The 2026 World Culinary Awards were presented on Wednesday, October 14th, with the title of “Best Restaurant in North America” going to a Canadian restaurant, while the award for “Best Chinese Restaurant in North America” went to New York.
According to the official website of the organizing committee, the World Culinary Awards were established in 2020. The competition for the 2026 Best Restaurant in North America award was highly intense, with 22 Canadian restaurants and 18 American restaurants in the running.
The winners were selected through online voting by professionals in the food industry, experts, and diners. This year, the awards ceremony was held in Jamaica.
Chef Nutcha from Thailand, along with her husband John, opened Baan Lao in the waterfront area of Steveston, British Columbia, Canada, five years ago. Their vision was to bring exquisite Thai royal cuisine to Canada and to become the top Thai restaurant in all of North America.
Not only did they achieve this goal, but their success far exceeded expectations. They not only became the best Thai restaurant in North America but also the best restaurant overall.
This achievement shattered the record of the previous six winners of the Best Restaurant in North America award, all of whom came from the United States. Previous winners included the renowned New York restaurant Le Bernardin and The French Laundry in California.
Situated in Manhattan, New York, Cherry, a sophisticated modern Chinese restaurant, has garnered much attention in the high-end dining scene in North America in recent years. Within just one year of opening, Cherry earned a Michelin star in 2024, becoming the only modern Chinese restaurant in New York City to receive this prestigious recognition. The restaurant’s mission is to create a modern and elegant Chinese dining experience.
Founder Bolun Yao stated that they aimed to break the traditional impression of Chinese cuisine, moving away from the common associations with Sichuan, Cantonese cuisines, and takeout box meals when people think of Chinese food.
The restaurant’s name, “Cherry,” is named after Bolun Yao’s grandmother, Zhang Yingtao. After obtaining a master’s degree in food studies from New York University, Bolun Yao dedicated himself to combining his grandmother’s family memories with exquisite dining experiences.
The chef’s tasting menu is priced at $150 per person, which includes approximately eight dishes.
Currently, there are only two Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants in the United States, with the other one being “Mister Jiu’s” in San Francisco. Since 2016, Mister Jiu’s has consistently maintained a Michelin star.