The Best Chefs Awards guide has released its annual ranking of the most talented chefs in the world, and Belgium has excelled in 2025 with no fewer than 12 Belgians among the winners.
Every year, the Best Chefs Awards guide unveils its ranking of the world's best chefs. The 2025 winners were recently announced at a ceremony in the Italian city of Milan, So Soir reports, and among them were 12 Belgian chefs. Instead of giving out Michelin stars to the best in the business, this guide awards knives, with the highest award being three knives.
One Belgian chef stood out in particular at the ceremony: Tim Boury from the Boury restaurant in Roeselare (West Flanders) received three knives, representing the highest level of culinary mastery.
Boury is one of just two establishments in Belgium with three Michelin stars and was also featured in La Liste's 2025 ranking of the world's best restaurants, considered the global benchmark for gastronomy.
Tim Boury, one of the best chefs in the world. Credit: Boury
Eleven other Belgian chefs were also praised for their culinary talents. The chefs who received two knives were Gert de Mangeleer of Hertog Jan at Botanic (Antwerp); Willem Hiele from the restaurant of the same name (Oudenburg); San Degeimbre of L'Air du temps (Liernu); and Viki Geunes from Zilte (Antwerp).
Several Belgian chefs also received one knife: Christophe Hardiquest for Menssa (Woluwe-Saint-Pierre); Nicolas de Cloedt and Caroline Baerten from Humus x Hortense (Ixelles); David Martin from La Paix restaurant (Anderlecht); Kobe Desramaults from Eliane Restaurant (City of Brussels); Benoit Dewitte for Benoit & Bernard Dewitte (Ouwegem); and Floris Van Der Veken from Hof van Cleve (Kruisem).
Who is the best chef in the world?
Rasmus Munk from Denmark was crowned best chef in the world during the ceremony. Munk works at the immersive and provocative Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen, which offers a true sensory experience. This is the second year in a row that he has won the prestigious title, confirming his status as one of the most visionary chefs in the world today. The jury praised Munk's prowess in "fusing science, art, and theatre to transform dining into an immersive experience".
Second place went to Ana Roš of the Hiša Franko restaurant in Slovenia, for "bringing bold flavours and Slovenian terroir to life through daring tasting menus that combine culinary heritage and international influences," the jury said, adding that her cuisine had "put Slovenia on the global gastronomic map".
Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Studio in Dubai completed the top three. The judges said that Saini "reinvents Indian cuisine at Trèsind Studio with modern precision and a deep respect for tradition. His distinction highlights the growing place of the Emirates on the global gastronomic scene".
Other special prizes were awarded, such as the Best Pastry Chef prize, which went to Pía Salazar of Nuema, a restaurant located in Quito (Ecuador); the Best Creativity prize, which went to Jason Liu of Ling Long restaurant in Shanghai (China), and the Best New Generation Chef prize, won by Sebastian Jiménez, head chef at Ræst, in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
