Today on our episode #437 of All in the Industry, Shari Bayer has a special “On the Road” show on CONVERGENCE, a five-day global event that took place from January 29 - February 2, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, hosted by Alchemist, featuring over 60 of the world’s best chefs, coming together for a unique collaboration with the idea that sharing a culinary language connects people across continents. All of the participating chefs are in the top tier of international cuisine, ranked on the Top 100 list by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, representing restaurants from 26 countries & 6 continents. Shari was thrilled to attend this inaugural event, which included Talks at Spora – a global food research center founded by Rasmus Munk in 2023; & the Convergence Symposium at DR Koncerthuset, exploring the intersection of gastronomy, art, & culture. Shari's 1st guest is Neil Perry, Australian chef, restaurateur, author, & TV personality based in Sydney, Australia, who participated in CONVERGENCE & was Guest of Honor at the dinner that Shari attended. Neil is a culinary icon who changed the way Australians – & the world – see Australian cuisine. He was awarded the Woodford Reserve Icon Award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, & is responsible for era-defining Australian restaurants, including Bluewater Grill, Rockpool, Rockpool Bar and Grill, Spice Temple, & now Margaret, ranked No. 2 on the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants, & No. 1 in Australia 2026. The Margaret Family includes Margaret, Cafe Margaret, Gran Torino, Bar Torino & Events by Neil Perry. Neil is also Qantas' F&B Director. (10:51) Shari's 2nd guest is Rasmus Munk, head chef & co-owner of Alchemist in Copenhagen, & initiator of CONVERGENCE. The Alchemist experience consists of up to 50 impressions accompanied by a beverage pairings with the notion to expect the unexpected. Alchemist has received 2 Michelin stars, 3 Knives & No. 1 on The Best Chef Awards 2024/2025, No. 5 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, & No. 1 on OAD. (38:40) Today's show also includes Shari's PR tip to understand the value of collaboration; & Solo Dining experience on the 4th eve of CONVERGENCE at Alchemist. (1:02:38) Many thanks to Neil, Rasmus, the entire CONVERGENCE team & chefs at #convergencecph. Thanks to Bilt for supporting this episode. Learn more at biltdining.com/shari Find all of our new & archived shows at AllintheIndustry.com. Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts; subscribe & leave us a rating/review. Follow us @allindustry & @sharibayer on Instagram, & "All in the Industry" on Facebook & our YouTube Channel. Interested in collaborating with us? Please reach out via our contact page at AllintheIndustry.com, or on social. We'd love to hear from you! Check out Shari's book, Chefwise: Life Lessons from Leading Chefs Around the World (Phaidon), available wherever books are sold. #chefwisebook Thanks, as always, for being a part of All in the Industry®!
