A selection of the chefs taking part in this year's Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle

The world's best chefs are set to swap restaurants

Who knows where Massimo, Virgilio and co. will end up cooking tomorrow, at the Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle

From Massimo Bottura’s remake of Italian cuisine to Virgilio Martinez’s use of Peruvian ecosystems and altitudes in his cookery, many of today’s best-loved chefs make the most of their surroundings. But tomorrow, for one night only, 40 of the world’s leading chefs, including Massimo and Virgilio will be crossing continents to work in another world beating restaurant, as part of the second annual Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle.

The event, which first took place last year, is the work of the gastronomic impresario and Cook It Raw co-founder Andrea Petrini. In 2015, under Petrini’s stewardship, 37 chefs, including, Magnus NilssonAlbert Adrià, Alex AtalaDaniel Patterson, and Andoni Luis Aduriz crisscrossed the globe to surprise diners with inventive menus cooked up at one another’s establishments.

 

Redzepi at Namh, Bangkok during last year's event. Image courtesy of Lara Dunston's Instagram
Redzepi at Namh, Bangkok during last year's event. Image courtesy of Lara Dunston's Instagram

Though plenty of them posted clues on social media, not one of them leaked the location they were heading to, meaning the meals served were a voyage of discovery for the diners, who booked tables without knowing who was headed where.

This year, while maintaining the same levels of secrecy Gelinaz! has upped the Shuffle to 40 chefs, including Phaidon authors Albert AdriàDan Hunter, Alex AtalaRené Redzepi, Virgilio Martinez, Daniel Burns, and Massimo Bottura. You can watch a video of Magnus Nilsson (not taking part, alas) reading out the full list, below.

 

Grand Gelinaz shuffle2

 

Some of the restaurants appear to have sold out, though hopeful diners can leaf through the bookings here. Those lucky enough to have bagged a place can gain a better understanding of the dishes likely to be served by browsing through our chefs' books here. And, if you can’t find a table, find the next best thing, by picking a place out of the latest edition of our insider gastronomic guide, Where Chefs Eat.