Chef Karen Torosyan takes his Brussels restaurant Bozar to No. 42 in The 50 Best 2026
- Published
- Place
- Brussels, Belgium
- Event date
- Event date not established
Summary
Bozar restaurant in Brussels, led by Armenian-born chef Karen Torosyan, has been ranked 42nd in The 50 Best Restaurants 2026, unveiled at a ceremony in Lima, Peru. The two-Michelin-star restaurant climbed 21 places from last year, when it stood at No. 63, and is now the only Belgian restaurant in the top 50. The list is based on votes from more than 1,100 restaurant industry experts. Based for some fifteen years in the Centre for Fine Arts designed by Victor Horta, Karen Torosyan cooks demanding classic French cuisine: pâté en croûte, beef Wellington, pithiviers and lièvre à la royale. “It’s a great victory for Belgium,” he wrote, thanking his team and his wife and business partner, Nani Lee Torosyan.
Analysis
The ranking places a chef of Armenian origin among the world’s best tables without any “Armenian cuisine” on the menu: Karen Torosyan made his name through patient French techniques, such as his made-to-order mille-feuille, which took two years to perfect. For the Armenian diaspora in Western Europe, his career is a discreet but effective showcase, like those of other Armenian chefs based in France or Belgium.
Possible consequences
Bozar is at Rue Baron Horta 3 in Brussels; a ranking like this usually lengthens waiting times for reservations.
