This year’s Diner’s Club Lifetime Achievement Award has gone to some still relatively young in his career. Heston Blumenthal – just 50 – has scored the accolade after rising the ranks from being largely self taught to becoming a molecular gastronomy whizz and British TV darling, notably helming The Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, with three and two stars apiece.

Aside from a two-week stint at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in the UK, the London-born Blumenthal has no formal training and developed his multi-sensory approach to cooking through investigation, experimentation and a single-minded vision to challenge culinary norms.

“A pioneer, an entrepreneur and a creative force, throughout his distinguished career Heston Blumenthal has challenged the way we eat and inspired a generation of chefs,” said William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.