CIM NEWS MAGAZINE Issue 7 2016 | Page 33

MELBOURNE From left: Chefs Ben Shewry (Attica) and Dan Hunter (Brae); Melbourne city night lights. Melbourne on a plate Melbourne’s reputation as a gourmet destination is reaping dividends as it prepares to welcome the world’s best chefs in 2017. A tale of two cities. While Sydney is rightly or wrongly getting a reputation as a city where you can’t get a drink after you put the kids to bed, Melbourne is cementing its reputation as the nation’s top dining and drinking capital. A city where you can grab a meal or drink any time you like. A case of lights out vs bon appetit. Melbourne’s gourmet credentials were given another boost when it was picked to host the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards in 2017. This flagship event, which is being held at Royal Exhibition Building on April 5, marks only the second time the event has been held outside London, following a successful edition in New York last year. The World's 50 Best Restaurants has partnered with Tourism Australia to bring the series to Melbourne next year, where worldleading chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, media and influencers will gather to celebrate the very best in global gastronomy. Events, Philip Dalidakis, welcomed the news. The World's 50 Best Restaurants is the ultimate annual gastronomic gathering, with chefs and restaurateurs from across the planet coming together to celebrate and collaborate. “Melbourne's food, bar and coffee culture has a depth and diversity that is second to none,” he says. “Our talent is pioneering, and our natural landscapes and urban centres provide the backdrop to outstanding culinary experiences." “After