The awards ceremony for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026, one of the biggest events in the restaurant industry, was held on the evening of March 25th at the Kerry Hotel in Hong Kong.

Ten Japanese restaurants ranked between 51st and 100th place.

"Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" is the Asian version of "The World's 50 Best Restaurants." This is the first time it has been held in Hong Kong, known as a culinary capital. Approximately 900 people gathered, including chefs who made it into the top 100, food industry professionals, and media representatives. Asia's largest food event, in true Chinese style, began with a spectacular lion dance.

The restaurants ranked from 51st to 100th have already been announced (details to follow), and with 10 Japanese restaurants included, expectations from the Japanese contingent were naturally very high.

The Japanese chefs who had been notified by the organizing committee that they would be ranked within the top 50 had also arrived in Hong Kong in advance, and Team Japan was in high spirits with a series of celebratory feasts leading up to the competition. I also participated in these drinking parties, and the atmosphere was most enjoyable just before the competition, when the rankings would be announced.

Hong Kong's "The Chairman" takes the No. 1 spot.

Now, let's get to the announcement we've all been waiting for.

The crown went to "The Chairman" from Hong Kong, marking its second time as Asia's No. 1 since 2021. Second place went to "Wing," also from Hong Kong, and third place went to "Gaggan" from Bangkok.

In other words, the top three players in 2025—Gaggan (1st), The Chairman (2nd), and Wing (3rd)—have swapped places in the rankings.

Japan misses out on a top 10 finish for the first time.

As for Team Japan, for the first time in this awards, which began in 2013, they failed to make it into the top 10. Furthermore, Japan's top team came in 13th place. This result came as a great shock to the media representatives who had traveled from Japan. Indeed, the chefs themselves were equally disappointed.

While this may be the result of a popularity vote by the board of directors, I'm not trying to be biased, but it's certainly unusual for Japanese restaurants to be so poorly rated.

After "NARISAWA" took first place in the first edition, "Den" and "Cezanne" both took first place, and the memory of a year in which Japan achieved a one-two finish is still fresh, making them regulars in the top 10. Incidentally, last year's top finishers were 4th "Cezanne", 8th "La Cime", 12th "NARISAWA", 17th "Florilège", and 22nd "Den".

This is a list of Japanese restaurants for the 2026 fiscal year.

13th place: "La Cime" (Osaka)

16th place: "Cezanne" (Tokyo)

21st place “Chazenka” (Tokyo)

28th place: "Masu" (Tokyo)

31st place: Florilège (Tokyo)

33rd place: "Meijaku" (Tokyo)

34th place: "Crony" (Tokyo)

37th place: "NARISAWA" (Tokyo)

Only eight restaurants made the list, three fewer than the eleven from last year. This decrease in the number of restaurants also shocked those involved. Incidentally, these eight restaurants were also in the top 50 last year.

Remarkable progress in the Chinese-speaking world

In contrast, the country that has made remarkable progress is China, including Hong Kong and Macau. In general terms, this is similar to the image of South Korea, which made great strides last year. Both countries share the commonality of being host nations.

Furthermore, since the selection process is not revealed, it's only natural to want to find out the reason behind it. However, the answer was easily guessable.

The voting rights are held by over 350 council members residing in the Asian region. This council is divided into seven chapters: India and the Subcontinent, Southern Southeast Asia, Northern Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, Mainland China, South Korea, and Japan.

Of these, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and mainland China account for two-sevenths of the organization, although the exact number of members is unknown. If we also include the Chinese diaspora in Singapore, it is natural that the votes of council members who share the same culinary sphere of Chinese cuisine would be concentrated in the Chinese culinary region. In fact, it has been reported that mainland China has gained another council chairperson.

The "masterful" performances of "The Chairman" and "Wing"

Nevertheless, I must mention the "exceptional techniques" of both restaurants that took first and second place this year.

Danny Yip, who has led "The Chairman" for 17 years, has long been called an "innovator of Cantonese cuisine." The average age of his kitchen staff is 52, and some have been with the restaurant for 17 years, so he jokingly referred to them as the "Vintage Team," drawing laughter from the awards ceremony. The skills of these individuals are extraordinary.

This restaurant uses absolutely no chemical seasonings, which are readily used in many Chinese restaurants. Homemade seasonings, fermented seasonings, and preserved foods are used instead.

Furthermore, for example, the person in charge of fish uses a stopwatch to measure the steaming time. Moreover, they even take into account the time it takes for the fish to heat up from the kitchen to the dining area. This is because Hong Kongers are particularly strict about how fish is cooked, and they will dismiss any slightly tough flesh with a single sigh, saying, "Overcooked fish is like the sole of a shoe." This is just one example, but the cuisine at "The Chairman" is built upon such meticulous strictness.

Furthermore, Vicky Chen, who leads "Wing," is in no way inferior to Danny Yip in terms of innovation. Her research and dedication extend to the eight major cuisines and ingredients of mainland China. However, mainland Chinese cuisine is not limited to the eight major cuisines; if you delve into the details, a vast and boundless culinary world unfolds. Having experienced and learned all of this, she never forgets to apply an exquisitely modern finish. This was mentioned in a column two years ago (We enjoyed innovative Chinese cuisine at Hong Kong's WING, which is rising in the rankings of Asia's 50 Best RestaurantsI wrote about it in [another publication], so I recommend you take a look.

Analyzing Team Japan's results

Team Japanの8軒に話を戻す。昨年から順位を下げたのは、「セザン」（4位→16位）、「ラ シーム」（8位→13位）、「NARISAWA」（12位→37位）、「フロリレージュ」（17位→31位）、「クローニー」（30位→32位）の５軒だ。

Conversely, the three establishments that moved up in the rankings were "Chazenka" (34th → 21st), "Masu" (43rd → 28th), and "Meijaku" (45th → 33rd).

Furthermore, the three restaurants that dropped from being in the top 50 last year are "Den" (22nd → 51st), "Sushi Saito" (33rd → 72nd), and "Goh" (36th → 60th), all of which fell out of the top 50.

Overall, eight of the eleven restaurants that ranked in the top 50 last year have dropped in the rankings. To be honest, I find this puzzling and mysterious.

The Japanese players ranked 51st to 100th show promise.

We should also take a look at the shops that ranked from 51st to 100th place.

51st place Den (Tokyo)

60th place Goh (Fukuoka)

63rd place: Sushi Shunji (Tokyo)

72nd place: Sushi Saito (Tokyo)

76th place: Cenci (Kyoto)

81st place: Villa Aida (Wakayama)

82nd place: Kataori (Kanazawa)

92nd place: Respiracion (Kanazawa)

93rd place: Dewaya (Nishikawa Town, Yamagata Prefecture)

97th place: Revo (Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture)

Of these, four are new entries: "Sushi Shunji," "Kataori," "Respiracion," and "Dewaya." Three of these restaurants are located in regional areas outside of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, which is quite surprising.

Simply put, this shows that non-Japanese council members have visited even the most remote corners of the country and given high praise. It is also evidence that the 50 Best list itself has entered a very interesting phase.

A perspective focused on the diversity of cuisine

In fact, this year has made it clear that the focus on culinary diversity is a theme that runs through the entire list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. This may be partly due to the influence of Takefumi Hamada, the world's number one foodie, who became the chairman of the Japanese judging panel for the 50 Best Restaurants last year.

Of course, when looking at the rankings by city, it's undeniable that Asia's leading "gastronomic metropolises" continue to dominate. Bangkok has the most entries with nine restaurants, followed by Tokyo with seven, and Hong Kong, Seoul, and Singapore with six each.

Until now, it was common knowledge that fine dining thrived in large cities where money was squandered. However, with the flourishing of ingredients and food cultures unique to regional areas, dining in regional cities is increasingly attracting attention. The sudden appearance of "Kataori" (Kanazawa) and "Dewaya" (Kawanishi-cho, Yamagata Prefecture), which are famous within Japan but ranked 82nd and 98th respectively on the world stage, is a striking example of this trend.

Across Asia, outside of major culinary cities, Hangzhou (China)'s "Ru Yuan" was the highest-ranking newcomer to the list, coming in at 10th place, while Ardika Dwita of Jakarta's "August" (42nd place) won the Best Pastry Chef award. Other notable entries from less-traveled areas compared to major cities include "Na" in Kasauri (India) (30th place), "O Jardin" in Penang (Malaysia) (39th place), and "Locavor NXT" in Ubud (Indonesia) (44th place).

The inclusion of such restaurants in the rankings suggests an intention on the part of the organizing committee, going beyond a simple verdict, and likely reflects their desire to value diversity.

Five chefs attracting attention in Asia

The events related to "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" culminated in an awards ceremony announcing the top 50 restaurants, but other events included "#50BestTalks," a talk forum delving into important themes in the gastronomy and hospitality industries, and "50 Best Signature Sessions," a dining event featuring collaborations between chefs on the top 50 list and local chefs.

From among these events, I would like to introduce "Meet the Chefs," a media event where leading food figures from Asia share their valuable perspectives.

This event allows the media to directly interact with five chefs selected by the Best 50 Secretariat, and it's worth paying attention to, as many of them move up in the rankings the following year.

I will introduce three out of the five.

First up are sisters Chudali "Tham" Devhakam and Pantira "Toey" Devhakam, who run "Baan Thepha" in Bangkok (ranked 52nd). This restaurant is known for its innovative gastronomy rooted in Thai food culture, local ingredients, and sustainable food systems.

I also visited this restaurant and was surprised to find that it has a vast property in Bangkok where they cultivate vegetables and numerous herbs. Mr. Tam said, "The soil is very important, and we make it a point to grow Thai vegetables and herbs without using pesticides. Of course, we cherish traditional Thai cuisine, but we also incorporate points that excite us from our travels around the world into our dishes. I think the most important element in cooking is 'aroma'."

"I never look at other people's cooking," says Mr. Lai.

The second person is David Lai, founder and chef of Hong Kong's "Neighborhood" (ranked 24th). He says, "Ten years ago I stopped looking at cookbooks and stopped looking at other people's cooking altogether. Because that would make me lose my own style." What he aims for is, "Above all, to translate the emotions that arise when I look at the ingredients into my cooking." His words are not self-serving, but are supported by many guests.

The third person is Jimmy Lim Tian Yau, owner-chef of "JL Studio" (ranked 50th) in Taichung. Originally from Singapore, he is making Singaporean cuisine in Taiwan. Interestingly, he said, "I was thinking of serving French cuisine using local ingredients, but two weeks before opening the restaurant, I changed my mind and decided to serve Singaporean cuisine after all." The important thing is for him to take his time and let things ferment. His goal is "how to incorporate the history and culture of Singaporean cuisine into the flavors." He will be showcasing this at his new restaurant as it relocates.

In this age of Instagram dominance, it's undeniable that the trend of similarity among fine dining restaurants worldwide is only accelerating. The superficial techniques of scattering edible flowers or painting sauces onto plates will likely continue to increase. These are far removed from the essential aspects of cooking. In this context, David Lai's statement of breaking away from Instagram is refreshing, and the fact that he was ranked 24th in "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" can be attributed to the awards itself.

Text: Toshizumi Ishibashi (former editor-in-chief of Claire and Claire Traveler)