British chef Heston Blumenthal, known for his kitchen chemistry and envelope-pushing gastronomy at his flagship restaurant The Fat Duck, has been named the recipient of the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award by the group that helms The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.
Known the world over among TV audiences and globetrotting gourmets, Blumenthal joins a long list of honourees that includes Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, Alain Passard and Joel Robuchon, as well as Alice Waters, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller.
“A pioneer, an entrepreneur and a creative force, throughout his distinguished career Heston Blumenthal has challenged the way we eat and inspired a generation of chefs,” said group editor William Drew in a statement.
“His passion, energy, imagination and thirst for change have enriched global gastronomy and make him a worthy winner of the prestigious Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Blumenthal, 50, is largely self-taught, and rose through the ranks of high gastronomy with his fastidiously scientific approach, technical wizardry, imagination and sense of humour.
Among his famous dishes are snail porridge and egg and bacon ice cream.
Along with The Fat Duck, which he relocated to a pop-up venture in Australia for six months in 2015, Blumenthal also heads Dinner by Heston at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London,
and in Melbourne, Australia. The chef will accept his award at the ceremony April 5 in Melbourne, Australia. – Relaxnews
