If you want to bump into Wolfgang Puck of CUT, Spago and Cucina, head to The Fat Duck in Berkshire, UK. Although he wouldn’t take his kids or go every week, the Michelin-starred chef lists it as one of his most memorable meals. A sashimi dish served on a glass plate over a sandbox and eaten while listening to the sound of the sea on an iPod was his standout moment.
You’ll be surprised to know Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives doesn’t exclusively live off fast food. Though you’re likely to see him putting away tacos, pizzas and burgers on screen, off screen he’s thinking about the top sushi from Morimoto Napa in California.
With an incredible 21 Michelin stars between his restaurants, preparing a meal to impress French chef Alain Ducasse is no mean feat. However, a few humble spots in the food market Marché De la Condamine in his hometown of Monaco have been known to pique his interest. Find him drinking wine at Le Comptoir du Marché, snacking on swiss chard and ricotta fritters at A Roca and enjoying pasta at La Maison des Pâtes.
Renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s hotel and restaurant chain is recognised worldwide but where does the man who made miso black cod famous like to eat? While opening Nobu Miami, he and the team would head to Jamón Ibérico Pata Negra for cured meats and tapas, while Casa Tua was his go-to for a drink.
The Hell’s Kitchen star may have restaurants all over the world but the most recent place to impress Gordon Ramsay was a humble food truck called Taco Boys UK in Cornwall, England. One of their most popular tacos contains yogurt-marinated hake with raisins, flaked almonds and curried mayonnaise.
When James Beard Award nominee Edward Lee is in Louisville, Kentucky, he knows which restaurants he’s heading to besides his own (Whiskey Dry, 610 Magnolia and MilkWood). There's Royals Hot Chicken for hot chicken and “sides that shine” such as pimento cheese, bean salad and potato salad; Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint for brisket and ribs; and Decca for fresh Southern-style food.
When British cooking duo The Hairy Bikers were touring America earlier this year, Clifton’s Republic in downtown LA was the spot they chose for an after-work beer. The dimly-lit joint serves cocktails and American classics – Dave Myers reportedly opted for a fancy drink served in a coconut shell, while Si King had a pint.
Italian chef Giada De Lauentiis, who has numerous Food Network shows, loves having breakfast at Le Coucou in New York. The dish she orders is the “comme un clafoutis” – a French pancake with blueberries and crème fraîche. But if she’s in the mood for Italian, it has to be Morandi for the pasta, meatballs and arancini. The Polo Bar is Giada’s top choice for a cocktail.
Hailing from Essex, UK, British TV chef Jamie Oliver has spent much of his life in the local spots and knows a thing or two about which ones are good. He’ll be at The Company Shed, a rickety waterfront restaurant for lunch, the West Mersea Oyster Bar eating Colchester natives and Dover sole with shrimp butter, or at his parents’ pub, The Cricketers, where the vegetables come from Jamie’s garden.
Owner of New York's must-visit bakery Milk Bar, Christina Tosi has made no secret of her love for unhealthy foods, claiming she lived off hot dogs, pizza and Kraft mac and cheese when she was younger. It seems those days are not completely behind her as she posted a photo of her meal at Shake Shack, Madison Square Gardens, on social media. It featured a ShackBurger, cheese fries, a black and white shake, a purple cow float and one chocolate custard.
You probably know Samin Nosrat from her Netflix series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat where she travels to Japan, Italy, California and Mexico, but the best meal the American chef has eaten so far this year was at Rochelle Canteen in London, UK. The stylish restaurant serves a range of seasonal dishes but the highlight for Samin was the hot fluffy madeleines at the end of the meal – she said they were “magical”.
David Chang, well-known for Momofuku noodle bar and his Netflix series Ugly Delicious, has as unexpected recommendation: the oyster bar in Las Vegas' Palace Station Casino. Make like the restaurateur and order the Seafood Combo Number Two, six or seven on the spicy scale, with rice and a cold beer.
Top Chef judge and founder of Craft, Tom Colicchio loves to dine at Sqirl in Los Angeles, USA. He praised his friend Jessica Koslow’s brunch spot for its “hippie food” that’s unexpected but delicious. There’s no competition between the two either, with Jessica a guest chef at Craft’s 10-year anniversary.
Best known for his Los Angeles taco truck Kogi and passion for casual dining, Roy Choi is a fan of the French-inspired Bavette’s steakhouse in Las Vegas. Apparently it’s “the way Brendan Sodikoff can execute the classics” that keeps Roy coming back.
One of French chef Daniel Boulud’s favourite meals in 2018 was at Kaido in Miami. The glitzy Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar located in the Design District launched last year. He praised the uni fondue – a sea urchin fondue with caviar on top and lobster and squid to dip into it.
You might know Aarón Sánchez as the MasterChef judge who also owns Mexican restaurant Johnny Sánchez. But when the award-winning chef is not working, he can be found at his friend John Mooney’s restaurant Bell, Book & Candle. The West Village restaurant is located in a basement and grows many ingredients on its roof garden. For something casual, Aarón opts for Mekelburg's, a craft beer and speciality sandwich joint.
When Éric Ripert of three Michelin-starred Le Bernardin was in Singapore with chef friend José Andrés, he celebrated being in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants with a meal at Keng Eng Kee. It serves dishes like stir-fried crab, pork ribs and clay pot duck.
When he's not at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California, you might find Thomas Keller in his local Italian restaurant Oenotri – the chef is a big fan of the pizzas and salads – or Redd for Asian food. But for something fast and cheap, Keller goes for the beef burritos at the Tacos Garcia truck in the parking lot outside Pancha’s.
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is famous for his restaurants Mesa in Las Vegas, Gato in New York and Bobby’s Burger Palace chain. He put Saratoga Springs' Salt & Charcoal on the map after mentioning a dish he ate there in an episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate. It was the American Wagyu ribeye cap.
Following her latest trip to Australia, there was one Italian restaurant that stood out for famed British TV chef Nigella Lawson. She called Icebergs Dining Room, overlooking Bondi Beach, her favourite restaurant in the whole world, heaping praise on the view and posting photos of the kingfish sashimi, rock oysters and fried shrimp on social media.
One of American TV chef Rachael Ray’s favourite places to eat is Arthurs Nosh Bar, a trendy Jewish deli in Montréal. In fact, she loves it so much she recreated two of its dishes on the Rachael Ray Show: chicken schnitzel with whipped honey and lentil cabbage soup.
When in Melbourne, renowned chef Marco Pierre White has a list of restaurants he has to visit. At the classic Chinese restaurant Flower Drum, he orders the braised ox cheek, lobster with spring onion, ginger and noodles, and toffee bananas. The modern Cutler and Co serving Australian fare is another favourite and he’ll always take a seat at the back of the restaurant.
When celebrity chef Charlie Palmer finishes his shift at Aureole in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, he’s heading to Aburiya Raku in Chinatown for dinner. The Japanese charcoal grill restaurant is also a favourite of Guy Savoy, Shawn McClain, and the late Joël Robuchon. You'll see chefs ordering anything off the robata grill, the poached egg and sea urchin, and the foie gras chawanmushi.
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The man behind 2017's best restaurant in the world, Eleven Madison Park in New York, loves to eat at Elkano in Spain. At this oceanfront seafood restaurant in Getaria, Daniel Humm always orders the wood-roasted turbot – fresh delicate fish that has been cooked with care and just the right amount of salt.
Nadiya Hussain, 2015's Great British Bake Off winner, spent much of her life in York, a historic city in northeast England. What she loved the most was its tearooms, with Brew & Brownie one of her favourites. Other recommendations from the star baker include Bettys and The Hairy Fig.
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