Originally Posted by Charlatan

In the course of my job I have either screened documentaries about many of these restaurants or restaurateurs. I have also met a few of the chefs.

The difference between these places and other restaurants isn't about the location of the restaurant - let's face it, Copenhagen isn't the culinary capitol of the world.

It's about the following:

1) the chef's passion for ingredients and what he/she is doing with them. The top three restaurants are all, when it comes to food, mad scientists/artists who are pushing very hard on the envelope of the definition of food. They do what they do, not always for the money. El Bulli works at a loss. Noma is a restaurant that seats 40 people and has 40 people working there... it just breaks even.
2) the chef's ability to network with other chefs and food journalists of note. You can be amazing but if nobody in the know knows you aren't going to be on a list like this.
3) the service, ambience, etc. are all without fault or flaw. You are paying big money and often waiting for 3 to 6 months for a reservation. Would you expect less?

The two on the list that are in town are on my list of places to eat this summer. Many of the others are on my wish list for places to eat if I am ever in their part of the world.

Sadly, no Canadian restaurants are on the list.