稍早我在opinionated about dining看到這篇由Alan Gardner所發表的文章，內容對於六月一號才公佈的全球前50最佳餐廳名單發表他的看法。
是的，排名以及獎項可以鼓勵人們上館子消費，這份名單也改變了許多餐廳的命運。Gardner本身也吃遍了全球前一百家中的59家，而我自己個人大約是20幾家。他同時也舉出這份名單的七個主要的問題：
- 這份排名來自全球972名評審，每個人僅有七張票。每位評審的票數不足，無法實際反應排名。
- 選擇偏見：每一個區域的35名投票者這中的34名投票者由區域的主席選擇，這並非一個透明的流程，主席可能選擇與自己看法類似的投票者。
- 世界各地的用餐體驗原本就不同。
- 錯誤的假設，必須是居住該地的人才瞭解該區域餐廳。
- 由於依照區域來投票本地（區域）的投票者比需投本地（區域）餐廳，即便他認為其他區域的餐廳更好。
- 前幾名不斷的重復，我們可以合理的假設並不是投票者都去過前三名，但是大多數人有機會便會傾向去嘗試前三名的餐廳。一年內有機會拜訪完前五十嗎?這的確是個問題。
- 缺乏統一的判斷標準 – 在世界不同地區的美食記者對用餐體驗有不同的標準。
「他們要求以自己的區域內表決的方式似乎有些奇怪。他們的研究方法使「跨越」區域的比較非常困難，但排名的前提卻是世界性的。紐約食客如何認為在日本用餐的狀況，反之亦然「。
~ World’s greatest statistical expert, Nate Silver of 538.com
長期以來我使用Best50來宣傳我的餐飲活動或是美食之旅，無論是對於宣傳及銷售的確有畫龍點睛的效果。而名次可以改變一家餐廳以及廚師的命運，如何能夠完善投票系統是Best50目前遇到最大的挑戰。最後以有阿根廷廚神之稱的Francis Mallmann 2013請辭Best50評審的一封信的內容作為總結。
希望在這排名的影響力日益壯大的狀況下，改善投票機制的運作，就像是電影蜘蛛俠里所說的：能力越大，責任就越大。最初設計排名的團隊可能沒有想過影響力會如此大的一天。
Buenos Aires august 29 2013
To:San Pellegrino Awards/Restaurant magazine, London
From:Francis Mallmann
Thanks so much for choosing me as one of your voting members but
I have decided not to vote any more in your awards. I have been feeling this way the last two years, and now I can’t do it anymore.
You, see I have been cooking now for 40years. As you know, cooking is a romance with produce, space, service, timing and silence. cooking is a romance with produce, space, service, timing and silenceThis runs counter to the sentiments I observe in so many of my colleagues who are so concerned with the awards that they spend the year lobbying the electorate, jetting to conferences, and, in my view, wasting precious time, and walking away from the true values of what restaurants are.
Awards created a ficticious, hyper competitive ambiance for our cooking culture.Innovation seems to be the prime value.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it has moved us away from valuing craft in pursuit or so-called art. Young chefs attempt to cross bridges, long before they should just for the sake of being, new, different and famous.
Artisan intellectual thought, and eating good food & wine has more to do with the senses and with sharing. Wine & food makes us more acute, witty,trenchant. Only then can it stimulate our thoughts and improves our communion with our peers, friends, lovers. Certainly food can be intelectual, but in amore silent, dare I say humble, way.
To be sure, I have been greatly honoured tobe number 7 on your list the first year.
It’s just that my cooking life has no links with these awards any more.
So I wish you all best and thanks again for allowing me to serve these past years in your board.
Let us break bread together,
Francis Mallmann.
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