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World's top chefs to kitchen swap

Callan Boys
Callan Boys

Attica's Ben Shewry, who will be handing over his restaurant to a mystery chef on July 9 for one night only.
Attica's Ben Shewry, who will be handing over his restaurant to a mystery chef on July 9 for one night only.Eddie Jim

Remember those "mystery flights" from the '90s? Where you would buy a plane ticket and not know where you were heading until check-in? Well, the global culinary collective, Gelinaz!, has organised something similar with international chefs and it's way cooler than a day trip to Dubbo.

On July 9, 37 of the world's best chefs will be swapping kitchens with each other as part of The Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle. The chefs know which restaurant they'll be cooking at but ticket holders will have no idea who is on the pans until they sit down to dinner.

Jock Zonfrillo (Orana, Adelaide) and Ben Shewry (Attica, Melbourne) are providing their Australian kitchens for this event, which features a line-up of the food world's heavy-hitters. We're talking Rene Redzepi (Noma), Magnus Nilsson (Faviken), Daniel Patterson (Coi), Danny Bowien (Mission Chinese), Alex Atala (D.O.M), Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana), David Thompson (Nahm) and Alain Ducasse (Le Plaza Athenee).

Scallops with beach succulents at Orana, Adelaide.
Scallops with beach succulents at Orana, Adelaide.Matthew Turner
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Chefs just won't be swapping kitchens either. They'll be living in each others homes and performing day-to-day tasks like dog-walking and plant-watering. "Swapping lives and identities," says the Gelinaz! website.

Tickets for the dinners are on sale to the public from May 13. Prices are still to be announced although the cost should still be cheaper than an international flight to one of the world's best restaurants.

Rene Redzepi was recently in Australia for purposes unknown. Perhaps Melbourne or Adelaide will be getting a taste of Noma come July?

The full Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle line up:

Ben Shewry, Attica, Australia

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Jock Zonfrillo, Orana, Australia

Kobe Desramaults, In De Wulf, Belgium

Alex Atala, D.O.M., Brazil

Colombe Saint-Pierre, Chez Saint-Pierre, Canada

Rodolfo Guzman, Borago, Chile

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René Redzepi, Noma, Denmark

Paul Cunningham, Henne Kirkeby Kro, Denmark

Claude Bosi, Hibiscus, England

Bertrand Grebaut, Septime, France

Alain Ducasse, La Plaza Athenee, France

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Yannick Alleno, Le Doyen, France

Inaki Alzpitarte, Le Cheateaubriand, France

Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur, France

Alexandre Gauthier, La Grenouillere, France

Davide Scabin, Combal Zero, Italy

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Fulvio Pierangelini, Hotel de Russie, Italy

Riccardo Camanini, Lido 84, Italy

Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana, Italy

Massilmillano Alajmo, La Calandre, Italy

Yoshihiro Narisawa, Narisawa, Japan

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Virgillo Martinez, Central, Peru

Ana Ros, Hisa Franko, Slovenia

Andoni Luis Aduriz, Mugaritz, Spain

Albert Adria, Pakta, Spain

Magnus Nilsson, Faviken, Sweden

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Peter Nilsson, Spritmuseum, Sweden

David Thompson, Nahm, Thailand

Mehmet Gurs, Mikla, Turkey

Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, USA

Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko, USA

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Sean Brock, McCrady's, USA

David Kinch, Manresa, USA

Daniel Patterson, Coi, USA

Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, USA

Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca, USA

Blaine Wetzel, Willow's Inn, USA

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Callan BoysCallan Boys is editor of SMH Good Food Guide, restaurant critic for Good Weekend and Good Food writer.

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