notable Accomplishments:

  • The first American chef to be awarded two Michelin 3 star restaurants
  • Seven total Michelin Stars
  • Sold more than 1.5 million copies of his six cookbooks
  • The first top fine cuisine restaurant to have a choice of vegetarian or meat menu in the United States
  • Trained three Michelin 3 star chefs

In His Own Words: "A quote that hangs in all of our kitchens: 'When you acknowledge, as you must,  that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving towards perfection becomes clear: to make people happy. That’s what cooking is all about."


Christophe De Lellis - Las Vegas              
Born: 1985 (age (38)
Chef At: Robouchon - Las Vegas since 2015, Gayot 19,  a French restaurant
Previous restaurants as chef: Sage at Arai- Las Vegas
Trained With: Joël Robuchon - Las Vegas, La Brasserie - Hotel Renaissance,

      Paris
Signature Dishes: Ossetra Caviar Atop Lobster In a Crustacean Gelée;

      Duo Of Tomatoes With Gazpacho And Balsamic Emulsion; Corn Cream

      With Foie Gras, Gingerbread Tuile, Corn Gingerbread; Lobster

     And Caviar With Fennel Infusion; Seared Fluke, Fine Aromatics And Bell

     Pepper Coulis; Spit Roasted Duck With Five Spices And Sour Cherries;

     Harry Berry Compote With Coconut Tapioca; Cherry Mouse With

     Chocolate Creme And Kirsch Chantilly


Daniel Boulud - New York City                   
Born: 1955 (age 68) Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Daniel - New York City, 3 Michelin stars, Gault & Millau 19, 3 stars  2002-2023 (21 years). Opened 1993 (30 years), a French restaurant
  • Le Pavillon, Le Gratin, Bar Boulud, Boulud Sud, Epicerie Boulud, Joji and Joji Box - New York
  • Cafe Boulud - Palm Beach
  • Boulud Sud - Miami  
  • Maison Boulud - Montréal
  • Café Boulud - Toronto
  • Café Boulud- Bahamas
  • Brassiere Boulud - Dubai
  • db Bistro - Singapore

Previous restaurants as chef: Le Cirque - New York City, Polo Lounge- The

  •  Westbury Hotel, Le Régence - Hotel Plaza Athenée - New York City,
  •  Les Étoiles - Copenhagen

Trained With: Roger Vergé, Georges Blanc, Michel Guérard - founders of

      nouvelle cuisine, The Plaza Hotel - Copenhagen

Signature Dishes: Foie Gras Terrine- Strawberries, Wild Rose Marmalade,

      Amaranth and 'Brioche Feuilletée'; Lehigh Valley Squab Consommé -

      "Paccheri" Pasta, Black Trumpet 'Royale', Mushroom-Cognac

      Cappuccino; Maine Lobster Savory Cabbage, Charcoal 'Campanelle',

      Nettles, Brassica Rapa, 'Sauce Coraillée'; Carribean Yellowtail Tuna -

      5 Pepper Seared, Yukon Potato  'Briouat' Carrot Fricassée, "Sauce

      Matelote"; Elysian Fields Farm Lamb - Black Garlic Studded,

      Braised Belly, Green Asparagus Almonds, Asiago Foam, Lemon Coulis;

      Herb Vacherin Burrata Ice Cream, Herb Sorbet

Notable Accomplishments:  

  • Owns/manages 13 restaurants   
  • Thomas Keller worked for him at Polo Lounge in New York City

In His Own Words: "Cooking is first and foremost about pleasure….

      cooking 'has to, of course, make you very happy'; In 2014, his

      restaurant Daniel went from three Michelin stars to two."I had the

      three stars and they  took them away…the model of the restaurant

      and the business I had wasn’t compatible to Michelin, maybe or

      maybe not, but I never really set my goals on just one particular

      obsession and I think my obsession has always been my customer,

      my team, my community and I think that was very important. And my

      reputation also comes from the loyalty of my customers as well and

      that of the team. I cared about that a lot." It has been said that he lost

      the third star due to increasing to 120 seats and serving over 200

      people a night, which is far above Michelin's unstated limit. The food

      can be 3 star, but to Michelin, it cannot be consistent enough.

Yannick Alléno - Paris
Born:1968 (age 54) Puteaux, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Le 1947 at Cheval Blanc - Courchevel, 3 Michelin stars since 2017, Gault & Millau 19, Opened 2008 (15 years)
  • Pavillon Ledoyen - Paris, 3 Michelin stars since 2015, Gault & Millau 19

Previous restaurants as chef: Hotel Le Meurice- Paris 2003-2013
Trained With: Gabriel Biscay- Royal Monceau, Louis Grondardand - Drouant
Signature Dishes: Celeriac and Avocado Millefeuille with Coconut

      Extraction;  Pyrénées Lamb with Quince Pie; Purslane Salad and

       Nettle Oil
Notable Accomplishments:

  • 10 total Michelin Stars
  • Mixing and extracting of sauces to fermentation- the king of sauces

In His Own Words: "I gave the food business a way to understand that

      to change the cuisine, you have to change the verb- and the verb is

      the sauces. Sauces are 80 percent of the dish. They bring the other

      parts of the dish together.' 'The revolution wasn't sous vide—cooking

      food in a stomach is basically that concept and something that has

      been done for a long time—the revolution is understanding the right

      temperature at which to cook food."

Arnaud Donckele - Saint-Tropez & Paris
Born: 1977 (age 45) Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • La Vague d'Or - Saint-Tropez , 3 Michelin stars in 2013, Gault & Millau 19
  • Plénitude - Paris, 3 Michelin stars 2002-2023 (21 years), Gault & Millau 19

Trained With: Michel Guérard - a founder of nouvelle cuisine, Alain

      Ducasse, Jean-Louis Nomicos - Lasserre
Signature Dishes: Tomato Carpaccio, Tomato Sorbet, Limono    

      Vinaigrette, Vegetables Fritter, Choron Sauce; Fish Seriole And Fish

      Esquinado With a Coral Ice Cream; Gambon With Grapefruit, 

      Broccoletti, Basil Citrus, And Aloe Vera; Country Figs With Honeyed

      Orange Confit And Marc De Provence; Langoustines With Chestnut

      Honey With a Tartlet Of Zucchini Flowers, Chanterelles And Sautéed

      Almonds
Notable Accomplishments: Awarded two 3 stars by Michelin   
In His Own Words: "When I create dishes, I am not looking to follow

      culinary trends. I want to be sure that our food will outlast any fad.

      And, if I am attempting to create contemporary dishes, I want 

      them to be perennial over all else.' 'Fine dining is not simply what

      you see and taste on your plate, but it is the experience that

      accompanies it."

Pierre Gagnaire - Paris
Born: 1950 (age 72) Apinac, Loire, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire (Paris) 3 Michelin stars, Gault & Millau 19
  • Sketch (London) 3 Michelin stars since 2019, opened 2003, Matthias Ruhl 17
  • 12 other restaurants with 8 Michelin stars total

Previous restaurants as chef: Pierre Gagnaire - Saint-Etienne 1981-1996, 3 Michelin stars 1993
Trained With: Paul Bocuse - a founder of nouvelle cuisine, Alain

      Senderens
Signature Dishes: Parfums de Terre, Five Dishes; Fresh Parmesan Soufflé;

      Pear Brunoise And Celeriac With Mont d´Or; Duck Foie Gras Lobe,

     Quince Jelly, Chard With Corms; Jerusalem Artichoke Cannelloni,

      Pepper Artichokes, Violine Snails; Beef Tenderloin With Smoked Eel

      and Calamansi Caramel

Notable Accomplishments: Awarded two Michelin 3 stars, 14 Michelin

     stars total
In His Own Words: "The heart, the thread of history, is the sincerity of

     the product, the gesture and the individual who makes this gesture."

Frédéric Anton - Paris
Born: 1964 (age 58) Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Le Pré Catelan - Paris, 3 Michelin stars since 2007, Gault & Millau 19
  • Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower - Paris, 1 Michelin star

Previous restaurants as chef: Raymond Poincaré - Paris
Trained With: Joël Robuchon, Gérard Boyer- Château des Crayères
Signature Dishes: Langoustine Raviolo, Langoustine Jelly and Foie Gras

      Sauce; Pigeon with Anchovy Sauce and Confit Pigeon Leg; Cheese

     Soufflé with Summer Truffles; Fresh Pollen, Sable Cookie

     and Onion Ice Cream
In His Own Words: "I am very attached to the products, to the

      transformation of materials, all while respecting flavors. A

      technicality that will offer consistency, which can define my cuisine."


Christian Le Squer - Paris
Born: 1962 Plouhinec, Finistere, France
Current restaurants operating:

  • Le Cinq (Paris) since 2014, 3 Michelin stars in 2016, Gault & Millau 19,
  • Etc (Paris)
  • La Grande Verrière - Paris
  • Le Paris-Brest - Rennes

Previous restaurants as chef: Pavillon Ledoyen- Paris, 3 Michelin stars

      in 2002, Gault & Millau 19; Café de la Paix Restaurant Opéra - Paris
Trained With: Taillevent, Lucas Carton, Ritz hotel - Paris
Signature Dishes: Turbot Flesh With Truffled Emulsion Of Ratte Potatoes;

      Small Sole Fillets With Vin Jaune; Crunchy Scampi With Citrus

      Emulsion; Chantilly Of Oysters; French Onion Soup
In His Own Words: "It’s precisely that emotion that flavors create that I

      love. To share that emotion with people is incredible…You know, it’s

      important to remember that eating doesn’t belong just to the luxury

      world. Wherever you cook, the most important thing is always to

      bring flavour – and therefore emotion."

United States - Profiles of the 'Best of the Best' Chef's

France - Profiles of the 'Best of the Best' Chef's