(Condé Nast Traveler) Trescha — Buenos Aires

Tomás Treschanski took a gamble when he opened Trescha in March 2023, with just one other fine-dining restaurant in Buenos Aires for company. But now that he has a Michelin star under his belt—and the bonus track of the Young Chef prize—it was a risk worth taking. After honing his culinary skills at 108 (Copenhagen), Frantzén (Stockholm), and Azurmendi (just outside of Bilbao), 25-year-old young gun Treschanski was sufficiently versed to create an experimental 14-course tasting menu on returning home to Argentina.

Pot Au Phở — Ho Chi Minh City

At Pot Au Phở, Vietnamese banker turned chef Peter Cuong Franklin sets new standards for Vietnam’s beloved noodle soup, his 10-course tasting menu deconstructing phở and then reassembling the iconic bone broth. Inspired by French and Japanese fare, Cuong also plays with molecular cuisine and jellied consommé, even paying tribute to French chef Paul Bocuse’s legendary black truffle VGE soup. Perhaps the most cherished dish is Mom’s mì Quảng, a traditional prawn and pork turmeric noodle soup prepared by his mother, Nguyễn Thị Như Thừa, at her Đà Lạt rice noodle shop; he was sent to the US as a child refugee, and they reconnected 30 years later. 

99 Restaurante — Santiago

It’s taken Chilean chef Kurt Schmidt three years to reopen his casual fine-dining 99 Restaurant, but a bespoke new space and finely tuned menu means it’s been worth the wait. Tucked away in buzzy gastro-hub CV Galería in upscale Vitacura, the spot offers a calming analog experience that fuses open-fire cooking, flickering candlelight, and a vinyl soundtrack. With 12 guests dining in tandem, the chef and his two-strong team prep in the open kitchen before Schmidt shares details about the nine courses. The menu expresses Chile’s diverse and lengthy terroir.

For the complete texts please visit Condé Nast Traveler, May 2024.