René Redzepi, Denmark

If you've spent a minimal amount of time researching highly acclaimed restaurants, you've definitely run across the name "Noma" before. After all, it's no small feat to run the world's best restaurant three years in a row, and then again one year after the mark was missed. Redzepi set the bar for how chefs should be sourcing their ingredients. The entirety of Noma's menu is sourced within Copenhagen, and virtually all garnishes and special additions to his dishes are foraged. Redzepi is one of the most, if not the most, impressive chef who ever lived, and you should try to visit Noma at some point in your life.  

Laurent Petit, France

Petit had a bit of a difficult ride to get where he is now. He was the son of a butcher while growing up, he decided to go to culinary school, but then ultimately decided to join the military. After he finished his service, he entered the hospitality industry. By the time he was 24, he opened his own restaurant. He bounced around for a dozen years, but then settled and opened a spot with his wife in 1992. Eight years after opening their restaurant, Petit was awarded his first Michelin star. By 2018, he had three.