The World’s 50 Best Restaurants announce its 2023 Champions of Change

In the world of hospitality, the tireless efforts of countless individuals can often go unnoticed, quietly creating ripples of change in their communities. However, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, renowned for its annual celebration of the world’s top culinary establishments, turn the spotlights on some of them with the Champions of Change initiative, now in its third year.

The 2023 recipients are Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen, founder of Amal in Marrakech, Morocco, and the duo Othón Nolasco and Damián Diaz, founders of No Us Without You LA

“The scheme continues to support the powerful work of individuals effecting positive change,” explains William Drew, director of content for 50 Best. Each winner receives a financial donation to fuel their initiatives and sustain long-term progress in the restaurant and food sectors.

Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen, Morocco

Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen, the first Champion of Change for 2023, created Amal as a means to empower disadvantaged women through hospitality. Born and raised in Morocco with American heritage, Fitzgerald Belahcen opened the first Amal Centre in 2013 to train Arab women, often single mothers shunned by society, in the culinary arts and associated skills. Speaking about her work, Fitzgerald Belahcen says” “Amal helps women undergo a holistic transformation, not just professional but personal, so that they are comfortable taking up space in society.” She further expressed her delight on winning the award, stating, “The support and recognition that come with this award will help us create many more opportunities for deserving women.”

Othón Nolasco and Damián Diaz, USA

The second Champions of Change award for 2023 is conferred upon Los Angeles-based duo, Othón Nolasco and Damián Diaz. They initiated the non-profit food security project, No Us Without You LA, to support undocumented restaurant and bar workers in California. The initiative, which began feeding 30 struggling workers and their families in early 2020, now assists 700 families per month across LA County. “We are honoured that our food security program is being recognised,” Nolasco and Diaz shared. “We are proud to feed those who have fed us for years.”

The Champions of Change awards will be among the many special accolades announced leading up to the event programme for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, hosted in Valencia, Spain, this June. In this season of recognising the best in the restaurant world, it’s the individuals effecting change that truly stand out. These pioneers are not just serving great food, they are transforming lives, serving hope and crafting a brighter future for the hospitality industry.

Food Desk

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 ceremony will take place in Valencia at Les Arts Opera House on 20^th June 2023.