The best chefs of the country were named in Moscow

Leading Russian chefs, sommeliers, pastry chefs, top managers and other players in the restaurant business were named in Moscow on Monday, December 2, at the "Best in the Industry" award ceremony. The award was held in the framework of the VII Forum of food industry leaders "Palm branch of the restaurant business". Laureates were determined by members of the expert council and media jury of the award "Palm branch of the restaurant business".

Also in the final of the event presented the "Top 100 new restaurant concepts in Russia 2024". This is the first stage of the national award for the best restaurant concept "Palm Branch", the list will be the basis for expert selection of 10 finalists of the "Palm Branch of the restaurant business 2025".

The best chefs were recognized Anton Kovalkov (Le Pigeon, Restaurant by Deep Fried Friends, Anchovy's Club, Moscow); Alexander Nikolaenko (Restaurant 19, Nizhny Novgorod); Giuseppe Davi (Butler, Moscow); Dmitry Golenin (Sage, Moscow); Akhmed Ohunov (BALT, Kaliningrad); Alexander Volkov-Medvedev (Ruski, Moscow).

Sommelier of the Year were Artem Samoilov (Folk Team: Padron, Folk, Amber, ENO Bistro, Anchovy's club, Moscow); Dmitry Yekhin (Vinedo, Nizhny Novgorod); Maria Karimova (Café Krasnodar and Ryotei, Krasnodar); Maxim Kochnev ("Baran-Rapan", Sochi).

Among confectioners Maria Romanova ("M&N", Moscow); Fatima Saleh (FS Consulting, HISTORIA, Moscow); Irina Lysenko (Atelier de tartelettes, Moscow) were honored with the award.

The nomination "Gastro Event of the Year" was won by "Expedition "Salt of the Earth" by Ivan Glushkov; the First All-Russian Festival of Sustainable Gastronomy O2 by Björn Restaurant, Yulia Enkova and Irina Nedosvetey; the festival "Eat! Look! Love!" Festival "Eat! Look! Love!" by Mikhail Shenstein and Maria Lobanova; gastronomic festival "Kroshevo" by Marina Antonova and Evgeny Antonov (Antonio Family), Family Dinner. Moscow Gastronomic Festival 2024 by Igor Gubernsky and Lisa Matsenko.

Also at the award ceremony the best top managers (including hotel managers), bartenders, delivery managers, PR-campaigns and interiors of the year were recognized. Special prize for the fastest growing franchise was awarded to Pro.Khinkali by Novikov restaurant; for the promotion of national cuisine" together with the project "Geography of Russia" - Nizhny Novgorod restaurant "Krasa", Nizhny Novgorod.

The awarding was preceded by a professional forum, where industry leaders spoke. The main theme this year was the restaurant business as a love story.