When asked if former US president Barack Obama and wife Michelle had to wait long to get a reservation at Osteria Francescana-Chef Massimo Bottura's three Michelin star restaurant in Italy-the chef proudly replies, "Not just them". It is reputed to be one of the most difficult restaurants in the world to get a reservation at. This is quite the achievement for an obscure, 12-table restaurant that got its first Michelin almost by accident. When it opened in 1995, customers were few and reviews lukewarm. Six years later, one of Italy's most prominent critics happened to get stuck in the quaint, colourful town of Modena, where the restaurant is located. He decided to go in, and the rest is culinary history. Osteria Francescana got its first Michelin a year later. Slowly but steadily, it climbed up to the first rank on the World's 50 Best Restaurants twice, in 2016 and 2018, and now features in its 'best of the best' list.
This story is from the June 04, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the June 04, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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