My first time at Frantzén was in 2012 when it was still called Frantzén/Lindeberg. Cutting edge “New Nordic” cuisine was at its peak back then, but Bjorn Frantzén was one of the few Scandinavian chefs who didn’t follows the fashionable trends religiously, instead, he always focused on what was the…

I first discovered Hoshino Resorts’ riverside Hoshinoya Kyoto a few years ago while filming “Foodies: the culinary jet set” documentary. Set in a century-old renovated villa against the backdrop of Arashiyama district’s leafy forests, this updated ryokan (guesthouse) is a haven of peace and traditional Japanese hospitality. Since then, I…

On my last trip to Japan, I had the rare opportunity to dine at été, the invitation-only restaurant owned by Natsuko Shoji, a young and talented Japanese chef. I discovered her on social media through colourful snapshots of her cakes, which are inspired by iconic fashion accessories like the quilted…

Images from my lunch at La Tour D’Argent in Paris this August. Great, classic cooking by Philippe Labbé; with a view, which is to die for! La Tour D’Argent 17 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris, FranceTel. +33 1 43 54 23 31

One of the greatest discoveries this year for me was Auberge du Père Bise. It’s very talented chef Jean Sulpice has just won Gault&Millau’s chef of the year 2018 title. Auberge du Père Bise Jean Sulpice 303 Route du Crêt, 74290 Talloires-Montmin, FranceTel. +33 4 50 60 72 01www.perebise.com/en/

Images from Etxebarri, still my number one restaurant in Europe (last visited in June 2017). The cooking style is not that rustic as it used to be and has become somehow more sophisticated (with more international staff in the kitchen). Etxebarri Plaza de San Juan, 148291 Atxondo, Bizkaia, SpainTel.: +34…

Another worth a special trip seafood temple in Andalucia. Los Marinos José Paseo Marítimo Rey de España,161, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, SpainTel. +34 952 66 10 12losmarinosjose.com

“Charlotte potato with dulse beurre blanc, herring and trout roe” was a great dish at Claire Smyth’s new restaurant Core in London. I also had scallop from Isle of Mull and “oxtail stuffed Roscoff onion and beef short rib”, which was chewy and lacked refinement. Claire Smyth is the first…

If there’s one place I keep coming back to in Paris, it’s Le Duc. Opened in 1967 by Jean Minchelli, this seafood restaurant was one of a pioneering generation of “Nouvelle Cuisine” establishments that broke with tradition by doing away with heavy sauces and long cooking times to let ingredients…

Impeccable techniques and stellar (local, whenever available) ingredients at The Ritz London.If I had to choose the best fine dining restaurants in London, it would definitely be among my top 4 at the moment. (Together with Hedone, The Ledbury and Bonhams).