The team behind the World’s 50 Best, which recognizes the 50 best restaurants in the world, have announced that they are moving the 2022 restaurant awards ceremony from Moscow to London.
This decision comes after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent levying of new sanctions on those benefitting from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies. Announced via Twitter, World’s 50 Best said “At this current time, we are planning on holding the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 in London this July.” They then disabled comments on the Tweet, and refused immediate requests for comments. The announcement came just hours after Russia declared the invasion.
The annual competition is one of the most famous in the culinary community, featuring a panel of over 1,000 culinary experts and a strict and audited voting procedure. This year will be the 20th anniversary of the ceremony, which predominantly features fine-dining experiences around the world.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union, United States, and United Kingdom were among the entities to level sanctions against various Russian oligarchs and the Kremlin. These sanctions are hoped to be disruptive to Russia’s economy.
This international refusal to engage with Russia is also represented in cultural events outside of the political and culinary communities. The UEFA Champions League recently announced that the 2022 Final will occur at Stade de France in Paris, effectively stripping Russia of its hosting duties.
Despite the change in location, World’s 50 Best announced no plans to change the date or time of the competition. It is still expected to continue, just at a different location. Last year, they awarded Noma in Copenhagen with the first prize. Two restaurants from the UK (Lyle’s and the Clove Club) and two restaurants from Russia (White Rabbit and the Twins Garden) were also on the list.
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