Which are the most loved destinations to travel and eat for some of the best chefs and food writers in the world? What happened on the global restaurant scene during the past year? In which direction are we going in our dining preferences and the trends around them? To get a reliable answer to these questions we decided to end the culinary year of 2023 by compiling a Global Culinary Report. The trusted source for the Report is the Expert Community of the World of Mouth, including more than 600 invited chefs, food writers and other invited experts.
Top 10 List and Trend Report
The Culinary Report features a list of the 10 Best Culinary Destinations around the world, 5 Special Awards, and also highlights the culinary trends during 2023. The goal for the report, based on the expertise of over 600 culinary professionals, was to offer a detailed examination of the dining trends and travel habits that have characterized the past year. More important for both experts and the average consumer, was to get a clear answer to the questions that millions of food lovers in the world ask every day: where should I eat?
App Recommendations and Interviews
The base for the Culinary Report was made by compiling all the recommendation data from the World of Mouth app from 2023, by listing the cities with most Expert recommendations during 2023. In these cities, the restaurants with the most recommendations during the past year were then listed. This information was combined with both expert questionnaires and interviews, and then compiled to the Global Culinary Report. It captures the essence of various cuisines, from the precision of Tokyo's sushi chefs to the authentic flavors of Bangkok's street food scene.
Latin America and China on the Rise
The report includes interviews with several members of the World of Mouth Expert Community. Among the interviewed, Tokyo-based food writer Melinda Joe noted the rising trend of fusion cuisines: “The innovative Italian category is expanding, influenced by Japanese and French styles. Fusion cuisine is gaining popularity.” Parisian Chef Bruno Verjus from restaurant Table sees the future of fine dining in the East: “I see China becoming a leader in fine dining. They possess immense skill and dedication, and their focus on the quality of ingredients is unparalleled.” The report also includes Washington D.C. restaurant critic Tom Sietsema’s, analysis on the diversity in the U.S. dining scene: “Washington D.C. is embracing Southeast Asian cuisine, alongside a sustained interest in Mexican and South American flavors.” Steve Dolinsky, Chicago food reporter, wants to highlight L.A.: “Los Angeles is currently the most underrated U.S. food city. It's bustling with a variety of styles and has access to top-quality ingredients all year.”
Top 10 Culinary Destinations of 2023
The core of the Global Culinary Report 2023 are the compiled lists with the Top 10 Culinary Destinations in 2023. These lists are based on the 1,583 Expert recommendations that have been added to the World of Mouth during 2023. The city list is based on the cities with the most Expert recommendations during 2023 and in each city the Top 10 restaurants list is based on the most recommended restaurants during that year. The total amount of expert recommendations in the World of Mouth is currently 6,300.
The report identifies ten cities as the Top culinary destinations:
1. Copenhagen: Celebrated for Nordic innovation and chef-driven restaurants.
2. London: Showcases a blend of traditional and international cuisines.
3. New York: Offers diverse dining options, from luxury to street food.
4. Tokyo: Recognized for culinary precision and creative flair.
5. Bangkok: Known for its lively street food and sophisticated dining.
6. Paris: Mixes classic French cooking with modern innovation.
7. Dubai: Merges traditional Middle Eastern flavors with contemporary styles.
8. Barcelona: Combines rustic tapas with modern culinary approaches.
9. Berlin: Offers a mix of German traditions and global influences.
10. Stockholm: A leader in New Nordic cuisine, mixing traditional Swedish elements with modern innovation.
The Wishlist Analysis
At the end of the report, an interesting insight into dining preferences is presented through the analysis of the Wishlist-function in the World of Mouth. This section displays a clear shift towards casual and affordable dining experiences, with Paris, Rome, and Barcelona leading the trend towards more relaxed, authentic dining. The Most Wishlisted Restaurants of 2023 chosen from thousands of recommendations, with Paris seafood bistro Clamato, classic Bistrot Paul Bert in Paris and SantoPalato in Rome in the top 3-positions.
