Success was the result of years of sacrifice.
As I sit in a small café in Paris, escaping a heat wave that has settled over much of France and much of Europe, I find myself doing what most people do while enjoying a flat white and a quiet moment: scrolling Instagram.
It’s an interesting place to be when thinking about food.
Paris remains one of the world’s great culinary capitals. A city built on centuries of technique, tradition, and innovation. A place where some of the most influential chefs in history helped shape the way we eat today.
And yet, sitting thousands of kilometres from home, the news that caught my attention wasn’t from Paris.
It was from New Orleans.
Thursday night, the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony was held there, bringing together many of the continent’s top chefs, restaurateurs and industry leaders. As the rankings were revealed, three British Columbia restaurants found themselves among North America’s elite.
At No. 17 was Published in Mount Pleasant, led by chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson and his team.
At No. 35 was AnnaLena, where chef Mike Robbins continues to push one of the most creative and compelling dining experiences in the country.
At No. 47 was Wild Blue in Whistler, led by one of Canada’s most accomplished chefs, Alex Chen.
Reading the results from a café in Paris, I felt a genuine sense of pride.
Not simply because these restaurants received recognition, but because I’ve watched parts of their journeys unfold over the years.
Success for Published and AnnaLena wasn’t accidental
I remember reading about Gus long before Published became one of North America’s most celebrated restaurants. Much of the early conversation centred around his time at Noma and the excitement surrounding this ambitious new Vancouver opening. Nearly a decade later, Published sits at No. 17 on the continent.
That didn’t happen overnight.
Neither did AnnaLena’s rise.
One of the earliest Vancouver Chefs posts I ever shared was about Mike Robbins shortly after AnnaLena opened. Even then, there was a clear sense that he was determined to carve out his own path. His food was personal, distinctive and entirely his own.
I sat down with Robbins just a few weeks ago and what struck me most was that same drive to keep improving. To keep pushing. To keep searching for excellence. Weeks later, AnnaLena was named the 35th best restaurant in North America.
Success at this level isn’t accidental.
It’s the result of years of sacrifice, consistency, and an obsession with getting better.
The same can be said for Alex Chen.
Long regarded as one of Canada’s culinary heavyweights, Chen has influenced an entire generation of chefs through both his cooking and his leadership. Many talented cooks have come through his kitchens and gone on to successful careers of their own. To see Wild Blue recognized among North America’s best feels like a fitting acknowledgement of a career built on precision, mentorship, and excellence.
Great restaurants are built over decades
What excites me most, however, is what these rankings mean beyond the individual restaurants themselves.
Having spoken with many young chefs throughout the city, I know how ambitious they are. I know how badly they want to create something meaningful. What chefs and and their teams demonstrate is that there are no shortcuts. Great restaurants are built over years, sometimes decades. The recognition comes later.
For every chef celebrating today, there are dozens more working quietly behind the scenes, refining their craft and dreaming of one day reaching the same level.
Awards like these shine a spotlight on individual restaurants, but they also shine a spotlight on Vancouver itself.
Food travellers don’t visit a city and dine at only one restaurant. They come for the experience of a destination. They visit the celebrated tasting menus, but they also discover neighbourhood sushi bars, izakayas, bakeries, wine bars, trattorias, and the independent restaurants that give a city its identity.
Recognition at the top creates curiosity about everything beneath it.
That’s how great food cities are built.
As I finish my coffee and prepare for the final days of this trip before heading home, that’s what I find myself thinking about most. The pride is real.
Not just for these three restaurants, but for what they represent.
Published, AnnaLena and Wild Blue have earned their place among North America’s best. More importantly, they’ve helped show the world that world class dining isn’t limited to New York, Chicago or Montreal.
It’s happening right here in B.C. too.
And if the momentum of the last decade is any indication, there’s plenty more to come.