The Argentine restaurant Don Julio, by chef Pablo Rivero, was chosen on Tuesday as the best in Latin America by the British 50 Best list.

The well-known grill establishment, opened by Rivero in Buenos Aires in 1999, ranked tenth this year among the 50 best in the world and also has a Michelin star.

"God belongs to everyone but it seems that He has a special affection for Argentina," Rivero said jokingly after the awards ceremony, held at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro.

Receiving the recognition "feels nice because we did not invent the Argentine grill, but rather we turned a wheel that has been rolling forever. It is an award shared with 45 million people," added the chef and sommelier.

Don Julio had already crowned the regional ranking of the British magazine "Restaurant" in 2020, when the pandemic prevented the gala from taking place.
In second place this Tuesday was the Peruvian Maido, by chef Mitsuharu Tsumura, who in 2023 had been chosen as the best of the 50 Latin Americans.

The Lima establishment, recognized for its fusion of Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques, has reached the top of the list for four years (between 2017 and 2019, and in 2023).

It is followed by the Colombian El Chato de Bogotá, by chef Álvaro Clavijo, third this year and second in the previous edition.

The Bolivian Marsia Taha Mohamed, known for commanding the kitchen of the Gustu restaurant in La Paz, received the award for the best female chef in Latin America in 2024.

The recognition "is a spearhead to position Bolivia within the world's cuisines," Taha told AFP.

The chef recently opened her own restaurant, Arami, where local ingredients and Amazonian flavors stand out.

The 50 Best ranking of the best restaurants in Latin America has been carried out since 2013 with the vote of 300 independent industry experts, such as chefs and specialized journalists.

The world list of the 50 Best was launched in 2002 by the British magazine "Restaurant" and has elevated emblematic establishments such as the Danish Noma and the Spanish El Celler de Can Roca, among others.

The classification has been questioned, however, especially by French chefs, who consider it less rigorous than the Michelin guide.
 

© Agence France-Presse