‘El Celler de Can Roca’ is the second best restaurant in the world

London (ACN).- Catalan restaurant ‘El Celler de Can Roca’ is the second best restaurant in the world. Chef Joan Roca, who runs the restaurant in Girona with his two brothers, almost topped the list, but the prize finally went to the Danish restaurant ‘Noma’, which retained its status as the best place to eat in the world. ‘El Celler de Can Roca’ has moved up two places on the list, after coming fourth in 2010. The restaurant, which has three Michelin stars, takes the lead in Catalan cuisine following on from the trend started by Ferran Adrià’s ‘El Bulli’. ‘El Bulli’ topped the list for four years in a row; last year it came second and this year was not being evaluated as it will close this summer to open again in 2014 transformed into ‘El Bulli Foundation’.

For the first time, ‘El Bulli’ did not appear on the ‘S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants List’, as the world renowned restaurant is closing later this year. However, Catalan cuisine demonstrated, once again, its excellence and quality. “This acknowledgement shows that Catalan cuisine continues to be important to the world. They still believe in this culinary revolution initiated in Catalonia by Ferran Adrià," said Chef Joan Roca.

Roca argued that just because ‘El Bulli’ is closing its doors does not mean Catalan cuisine is going backwards. According to him, ‘El Celler de Can Roca’s recognition as the world's second best restaurant “demonstrates that this is a solid project, that there are more people” beyond Adrià. “We are saying to the world this is not the end, it continues, it is a solid project, not a bubble - and it is a serious one”, he added.

The Danish restaurant ‘Noma’ has retained its status as the world’s best restaurant. ‘Noma’ topped the list in 2010, ending ‘El Bulli’s four-year reign in the awards. In the same year, ‘El Bulli’s chef, Ferran Adrià, was designated best chef of the decade. But ‘Noma’s 33-year-old chef, Rene Redzepi, is actually one of Adrià’s disciples. His cuisine values Nordic cooking and home-grown products.

Basque gastronomy also remains prominent in the ‘50 Best Restaurants List’. The Basque restaurant, Mugaritz, came fourth while Arzak was voted eighth best place to eat in the world. Chef Juan Mari Arzak was also awarded the new ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.

The ceremony commemorated the Catalan chef Santi Santamaria, the ‘Racó de Can Fabes’ owner, who passed away last February while on a business trip in Singapore.