York chef works at best restaurant in world (From York Press)

York chef Sam Miller works at highly acclaimed Noma restaurant in Copenhagen

8:38am Thursday 6th May 2010 in News By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

A CHEF from York who was voted one of the top young chefs in the country now works for the best restaurant in the world.

Fulford-born Sam Miller is the second-chef at Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, which was awarded the title of World’s Best Restaurant at a London awards ceremony last week.

Sam, 28, a former Fulford School pupil, prepares a lot of the ingredients at the restaurant, which offers modern, natural twists on classic Nordic gourmet food.

He said: “We smoke, salt, pickle and dry ingredients to preserve them, we grill and bake on slabs of basalt stone and also prepare our own vinegars.

“We also use beers and ales, fruit juices and fruit-based vinegars for a lively freshness and edge.”

Sam has worked at Noma since January last year, and has previously worked at fine dining restaurants around the world, including Alinia restaurant in Chicago, and El Bulli and Murgaritz in Spain.

The Spanish restaurants, in Barcelona and San Sebastion respectively, also appear in this year’s top five.

The San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants award saw Noma beat competition from across the globe, including celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant, and was judged by a panel of chefs, critics and restaurateurs.

Following the announcement, Noma’s online booking system was flooded by 100,000 visitors all trying to book a table at the winning restaurant.

Sam’s father, Keith, who is also a chef, said he was very proud of his son’s achievement.

He said: “To go abroad as an Englishman and win an award like this is just such a great accolade.

“I’m tremendously proud of him and the hard work he’s put in. This is just such a great reward.”

In 2004, Sam came second in the Young Chef Of The Year awards, winning £1,000 and a luxury weekend break as reward for the four-course meal he designed while working at Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham.

Sam previously worked at The Pavilion in York.