Lee Abbamonte

My Appearance on Your World with Neil Cavuto

Lee Abbamonte — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:38:07 +0000

Here is my appearance last week on ‘Your World with Neil Cavuto’ on Fox News. I didn’t get an official clip so I just recorded it with my phone from the TV so the sound isn’t great but you can definitely hear. I had a blast on the show and want to thank Neil again for the hand written thank you letter he sent me for appearing!

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5 Awesome Things to do in Lanai

Lee Abbamonte — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:47 +0000

For some reason, it seems that many people dismiss Lanai as being boring or too small to visit. They’ve clearly never been or know anyone that has been. There are a ton of things to do in Lanai. In fact, for me, Lanai rivals Maui as the best island in the Hawaiian Islands. These 5 awesome things to do in Lanai will help explain why.

Eating

Eating on Lanai is a true treat. There are so many different types of restaurants and experiences that you could be in food heaven your whole trip in Lanai. My favorite restaurant, or actually hole in the wall shack, is the Lanai Ohana Poke Market in town just off the main square.

I literally ate here 3 times in six days on Lanai. It would have been more but I didn’t discover it until my second day and it is closed on the weekends! It is that good. You get different types of poke to choose from each day. They range from basic to spicy and a bunch on between. I couldn’t get enough.

It goes without saying that the restaurants in the two Four Seasons Lanai are fantastic. My favorite was of course Nobu in the Four Seasons Lanai Resort at Manele Bay. Nobu is a classic all over the world and the first Hawaiian addition is no exception, it’s fantastic.

I also loved the Lanai City Grille in the Hotel Lanai. They had fantastic food and great service just in the center of town. Also around town there were a few other good little places and even a great coffee shop called Coffee Works. There are no chains like Starbucks on Lanai

If you like seafood, you can’t go wrong in Lanai!

Hiking

Lanai is a really cool place because it is essentially two completely different ecosystems. Down by the Four Seasons Lanai Resort at Manele Bay it is tropical, hot and beach like. Up in town there are mountains and it gets pretty chilly at night and often cloudy and rainy. But the mountain and hills make some great outdoor activities including hiking.

My favorite hike was the Koloiki Ridge trail hike. For this hike, you leave from the Four Seasons Lanai Lodge at Koele and it takes about 45 minutes walking through some cool forest until you reach the peak, which gives you amazing views out to the sea and the gully below.

The hike is not at all challenging physically but it is a good way to see the forest and eventually some great views with a relaxing walk. The paths are well marked with numbers and there is never any doubt, which way you’re supposed to go so you can’t get lost.

The hotel asks you to alert them that you’re going just in case. However, they also say that the hike takes 3 hours round trip and that’s untrue if you’re in decent shape it shouldn’t take more than an hour and a half.

There are also some cool hikes down by the Four Seasons Lanai Resort at Manele Bay including an easy walk to Sweetheart Rock and another along the Cliffside coast up toward the golf course. Lanai is a great place to hike.

Driving

You must rent a car on Lanai. Lanai is one of the most fun places to drive I can think of. The off roading on Lanai is fantastic. There are some serious paths to take and some otherworldly scenery to see.

If you continue down past the Garden of the Gods; which is really cool in and of itself; you will come to one of the nicest beaches I have ever been on, Polihua Beach.

Polihua Beach is amazing because it is absolutely gorgeous and because it is empty. There is nothing better than having an entire beach all to yourself. The waves crashing, the rocks formations and even the incredible colors all contribute to this great beach that I couldn’t get enough of.

Another great beach to check out is shipwreck beach. The actual shipwreck is OK and there are some old petroglyphs that you can see if you can find them up a confusing path. For me though, I will always remember shipwreck beach because I got my jeep stuck in the sand!

It took about an hour of digging and the generous help of a random Australian man and his dog who happened to be driving by to get us out of the sand. It was pretty funny and makes for a great story. The moral of the story is don’t drive on the sand too close to the water or the wheels may get stuck!

Clay Pigeon Shooting

Yes seriously! For those of you who know me, you might think is weird for me to do and I must admit I had my apprehensions but sporting clay shooting with Lanai Grand Adventures was a ton of fun and I am not gonna lie, I crushed it! I didn’t think I’d hit any but I batted about .750.

Aside from shooting, the experience also includes a great ATV to drive out and you get to go off road and through some really cool territory. It’s great because you can be that much less careful than you are in a car. I highly recommend this!

Water Excursions

I did two ocean excursions with Trilogy Ocean Adventures and each was pretty good. My favorite was far and away the sunset sail; which takes you from Manele Bay to the thousand foot cliffs. It is a beautiful sail and the sunset pictures are breathtaking.

My other excursion was a morning snorkeling trip; which was OK. The water was a little rough and it wasn’t the sunniest day so the snorkeling wasn’t great. However, just the experience being out on the boat and then in the water is always good in my book! Not to mention the people that world for Trilogy are fantastic and very engaging.

So these are 5 awesome things to do in Lanai; which is definitely one of my favorite islands. I would also include golf in this list as well but I will be writing a separate post on golf in Lanai soon! Until then, aloha!

Disclaimer: I was hosted by the Lanai Visitors Bureau for this trip. I am not obligated to write about anything in this article and was not paid to write this article. All opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

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ILTM Asia 2013

Lee Abbamonte — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:07:19 +0000

ILTM Asia (International Luxury Travel Market) is where the agents and designers of luxury travel from across Asia gather to plan the luxury travel itineraries for their high-net worth clients in 2014 – from Australia to Japan, South Korea to India, Indonesia to China – over 500 in total from 20 countries across the region.

June 3-6 I will be in Shanghai as an Ambassador for this exciting luxury travel conference and marketplace. I will be staying at the gorgeous Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Shanghai and will be meeting with several of the top luxury hotel brands and luxury vendors in the Asia-Pacific region. I am very much looking forward to this and also to returning to Shanghai for the first time since 2008.

My last trip to Shanghai was a lot of fun but far too short, only two days. I recall Shanghai being one of the most visually stimulating cities I’ve seen and right up there, in terms of skyline, with New York and Hong Kong. I am looking forward to revisiting, seeing what has changed and seeing Shanghai in a much more luxurious manner. I will also be doing a broadcast for FOX News live via Skype from Shanghai. It will be fun!

After ILTM Asia, my next stop will ILTM Americas in Mexico at the end of September to see how North American and those from the emerging Latin America’s travel patterns will differ – Africa or Asia, safari or resort, adventure or gastronomy, culture or contemporary etc. Should be interesting!

Disclaimer: I am a fully hosted ambassador for ILTM Asia and ILTM Americas.

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Medjumbe Private Island

Lee Abbamonte — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:41 +0000

We all dream of a remote tropical island as a paradise of sorts. We all want that Microsoft screensaver island. We want remote, small, beautiful and a touch of luxury wouldn’t hurt either. Now no island fills that screensaver image to perfection but Medjumbe Private Island off the coast of Mozambique comes pretty close.

Medjumbe Private Island is about a 40-minute flight from the northern Mozambique city/town of Pemba in a very small Cessna.

There is a small runway built on Medjumbe Private Island for the plane; which comes and goes with the demand of the guests.

Once on Medjumbe Private Island, it is you and the island and not much else. It is pretty much intoxicating. You can’t get enough of the remoteness, the privacy, the beauty and the service.

Medjumbe Private Island has several small but luxurious bungalows. Mine had a plunge pool on the porch and a hammock. The pool was perfect for both getting sand off your feet and for jumping in quick after trying to get some color from the hot Mozambique sun.

Mozambique has long been known for beautiful islands off its coast but until this trip, I didn’t realize how much luxury was available. My last trip to Mozambique was back in 2004 when I saw a dead guy in a bus station in Maputo-the capital of Mozambique. Needless to say, this time as much better!

Medjumbe Private Island offers several activities like diving, snorkeling, fishing and spa treatments. I went snorkeling and had a nice time. The reef was fine and the fish were good but nothing too crazy.

To me, the best things about Medjumbe Private Island were the service, food (if the birds don’t get it) and staff; the views; and the sheer knowledge of where you are and how away from it all you really are.

On Medjumbe Private Island, Wi-Fi works slowly in about a 10 square foot area in the main lobby area so Internet access is very limited.

You can walk around the whole island in about 20 minutes. That is always fun and you’ll come across an old lighthouse which I loved. I have a weird thing with lighthouses because there was one in Bridgeport, Connecticut where I was born!

You’ll also come across a lot of caterpillars and then to the end of the island past the volleyball net where it is basically just a sandbar that goes in and out with the tides but where the local seabirds gather. I loved hanging out down there and running at them to get them to fly. Makes for great pictures!

Medjumbe Private Island is a great place for a getaway or a honeymoon for a few days. I was by myself and was fortunate to meet two very nice honeymooners, Owen and Lauren, who live in New York City and didn’t mind me crashing their dinners. We had a nice time and I thank them for being so cool.

Being on a private island is great, don’t get me wrong but being on a honeymoon by yourself is not ideal. Trust me, I’ve done it a few times! That said, Medjumbe Private Island is a great place to chill out and really get away from it all.

It is a great piece of the world and one I won’t soon forget.

Disclaimer: I was hosted on Medjumbe Private Island; which included hotel costs and flights. I was not paid additional compensation and in no way did that impact this story. These are my words from my experience on the island.

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African Four Corners

Lee Abbamonte — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:01:05 +0000

The African four corners is a name given to the approximate meeting place of four nations: Namibia; Zambia; Zimbabwe, and Botswana. The Caprivi Strip of Namibia; which has long been a disputed region is kind of a dividing point and a meeting point for the African four corners. It’s not a perfect point like the US version of four corners is where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah-in fact there is no actual corner. However, the name sticks and all four are easily accessible from one another.

In my opinion, the African four corners is one of the world’s great places. There is so much to see and do no matter which country you are in. From the Caprivi Strip to the Chobe River and Chobe National Park to the legendary Victoria Falls and all its adventures-the region is loaded with sites and sounds.

The only thing that can get annoying, and I mean really annoying, is going back and forth a bunch between the countries and having to deal with immigration and visa formalities depending on what passport you hold, what method of transport you have, and how long the line is.

That said with a little planning you can minimize the hassles and get the most out of your trip to the African four corners region. Here are some of the highlights from my trip.

First and foremost you must see Victoria Falls. The “Smoke that Thunders” is one of nature’s greatest creations and a true natural wonder. I have written about Victoria Falls several times before but it is worth saying again that it is awesome. Pictures and words cannot due justice what it’s like to see and experience the falls and their sheer power.

Around Victoria Falls there are a ton of adventure activities that you can do ranging from bungee jumping and white water rafting to helicopter rides and hiking. You can stay on either the Zambia side in Livingstone-where I have stayed twice before; or you can stay on the Zimbabwe side. This trip I stayed on the Zimbabwe side in Victoria Falls (the name of the town) at the Stanley & Livingstone Hotel and Private Game Reserve.

What’s special and unique about the Stanley & Livingstone is that it has a private game reserve that features the big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffaloes. The bush at the reserve is gorgeous and the hotel is equally beautiful. The pool is a nice reprieve from the African heat and simply sitting outside and listening to nature as you gaze out over the bush is priceless.

The Stanley & Livingstone is the most luxurious option in Victoria Falls but keep in mind that it is about 15 minutes out of town and totally in the bush, so you are very isolated. They are very good about transfers into town and around but it is still time consuming. That said, it is a great place to base yourself.

After seeing the falls from both sides, it is about an hour drive to the border of Botswana near Kasane, the main town and base point for the Caprivi Strip and Chobe National Park.

Once you are in Botswana, you have an option of staying in Kasane and taking river safaris in small boats but never going into Namibia-the border is the Chobe River; or simply staying on land and doing a safari in Chobe National Park.

Chobe National Park is fabulous and one of the most beautiful and unique parks in Africa. There are more elephants in Chobe than any other park in Africa and many of them congregate around the river to drink and bathe.

The other option and the one I chose was to stay on a houseboat on the Chobe River but on the Namibia side of the river. I stayed on the Zambezi Queen.

The Zambezi Queen is a big houseboat with 20 something rooms and can comfortable fit over 30 people. The accommodations are great, luxurious and comfortable. The lounge space or common space is equally comfortable. But the best thing is relaxing and taking in the scenery.

The Zambezi Queen sails up and down the Chobe River where you can spot elephants, hippos and everything else you can imagine. The landscape is amongst the worlds greatest. I could look at the Chobe for days; which is basically what you do if you stay on the Zambezi Queen. However, they also run excursions into Chobe National Park; which is great.

The only issue is you have to go through immigration on both sides of the border twice if you do that which can take some time and is certainly annoying. The border post on the Namibian side of the Chobe is particularly rough as the uphill walk has very bad footing; which affected some elderly people who were on the boat with me.

So the African four corners are typical of Africa. It’s big, beautiful, fun, exciting, frustrating and annoying all at the same time. It is one of the most beautiful parts of Africa and very safe and well touristed.

My best advice besides go immediately is to plan it out so you can minimize your time at borders and immigration and maximize your time in the African four corners region.

Note: Americans only need visas to Zimbabwe and Zambia in this region and all visas can be obtained at the border. I suggest getting a double entry Zimbabwe visa if you plan to go to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe. It will save you money and time filling out forms and answering stupid questions from the customs agents. Also, you can get a day pass visa into Zambia for $20 if you’re only going for the falls or go for free if you’re just going to see the bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Disclaimer: I was hosted by the Stanley & Livingstone Hotel and also the Zambezi Queen. I received no financial compensation from either and in no way has my opinion or what I’ve written in this article been influenced.

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Fox News Segment From South Africa

Lee Abbamonte — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Here is my live Fox News segment from South Africa yesterday morning. Don’t mind my squinting as the sun was directly in my eyes!

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A New Joburg

Lee Abbamonte — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:32:42 +0000

Johannesburg (Joburg) is a city of contrasts. This cannot be denied. The rich are really rich and live very well and the poor live poorly and often in squalor-there is no middle class. The city of Johannesburg has a terrible international reputation for crime and corruption and the Central Business District (CBD) is considered a “don’t go” zone. Much of the business and industry has moved out of Johannesburg and into the northern suburbs. However, on my recent stay in Joburg I saw a different side of both the CBD and the suburbs. It is improving and I am eager to go back again.

I remember landing in Johannesburg for the first time in January 2004 with my buddy Mike and we rented a car from the airport. We were originally going to drive into town and find a hotel to stay and then explore the city. As we entered the CBD, we were mobbed by a riot in the streets and barely made it out without damaging the car or even worse-ourselves. We headed straight up to Pretoria and for 6 weeks in Southern Africa on that trip, we never went back to Joburg except to fly out of the airport. This is a common story you’ll hear from people about Joburg.

In my seven visits to South Africa, I had never stayed more than one night in Joburg and always either by the airport or in a ritzy suburb like Sandton, Rosebank, Northcliff or Houghton. If I did stay in Joburg, it was never by choice; it was dictated by flight schedules. This trip was different though and I saw different parts of Joburg in different ways and more importantly, I saw that the CBD is improving.

The purpose of this trip I am currently on is to view and experience the luxurious properties and places in Southern Africa. However, as a traveler I want to see everything so I headed into Joburg.

I had heard wonderful things about the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein; which is just over the bridge from the CBD in Joburg. The market takes place every Saturday in an old abandoned parking garage that is multileveled. It features foods from all over the world from vendors who live in Joburg. The market is packed with everyone from the local city dwellers to people from the wealthiest suburbs. It is a real social thing.

I couldn’t stop eating empanadas from Argentina and nachos from Mexico along with local game burgers and steaks. Of course there is also a bar plus a lot of wine. It is a great way to spend a few hours of your Saturday and it helps you to see Joburg from a different light than you would expect.

Not far from the market is the Wits Museum. It is a fabulous gallery that features African art and exhibits. I went with my host, Mark from the Munro Hotel, who is a native of Joburg and also used to own a few of the paintings on display. The museum itself could have been in any major city in the world. It was top notch and very interesting and I am not a museum guy.

Mark and I then drove in his Rolls Royce into the CBD to go to view the Apartheid Museum. A funny thing happened along the way though. All the roads were closed for a festival concert for Freedom Day in South Africa. The whole downtown had been transformed into a giant concert venue to go off that night. We didn’t get a chance to stick around for the show but it was starting to fill up as we drove through.

The museums and the concerts aside, what I saw in the CBD and of Joburg proper was that it was much nicer than it was almost 10 years ago. Stores had opened and storefronts had been refurbished. There were parts that looked like any decent city. Don’t get me wrong though. Joburg is still unsafe at night and is not the most scenic place but it is improving and it has a lot of potential. Mark put it best when he said; “Joburg looks like a major US industrial city like Baltimore or Cleveland in the 1970’s…the difference is Joburg hasn’t changed.”

Back in the suburbs, I actually stayed in a few different places in Joburg. My favorite was in Houghton at the Munro Hotel. It is a small piece of paradise overlooking Joburg below. I really mean that, the place was amazing. It was straight out of Versailles with a modern touch. The owner Mark and his staff were so wonderful that I couldn’t recommend a place to stay in Joburg higher and after watching this video, you will see why.

I also stayed in Northcliff for the first time at a place called Morrell’s and I really liked that as well. There are two properties across the street from one another. One is a farmhouse and one is the manor house; which is where I stayed. The ironic thing was Mark’s family (from the Hotel Munro) used to own the manor house that Morrell’s bought and now use as another hotel. It’s funny how these things work in a community like Joburg.

Both properties were stellar and I hope to go back to each place next time I am in Joburg.

Obviously, there are many nice suburbs and hotels in Joburg but I prefer the boutique luxury hotels that really cater to you and add little touches that make the stay so much more personal. Big city hotels are OK in certain cities. But in a place like Joburg, with so much history and strife, it is nice to meet locals whose families have lived there for generations and in fact helped build Joburg into what it is today. I am grateful for the experience.

I am grateful for being able to have experienced Johannesburg in a way that I never had before. It was cool to see different types of small boutique hotels doing their part as well. For instance, the delightful Peech Hotel focuses on sustainable, environmentally friendly luxury-the bistro isn’t too bad either. That said, those 4 days changed my opinion of the city in general and gave me hope for its continued renaissance.

I will actually be spending another two nights in different areas of Joburg before I leave South Africa this trip. I just hope the experiences to come can give me as much insight and perspective as I’ve gotten thus far.

Disclaimer: I was comped my nights at the Munro Hotel, Morrels Hotel and the Peech Hotel. This did not influenced my article in way and I was not obliged to mention them at all. The hotels were mentioned because they added to my stay and I feel they should be mentioned and/or recommended. I received no financial compensation from them for writing this article.

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South African Wine and Surf in Hermanus

Lee Abbamonte — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:10:19 +0000

Hermanus is located about 115km southeast of Cape Town and seems a world away. The mountains and hills above Hermanus and the cliffs and sea below give it a relaxed feel and a vibe that says, “chill out”. I had never heard of Hermanus until recently and was excited to go. Between the wine country surrounding it, the gorgeous beaches, walks and the amazing accommodation, I was not disappointed.

The drive from Cape Town took me out toward Hermanus through some of the most beautiful mountainside scenery in the world. The Western Cape really is Gods country. Before heading into town I stopped for a wine pairing and tasting at Creation Wines.

Creation is set on a beautiful piece of land about 10km or so away from Hermanus proper. There are several wine farms or vineyards in the area and Creation is amongst the most beautiful. I must’ve spent 3 hours tasting and pairing wines with delicious foods. I recommend the blends. I have done many tastings around the world and this was as informative as any I have done, especially with the expert guidance of owner Carolyn Martin.

Hermanus town is a seaside town of about 80,000 people and is known mainly for whale watching, beaches, retirement and a golf course. I didn’t get a chance to play golf nor am I retiring there but I did get to experience the rest of what Hermanus had to offer.

I stayed at Birkenhead House; which is right on the cliffs overlooking the sea below. The views are spectacular as you can see. The hotel itself is a boutique luxury masterpiece in a brilliant location.

Details inside the hotel and rooms are perfect and obviously no expense was spared in creating the relaxed atmosphere with a Mediterranean vibe. One of the rooms actually has a Roman bath as a shower.

From the hotel, it is easy access to the famous whale walk along the beach and cliffs. It lends excellent views of the mist from the sea and even better, the amazing sunsets that engulf Hermanus. I was blown away by how gorgeous the sunset was and couldn’t stop staring or taking photos. I have spared you my whole roll and only posted a few!

As I mentioned, Hermanus is amongst the best places to see whales from June to December. We didn’t see any, but the owner of the hotel did mention he saw some orcas in the sea recently and the whales will be coming.

The town of Hermanus has a nice little town center; which has everything you need. There are plenty of restaurants, shops and places to walk around to keep you busy for a few days. However, the scenery is why you go to Hermanus.

To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite shows, Seinfeld, “It is real and it is spectacular”. I think that’s a great way to summarize Hermanus, South Africa!

Disclaimer: I was comped my stay at Birkenhead House and the wine pairing at Creation Wines. In no way has this influenced my opinion expressed in this article. I received no financial compensation from Birkenhead House or Creation Wines and I was not obligated to write this article or even mention them.

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The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013 Recap

Lee Abbamonte — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:20:18 +0000

The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013 ceremony happened last night at Guildhall in London. There was a lot of drama and hype surrounding the list this year and I think the list is quite interesting. There are some new entries and some from last year have disappeared. In my view, more importantly, there are more entries from developing nations.

The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013 were sponsored by Diners Club International; which proclaims, “If you believe culture can be tasted, you belong.” The top 50 list is a reflection of the finest dining establishments in the World and is selected by The Diners Club Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Academy, comprised of more than 900 leading chefs, food journalists and gourmands around the world.

The night went off without a hitch. I was following the events here in Southern Africa and only wish I could have been at such a unique event.

I was really happy to see El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain reach lofty heights as the best restaurant in the world. I ate there last fall and the food was obviously delicious. Noma in Copenhagen didn’t fall much from last year, only down to #2 on the list and most surprisingly to me was Eleven Madison Park in New York City ranked in at #5 on the list and as the top American restaurant.

This year 37 of the 50 restaurants were from Europe, America and Japan; which is down from 42 last year. It is nice to see some more recognition going to developing nations like Peru, Mexico and Brazil. I was also pleased to see Hong Kong and Australia both had two restaurants that made the list.

Then of course there was Alain Ducasse, who received a lifetime achievement award for innovation in French cuisine and indisputable influence over today’s generation of chefs and restaurateurs around the globe.

Alain accepted the award with humility, graciously stating, “My first thought goes to Paul Bocuse, this award’s very first recipient. Through him, I also think of the generations of chefs who have preceded me and to whom I feel the heir and successor. At the same time, I still feel like a young man and remain much more interested by the work to be done than by that already accomplished.”

So now that there is a new worlds 50 best restaurants 2013 list, I am going to start planning my trips around where I want to eat. This list gives me something to shoot for as well. A few of the restaurants from the 2012 list that I had been to have dropped off this year so I have some new work to do!

What are your thoughts on the list? How many have you been to? What’s your favorite restaurant?

Disclaimer: I did receive financial compensation for writing this article. All words and opinions are mine and written by me.

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The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013

Lee Abbamonte — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 05:22:57 +0000

One of my favorite things about traveling is eating. Eating all types of foods in all types of places, from fine dining to street stalls. However I admit, one of my biggest passions is eating in fine dining restaurants. I often mention restaurants I eat in around the world in my writing and consider myself a foodie.

Living in New York City, I have been to some of the worlds best restaurants right in my own town and through travel I have been to many others around the globe. Tomorrow, The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013 will be announced at Guildhall in London. I can’t wait to see the results!

The top 50 list; sponsored by Diners Club International; which proclaims “If you believe culture can be tasted, you belong”; is a reflection of the finest dining establishments in the world and is selected by The Diners Club Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Academy, comprised of more than 900 leading chefs, food journalists and gourmands around the world.

The 2012 top 50 list featured 11 restaurants that I have eaten in from all over the world. While I agree that they were all fabulous, I do disagree with some of the ranking order based on my own experiences. But that’s what fun about a rankings list! Everyone can have their own opinion and it draws attention to the restaurants ranked. We all have our favorites, and from the 2012 list, my favorites are Per Se in New York and Le Chateaubriand in Paris.

I am fortunate to have met some celebrity chefs over the past few years and even played in a celebrity golf tournament with one of them. Chefs are an interesting breed and fascinating to me. They live and breathe food and their passion shines through-especially at the top level.

At The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013 tomorrow, a lifetime achievement award will be given to Alain Ducasse. I have never met Alain but I have eaten in several of his restaurants in three different countries and each one has been better than the last.

The award acknowledges Ducasse’s reputation for innovation in French cuisine (my favorite) and indisputable influence over today’s generation of chefs and restaurateurs around the globe.

I really wish I could attend the awards tomorrow in London but I will be paying close attention from here in South Africa. While the 2012 list was top heavy with 42 of the 50 restaurants coming from America, Europe and Japan; I am interested to see what new names make the list and perhaps some restaurants from lesser-known countries. Some of my favorite culinary experiences come from some of the most unexpected places!

But again, that’s what’s fun about a list. It gets everyone talking and everyone has an opinion! What’s your favorite?

Disclaimer: I did receive financial compensation for this post. Everything stated in the article is completely true and are my words but I was paid to write this and post this on my site.

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