- So, where does this put us on the international scale, I hear you ask. Good question … and the answer is but a week away. In the meantime, I have clues:

The “back 50”, from the World’s 50 Best, was announced this week. As always it was greeted with controversy. I love it. Among the Aussie contingency, Brae climbed (from 87 to 65), Quay fell back (from 58 to 98) and Sepia dropped off (last year they were at 84 - and awarded "the one to watch" - read Martin having a little crack here, and re-announcing plans to close the restaurant at the end of their lease in 2018).

Singapore’s Burnt Ends (with Aussie chef Dave Pynt) came in at 70, while Tets's Waku Ghin appears to have also fallen out of the 100. Attica is the only other Australian entry in the 100 to be omitted from this back 50, but, with Shewry in NYC we can presume they are sitting pretty in the top 50 (they were 32 last year).

Of course there were also global dramas: both of Keller’s restaurants dropped out of the top 50 (after the shellacking Per Se received recently, this could be chicken or egg or truth). Plaza Athénée, L’Astrance,Mani and Le Chateaubriand also took a tumble into the back 50.

The World’s 50 Best will be announced on Monday (Tuesday morning our time) in NYC alongside the “surprise” announcement that Australia (Sydney-ish) will host next year’s awards. Hopefully this will also result in more awareness of all the amazing that is happening here ...