jayrayner

I was a judge, indeed chair of the UK panel, for what it's worth. I'll say here what I'll be saying at the meeting of regional chairs tonight (ahead of the event). If we attempt to portray this list in any way as the final word we will get slapped in the face and be entirely deserving of such. It's a list and we all love those. The international panel of 800 or so judges is not without authority. It is a way of taking the temperature of the high end restaurant scene which, once a year, encourages the media to discuss the subject. The actual ranking within the 50 is fun, on an ego by ego basis, but not really that important. It's greatest endorsment: the extraordinary number of the world's leading chefs, who like the event and make the effort and time to get to London for it. Is it flawed? Absolutely. All such exercises are. I haven't, as I type, seen this years list but I hope that our efforts to deal with some of the problems have addressed the exclusion of Japanese restaurants. Then again the exclusivity of high end Japanese restaurants, which often shades into nothing short of racist - if you're not Japanese you can't get in - is always going to make it tough to represent them fully. And frankly, i don't care how good they are. I find those entry requirements obnoxious. As far as I'm concerned they can fuck off. Really. And so now there will be lots of arguing and shouting, and a great big piss up and a lot of back slapping. And what is wrong with that?

I'm a newspaperman at heart, and to spend time with the man who edited the biggest selling daily paper in Britain for ten years was bound never to be less than interesting. Plus it was intriguing to watch him be genuinely converted.

I once calculated the Wolesely was raising £350,000 plus a year from theirs. A small sum per person, but...

it remains where it is.

My understanding is that, at the moment no one knows for certain when Wareing's restaurant will be up and running, and that extends unto November. there were always bound to be big legal issues to solve and so it has proved...

Difficult to say. From chatting yesterday, I know a number of front of house are going to another venture in Sloane Square. I agree, Racine is great. I just hope that the 'new' Racine will be as good. Cheers, H ← There is every reason to think the new Racine will indeed be just as good as the old, and better than it's most recent incarnation. Why? Because the new boss is, er, the old one. Henry Harris has departed his full time role with Soho House (though will doubtless continue to be involved) and now has his old restaurant back. Expect a relaunch later in the summer/ early Autumn. but for anyone who loves London restaurants this has to be good news.

There's one way to find out and I'll do so tomorrow.

ALmost certainly not. Bumped into James Nathan at an event and he said he was considering taking a stage at Le Gavroche. I told him he'd be insane not to do it. Clearly he's not insane.

Mine are rather well documented (what do you mean you haven't bought a copy yet?) still... £250 for one at a sushi joint in Tokyo. an 855 euro bill for two at l'arpege, the majority of that being the 340 euro a head tasting menu. and no, it wasn't worth it.

No attempt was made to check the restaurants. The first Mark Askew knew about it was after the fact when he got a call from within GRH warning him he might get a few media enquiries.

Nice spot, Gary. Column on just this subject on Sunday

To accuse other people of 'ludicrous self-importance' for commenting on a list called the 50 best restaurants in the world is an impressive degree of hypocrisy. And then just to cap it you seem to be simultaneously arguing that the purpose is to provoke debate and then complaining about said debate. Get a grip. ← Agreed. Taking over ownership of Locatelli's wig seems to have gone to his head in more ways than one. S ← Locatelli's cut his hair. I think he doesn't want to be mistaken for me anymore. And yes, I was the chair of the UK panel. Have also written two posts on it over at Word of Mouth, which point up all the issues and also, as I say, point out that the list is just the compilation of various opinions on a grand scale. It's interesting. It's a debating point. The end of western civilisation, or proof of some awful conspiracy to warp the public perception of restaurants, it most certainly ain't.

I am not surprised if most of the members haven’t even been to more than 10 restaurants on that list! ← I think it's fair to speculate that no one has eaten at more than 10 of these 100 top places (even in France) and like the Academy Awards there's much buzz/substance or like the Michelin, one person only has a visit every 2-5 years. Does one trust Newsweek's rating of colleges or (name a city)'s list of "Best Docs"? The science here is shaky; it's a popularity/reputation poll, no more no less. Look this is just food, just entertainment, just fun. Except for the poor restaurateurs who count on the ratings. ← For what it's worth I've visited 16 of the top 50. And it isn't worth very much. I agree with the rest of your post. It's a list. 700 or so voters. 3,500 votes. a bunch of restaurants and then the arguments start. Even if you had the most rigorous voting system ever devised by man or beast the list still wouldn't be definitive. The over-blown, ludicrous self-importance of people whinging here is frankly breath taking. Get a grip.

very similar ← Yes indeed. Extra-ordinarily similar. An identical twin. Some people!

Do you know how bloody hard it is to look nonchalant while tensing like that? It's a killer I tell you, a killer. As I said in the piece, it was not my idea to write it, but the same team that edits OFM edits OW and therefore are obsessed with body image. They nagged me and nagged me and eventually I gave in. Prose wise I did want to avoid the self-congratulatory, because that feeds off the victim mentality. It weren't me what made me fat, it was them buns. Well no, actually it was what you ate. As to the photograph, once I'd agreed to write about it there were no half measures. I wanted a picture I could look back on when I'm 65 and it's all gone south and say there was a point, dear boy, when you were okay. The trick was to find the right balance of vanity and diffidence. As to Tim 'where are my teeth' Hayward. Nice argument, but if you too were staring 21 stone in the face you would decide to do something about it. No Jungian analysis necessary.

Dropped into D'arblay street Bodean's for solo lunch as is my low-carb want these days. Half slab of spare ribs were actually better than I remember, not least down to a good layer of fat. Andre, one of the founders, was there, spotted me and insisted I try something new for the menu, which is to say: beef short rib (or Jacob's ladder, as it's known here). Boy was it good, tender, rich, full of flavour. The best thing I've tried there. Andre is talking about serving four of these beauties for somewhere in the mid teens; high by Bodean's standards but seriously bloody worth it for anybody who likes their cue. Suggest that, for now, if you want to try it you call in advance and check they have em. These mothers require serious time in the pit. Further reports welcomed.

The Crab House Ferry Bridge, Portland Road, Weymouth Dorset 01305 788867 At the risk of sounding like a B52, this crab shack is a little old place.... well actually it's a newish Terrapin hut on an industrial estate just past the commercial dock in Weymouth but that doesn't scan It also does blindingly fresh fish, minimally mucked with and has been well reviewed by inter alia, our own Jay R.. It's by far and away my favourite place on that entire stretch of coast even if it is rather distressingly 'real'. ← And, ooh, a really irritating 45 minute drive from Swanage.

Gosh. Restaurant in Croydon. Now that really is worth knowing about. Both you and I know exactly how big a piece of news that is. Thank you.

Well done. Le Grand Vefour. And no, andy not Jerusalem; globe. the one I was served was split. There's nothing like a great three star. and that was nothing... over to you.

THis is not one I remember fondly, eaten in September of last year, outside the UK. Top marks to anyone who does it without recourse to that nice Mr Google. Or an advance copy of my new book. crayfish en gelee with caviar oxtail parmentier artichoke creme brulee (yes, really)

going on the madelines and fruit and the egg nog I would say l'astrance, which makes the missing dish the mushroom foie gras thing.

Here to serve, sir.

Finally catches breath. Here's the link to the Word of Mouth post. http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2008/01/n..._announced.html

got it right, thank god. and yes, it was west stoke house at chichester. more on word of mouth soon j

No new two or three stars. One stars London Wild Honey La Trompette Quillon Rhodes W1 Outside London The Goose West grove House Apicius Nathan Outlaw Sportsman