starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009 starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009

chefs to know a guide to chefs for chefs

Edited by Antoinette Bruno Editing contributions from Will Blunt and Heather Sperling Research assistance by Lindsay Vietor

Design by Zac Overman Information architecture by Richie Adomako Photo editing by Vicky Wasik Cover photo by Antoinette Bruno

2 3 starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009 starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009 Acknowledgements The 2nd edition of Chefs to Know has proven to be no less a labor of love than the first edition. Chefs can be hard to track; with turnover in the culinary industry still averaging over 120% per year, the roster of industry members who have changed their jobs, closed their restaurants, or even left the country is ever-changing. Chefs to Know is a reality thanks to the the diligence and perseverance of those both on and off the StarChefs staff, both paid and unpaid, and the chefs who helped guide us along the way. They have all been critical to its success, and too many pitched in to help to be adequately thanked here.

The StarChefs editorial team tasted and interviewed every chef, sommelier and mixologist on these pages, and the staff worked diligently, badgering chefs for information, searching for photos, googling chefs and restaurants, and calling kitchens in every city across the country. The tireless and industrious Lindsay Vietor came in as an intern, made the project her own, and rocked it out. Heather Sperling helped shape and conceptualize the book, and edited the copy over and over again. The book would not be what it is without her. Jon Proville pitched in when we needed him to help reach the finish line.

Zac Overman lent the book its design and flair, Richie Adomako struggled heroically with the technical aspects of the data, and Vicky Wasik edited hundreds and hundreds of photos. My business partner, Will Blunt, lent a critical eye to the project, and supported and grounded us as we yet again refused to give up on hitting this moving target.

Most of all, I want to thank my husband Ken Shoji and my children, Kendrick and Isabella, for putting up with me working every family vacation, almost every day off, and many, many evenings.

I also want to acknowledge chefs across America (and this year abroad as well) who aren’t in this book who should be - we hope to include you in future editions. Whether we’ve tasted with you and lost touch or we’ve never met but should have, this book is about celebrating all of you and acknowledging your creativity, passion, and hard work.

Cheers,

Antoinette Bruno

Editor-in-Chief, StarChefs.com

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KEY – CHEFS AND PASTRY CHEFS

Star Chefs are talented, StarChefs.com Rising Stars Accepts Interns/Stages passionate chefs featured are up-and-coming chefs who on StarChefs.com that have have received our national made great contributions to award and represent the van- the culinary community over guard of the contemporary the course of their careers American dining scene

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Seats: # of seats in the restaurant; if a range, it includes dining Cuisine: personal culinary style, as described by the chefs room and then private dining, patio, bar Notable Dishes: dishes from StarChefs’ most recent tasting Weeknight/Weekend Covers: number of guests served on a Restaurant Recs: favorite restaurants off the beaten path weeknight and/or weekend Kitchen Tool(s): most indispensable kitchen tool Check Average: average price spent per diner with/without wine Interview Question: favorite question to ask a prospective Tasting Menu: whether the restaurant offers a set tasting menu, employee and, if so, the price Flavor Combo(s): favorite flavor combinations (of the moment) Kitchen Staff: number of staff in the kitchen (for pastry chefs, Fave Cookbook(s): self explanatory! refers to pastry kitchen) Chef to Cook for You: the chef you'd most like to cook for you (alive or dead) Culinary Travel: where you'd most like to go for culinary travel 8 9 A starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009 starchefs.com | chefs to know 2009 Foreword Chefs to Know is a continuation of StarChefs.com’s editorial efforts to identify and feature the best chefs in the industry – not because they are on TV, but because they are talented, innovative, passionate, and driven people who contribute greatly to their culinary community, and are dynamically shaping the identity of American food. StarChefs.com’s mission is to be a resource and aid for culinary professionals’ success; Chefs to Know is one of the tools that we offer to strengthen and further the culinary industry. At its heart, it’s an industry resource and an industry homage – it’s a fun, informative, inspiring look at the names and faces behind America’s stoves. It’s for anyone who wants to learn about the industry - from the tools and the flavors, to chefs’ favorite restaurants across the country.

After years of working with chefs, we decided to compile the information from our interviews, gathered on tastings across the country, and put it all in one place. In the same way that our editorial content online is driven by tastings, every chef, mixologist, and sommelier featured in Chefs to Know has met with StarChefs.com’s editorial team, prepared a tasting, and invited us to get to know them during an interview.

Having the first book under our belt, we took on the additional challenge this year of recognizing sommeliers, mixologists, and a handful of international chefs we’ve come across on our travels. We added new chef information: restaurant stats (covers, kitchen size, etc) as well as fun facts – like favorite flavor combinations and culinary travel destinations – to help get your creative juices flowing. The recipes and photos will hopefully inspire you to try new things, and the Restaurants off the Beaten Path index will keep you eating your way through chef haunts across the country.

American cuisine – or, better said, cuisine in America – gets better and better each year. The variety, the talent and the passion is at once astounding and inspiring. The American spirit of rugged individualism and bold risk-taking is at the heart of these chefs’ personalities and, in large measure, the reason for their success. What distinguishes these chefs and their approach to cooking is their lack of boundaries: rather than being tied to strict cultural traditions in the kitchen, they are free to interpret cuisines from every country in the world. In this spirit we present the 2nd edition of Chefs to Know, and continue to connect the dots spanning the vast American culinary map.

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A{ Achatz - Ayers }

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Grant Achatz Chef/Owner | Alinea 1723 N. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60614 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (312) 867-0110

Restaurant Facts Seats: 67 Weeknight Covers: 80 Weekend Covers: 80 Check Aver- age (with Wine): $265 Tasting Menu: Yes $140 Kitchen Staff: 20

Chef Facts Cuisine: Progressive American Born: 1974 Began Career: Working at my parent’s restaurant when I was around 8 years old, frying eggs and such. I guess that counts! Culinary School: The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY Grad Year: 1994 Stages: Chicago, IL: Charlie Trotter’s; Yountville, CA: The French Laundry; Spain: el Bulli Work History: Grand Rapids, MI: Cygnus; Yountville, CA: The French Laundry; Evanston, Il: Trio; Chicago, IL: Charlie Trotter’s Mentor(s): Thomas Keller Protégée(s): Michael Carlson, Nathan Klingbail Awards: 2008 James Beard Founda- tion Outstanding Chef; 2008, 2007 Restaurant Magazine Top 50 Best Restaurants in the World; 2007 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Great Lakes; 2006 Gourmet Magazine Best Restaurant in America; 2003 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef in America; 2002 Food & Wine Best New Chefs Books Published: The Alinea Cookbook

NOTABLE DISH(ES): Hot Potato-Cold Potato; Tempura Sweet Potato with Bourbon, Brown Sugar and Smoking Cinnamon

Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: Geja’s – it’s on old-school fondue restaurant. They do it really well. A big menu and a great wine list that’s half-price on Mondays. Kitchen Tool(s): Offset spatula and French knife - I know they’re not exciting, but I couldn’t live without them. Also, a pair of sewing scissors that I received as a gift while working at the French Laundry. Functionally they are great in the kitchen. I tell the cooks at Alinea they can borrow them, but if they lose them they might as well walk away. Interview Question: I try to scare them away, that’s pretty much the tactic I take. I tell them how little money they’re going to make, what long hours they’re going to work, and how they’re going to lose any social life they may have. I want everyone to have a very clear understanding of what they’re getting into. After this, I ask: What makes you think you want to work here, as opposed to Trotter’s or The French Laundry? Flavor Combo(s): Strawberry, niçoise olive and violet Fave Cookbook(s): The French Laundry by Thomas Keller; Kaiseki by Yoshihiro Murata; Charmaine Solomon’s Encyclopedia of Asian Food Chef to Cook for You: Thomas Keller. My 4 years at the French Laundry ended up being the most transformative period in my life. He teaches young cooks much more than cooking. Culinary Travel: Number one on my list right now is Japan, followed closely by Morocco

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Hugh Acheson Chef/Owner | Five and Ten 1653 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (706) 546-7300

Restaurant Facts Seats: 88 Weeknight Covers: 110 Weekend Covers: 190 Check Average (with Wine): $50 Tasting Menu: No Kitchen Staff: 20

Chef Facts Other Restaurants: The National Cuisine: Contemporary American Born: 1971 Began Career: 1986 – After school I started working doing dishes in a deli, and then got a job cooking on the line in a res- taurant in Ottawa. Stages: New York, NY: Babbo Work History: Que- bec, Canada: Henri Burger; San Francisco, CA: Mecca; Gary Danko Mentor(s): Rob MacDonald at Henri Burger and Maplelawn Café, for his butchery and stock making. He never takes shortcuts. And Gary Danko at Gary Danko, and Mike Fennelly, formerly of Mecca. Awards: 2008 James Beard Foundation Nominee Best Chef Southeast; 2007 StarChefs.com Rising Star Chef Atlanta; 2007 James Beard Foundation Nominee Best Chef Southeast; 2007 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Restaurant of the Year Affiliations: JBF, Southern Foodways Alliance Languages Spoken: French

NOTABLE DISH(ES): Braised and Crisped Red Wattle Pork Belly with Citrus Salad; Sweetbreads with Succotash, Baked Grits and Tarragon Jus; English Pea Soup with Minted Créme Fraîche, Peekytoe Crab and Julienned Bacon

Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: C’om Vietnamese Grill on Buford Highway; Haru-Ichiban for their sushi and light, seasonal salads; Eigensinn Farm outside Toronto Kitchen Tool(s): The stove for its versatility Inter- view Question: Where are you going to be in 3 years? I’m looking for dedication to the industry, not a passing interest. Flavor Combo(s): Cinnamon and lamb; vanilla and corn Fave Cookbook(s): The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney Chef to Cook for You: Frank Stitt at The Highland Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama Culinary Travel: The Basque Country in Spain – the cooking of the Basques is so interesting and the history is so deep

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B{ Banh - Burrell }

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Daniel Boulud Chef/Owner | Daniel 60 E 65th St. New York, NY 10021 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (212) 288-0033

Restaurant Facts Seats: 120–150 Weeknight Covers: 1.5 Seatings Weekend Covers: 2 Seatings Check Average (w/o Wine): $105 Tasting Menu: Yes $175 Kitchen Staff: 25–35

Chef Facts Other Restaurants: New York, NY: Cafe Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne, Feast & Fetes Catering; Palm Beach, FL: Cafe Boulud; Las Vegas, NV: Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort; Beijing, China: Maison Boulud Cuisine: French Born: 1955 Began Career: 1969 Culinary School: Only very briefly in Lyon, France at the age of 14, but I left early on as I was eager to get into a real kitchen Grad Year: 1969 Stages: France: Nandron Work History: France: La Mère Blanc, Les Pres d’Eugenie, Le Moulin des Mougins; New York, NY: Le Cirque, Le Regence at the Plaza Athenée; Polo Lounge at the Westbury Hotel Mentor(s): Roger Verge, Georges Blanc, Michel Guerard Protégée(s): Jean François Bruel, Bertrand Chemel, Olivier Muller Awards: 2007 StarChefs.com Rising Star Mentor Award New York; 2006 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurateur; 2002-2006 Wine Spectator Grand Award; 2001 New York Times 4 stars; 2001 Gourmet Top 50 Restaurants in America; 1999 Bon Ap- pétit Chef of the Year; 1999 Food & Wine Reader’s Poll Favorite US Restaurant ;1999 Esquire One of the Top 25 New Restaurants; 1998 Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame; 1994 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef of the Year; 1992 James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City Affiliations: StarChefs.com Advisory Board, Citymeals-on-Wheels, NYCCVB, Relais & Chateaux, Tradition & Qualité Books Published: Braise – A Journey through International Cuisine; Daniel’s Dish – Entertaining at Home with a Four-Star Chef; Letters to a Young Chef; Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City; Daniel Boulud’s Cafe Boulud Cookbook; Cooking with Daniel Boulud; Elle Decor Magazine bi-monthly column: “Daniel’s Dish”; Monthly newsletter: “Easy Cooking with Great Chefs” Languages Spoken: French

NOTABLE DISH(ES): Mediterranean Tomato-Lemon Tart; Caramelized Bay Scallops with Clementines and Cauliflower

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Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: Daisy May’s BBQ – Adam Perry has followed his passion and dug deep to focus on making the best barbecue in New York City. Marrema - Cesare Casella’s presence is very tangible and personal, and I love the roasted baby goat with a side of farro with mushrooms. Kitchen Tool(s): Mortar and pestle for grinding herbs and spices in a way that you simply can’t accomplish with a machine. Immersion blender, which replaced traditional blenders and revolutionized the way we work in the kitchen. Interview Question: Why do you want to work in the kitchen? I want a real, heartfelt answer so I can learn about what truly motivates them. Flavor Combo(s): I would have to choose a different flavor combination for each season. Winter: celery root with chestnut; spring: peas with rosemary; summer: eggplant with cumin; fall: porcini and garlic. Fave Cookbook(s): In general I prefer 18th, 19th, and early 20th century French cookbooks by authors like Auguste Escoffier. One of my favorites is Gastronomie Practique by Ali-Bab (the pen name of Henri Babinski) which was first published in 1907 and has been out of print, unfortunately, since the 1950’s. Chef to Cook for You: It would be impossible for me to choose just one. I must have a whole menu of chefs: two Spanish chefs – Elena and Juan Marie Arzak for tapas. One Danish chef – Jan Hurtigkarl for a first course of Gravlax, to bring back the time we cooked together in Denmark. One American chef – Thomas Keller, for his “Oyster and Pearls.” The dish reminds me of my mother’s tapioca and milk soup, but Thomas’s version is raised to a level of incredible refinement and simplicity. One Italian chef – Nadia Santini of Dal Pescatore Santini for her Pumpkin Ravioli with Amaretto crumbs. One Japanese chef – Tojo, one of the best in Vancouver for a whole freshly caught Pacific snapper or king salmon prepared many ways. One French chef – Michel Troisgros for a Côte de Boeuf Charolais with Marrow. A cheese course of Vieux Comté from Bernard Anthony and St. Marcellin from La Mère Richard. One Pastry chef – Mar- cus Farbinger of South Africa – out of nostalgia for our days together at Le Cirque. Culinary Travel: Laos, Cambodia and India to try their cuisines in their most authentic native versions. I would also like to continue to discover the different regional cuisines of China.

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C{ Cabrera - Curto-Randazzo }

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Michael Cimarusti Executive Chef/Owner | Providence 5955 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (323) 460-4170

Restaurant Facts Seats: 90 Weeknight Covers: 65–70 Weekend Covers: 120 Check Average (with Wine): $120 Tasting Menu: No $155/$240 with wine Kitchen Staff: 8

Chef Facts Cuisine: Modern American Born: 1969 Began Career: 1990 Culi- nary School: The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY Grad Year: 1991 Stages: France: La Marie Work History: New York, NY: An American Place, Le Cirque, Osteria Del Circo; New Hope, PA: The Forager House Restaurant; Los Angeles, CA: Spago Mentor(s): My father, Sottah Khunn, Sylvain Portay, Dick Barrows Protégée(s): Paul Shoemaker Awards: 2006 James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant Nominee; 2004 StarChefs. com Rising Star Chef Los Angeles Affiliations: We work with a lot of charities. We also do a lot with the Beard House and the CIA.

NOTABLE DISH(ES): Foie Gras Torchon with Asian Pear; Terrine of Octopus Infused with Fresh Chamo- mile with a Chamomile Vinaigrette

Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: Cut for the kobe beef rib-eye Kitchen Tool(s): Bamix immersion blender Interview Question: What is your motivation? What brings you to my door? How do you feel about sweeping and mopping? Flavor Combo(s): Burdock and shiso Fave Cookbook(s): Essential Cuisine by Michel Bras; The Notebooks of Michel Bras: Desserts by Michel Bras Chef to Cook for You: Michel Bras – I’ve always admired his work Culinary Travel: San Sebastian and the Tsukiji fish market in Toyko

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International Chefs

We would be remiss if we did not recognize some of the bright culinary lights we’ve been fortunate enough to meet in our journeys outside the United States. This list of international chefs is by no means an exhaustive one; rather it’s meant to be a guide to some of the compelling minds and restaurants across the world, some well-known outside their countries, and others not. Tip/Advice: a tip for young cooks just starting in the industry Underappreciated Ingredient: your favorite underappreciated or underutilized ingredient

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Heston Blumenthal Executive Chef | The Fat Duck High Street Bray, Berkshire UK Phone: +44 0 1628 580 333

Cuisine: A multi-sensory journey inspired by memory and emotion but above all if I had to pick one word, fun Favorite Tool: My knives! I recently discovered Tojiro Senkou knifes and now use them for everything. Fantastic balance and the way the steel is layered make the knife unbelievably sharp. Interview Question: I love talking about whatever is most recent in development, our latest multi-sensory dis- coveries and most recent dishes. At the moment it would be anything to do with historic British dishes that we are researching for the Fat Duck menu and of course the book. Chef You Most Admire: This is an impossible question for me as there are too many to mention in one answer. I think, however, I would have to say I most admire what is happening restaurant wise in the UK at the moment. Gourmet Magazine voted London the gastronomic capital of the world for its amazing diversity and exciting res- taurant scene. Underappreciated Ingredient: Enthusiasm. For a chef, all the knowledge in the world is worthless without it. Culinary Travel: At the moment I am working with food historians researching historic British dishes that I am reinterpreting for the Fat Duck menu. I would love to travel back to the 16th and 17th century and see those kitchens in operation first hand.

Graham Brown Executive Chef | The Cookhouse 110 Rossiters Rd. Rangiora, RD 2 New Zealand Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +64 3 312 8559

Cuisine: I am rooted to classic techniques, and continue to be influ- enced by the new culinary experiences I have enjoyed through travel- ing. Chef You Most Admire: Michel Guèrard and Tetsuya Wakuda. About the time I finished my culinary training, and was so full of ideas for my own future, Michel Guèrard was credited with creating the original concept of nouvelle cuisine, the light and modern approach to food that originated in the 80’s. He turned classic French food up on its ear. Tetsuya Wakuda is very innovative and has intense flavors. His dishes are simple, stripped of excess gestures, but still elegant and quite delectable. Underappreciated Ingredient: Parsnips – they can be prepared and appreciated in so many different ways Culinary Travel: Strangely enough I have not had the chance to get to Spain and Portugal; I was always inter- ested in the traditional simplicity of their food techniques and clarity of their flavors.

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Mixologists { Abou-Ganim - Wondrich }

KeY Cocktail Book: favorite cocktail resource

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Tony Abou-Ganim Mixologist | The Modern Mixologist Suite 104-266 6935 Aliante Pkwy Las Vegas, NV 89084 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (702) 228-7207

Cocktail Style: Contemporary approach that is founded in the clas- sics Work History: Port Huron, MI: The Brass Rail Bar; San Francisco, CA: Balboa Cafe, Harry Denton’s Starlight Room; New York, NY: Po, Bar Milano; Las Vegas, NV: The Bellagio Cocktail Book: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David Embury Fave Tool: Hand-held lime juicer Cocktail to Drink: Negroni Cocktail to Make: A fresh-fruit seasonal variation on the mojito Underappreciated Ingredient: Bitters and Campari

Anthony Alba Mixologist | Liquidity Global LLC Las Vegas, LV

Cocktail Style: Cutting edge and very influenced by culinary tradi- tions Work History: Las Vegas, NV: The Rio Hotel, The Paris Hotel, Bally’s Hotel, Caesar’s Palace, The Venetian, Mandalay Bay Cocktail Book: I have all these old books form the 1700s, and I use them in conjunction with the internet Fave Tool: Torch Cocktail to Drink: I drink the whole gambit. It depends on where I am and what I’m doing. I wouldn’t have a margarita after dinner, but I’d have it at a pool. There’s always a time and a place. Cocktail to Make: Any- thing custom-made Underappreciated Ingredient: Bourbon – it’s America’s spirit and most Americans don’t know much about it. Ask any Frenchman about Cognac or a Mexican about Tequila – we need to put Bourbon on the map!

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Sommeliers { Alexander - Zawieja }

KeY Wine Book: favorite wine resource Pairing: a great pairing you’ve come across Region: favorite wine region (of the moment)

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Jenny Benzie Sommelier | Café Boulud Palm Beach The Brazilian Court 301 Australian Ave. Palm Beach, FL 33480 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (561) 655-5060

List Size: 600 Cellar Size: 5,000

Affiliations: The Society of Wine Educators Wine Book: The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson Pairing: We just had a wine dinner where we featured Chilean wines – I paired a Concha y Toro late har- vest Sauvignon Blanc with a dessert of roasted fresh peaches, crème fraîche, almond sablé and white peach sorbet, and it worked really well Wine Region: Burgundy – the wines from there pair nicely with our menu so I have been more focused on that region recently

Cynthia Betancourt Wine Director | Azul Mandarin Oriental 500 Brickell Key Dr. Miami, FL 33131 Restaurant E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (305) 913-8254

List Size: 744 Cellar Size: 6,000

Work History: Coral Gables, FL: The Biltmore; Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Johnny V’s Affiliations: International Sommelier Guild, The Inter- national Wine Fair judge, Miami, FL Wine Book: The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. It is such a great resource – it’s not geeky at all – just straight information that you can use while talking at the table. It has great wine pairings and great notes on the side that are very helpful. It’s older now – she needs to come out with a new edition. Pairing: We did an amazing pairing with a Catena Alta Malbec and a foie gras and chestnut soup with a cranberry gastrique and pecans Wine Region: Italy – there are over 2000 grape varietals in Italy. It has a wide range to choose from, and every region has a lot to offer.

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Ceviche of Bronzini with Vanilla-Roasted Fennel and Almond Gazpacho Chef Stephan Pyles of Stephan Pyles – Dallas, TX Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients Method Aji Mirasol Purée: For the Aji Mirasol Purée: 8-10 Aji Mirasol chiles Preheat oven to 475°F. Wash and thoroughly dry the chiles, then cut off the Water stems, slit chiles open, and remove the seeds. Place the chiles on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 60 seconds. Alternatively, the chiles may be Almond Gazpacho: dry-roasted over high heat in a skillet or on a comal until they puff up, ap- 8 ounces blanched almonds proximately 45 seconds. Transfer the chiles to a bowl and cover with warm 1 clove garlic water. Keep the chiles submerged for 30 minutes to rehydrate, then strain 4 cups filtered or spring water the chiles, reserving the liquid, and place the chiles in a Vita-Prep. Puree 2 ounces white bread, crust the chiles, adding just enough of the liquid to make a thick paste. Strain the removed, diced puree through a medium sieve. Reserve. ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar For the Almond Gazpacho: 2 teaspoons salt Place the almonds and garlic in a saucepan with one cup of the water and bring to a boil. Strain the mixture, then pour a fresh cup of water Vanilla-Roasted Fennel: into the pan with the almonds and garlic and bring back to a boil. Strain 2 cups orange juice again. Place the garlic and almonds in a blender and add the remaining ½ vanilla bean 2 cups of mineral water, white bread, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Blend the 1 fennel bulb, quartered mixture until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Place a colander over a large 2 tablespoons olive oil bowl and line with cheesecloth. Pour the pureed almond mixture into the Salt cheesecloth-lined colander and allow most of the liquid to pass through, then gather the cheesecloth and squeeze to extract as much of the remain- Bronzini Ceviche: ing liquid as possible. Discard the solids and reserve the liquid; chill for at 14 ounces Bronzini, skin removed, least 30 minutes. flesh sliced into 1-inch x ¼-inch strips; reserve 2 ounces to puree For the Vanilla-Roasted Fennel: ½ cup ice cubes Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the orange juice in a small saucepan and 4 teaspoons key lime juice scrape in the vanilla bean pulp. Reduce over medium heat by half. Place Salt the fennel in a small roasting pan and cover with the orange-vanilla mixture. 1 tablespoon Aji Mirasol Purée Drizzle the olive oil over the fennel and season with salt. Roast until the fen- 2 tablespoons reserved fennel- nel is soft, approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove the fennel and cool and orange-vanilla cooking liquid reserve the fennel-orange-vanilla cooking liquid. Remove the core from the fennel, then cut the fennel into a small dice. To Assemble and Serve: 1 mango, peeled, pitted, cut into For the Bronzini Ceviche: ¼-inch dice, frozen Place the reserved 2 ounces of Bronzini filet in a Vita-Prep with the ice Extra virgin olive oil cubes and blend until very smooth, approximately one minute. Chill. Place the sliced Bronzini in a glass or stainless steel bowl, add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir to combine thoroughly and let the ceviche marinate for 5 minutes, then add the icy fish puree and the Aji Mirasol puree; com- bine thoroughly. Add the reserved fennel-orange-vanilla cooking liquid and 3 tablespoons of the chopped fennel. Incorporate completely.

To Assemble and Serve To serve, divide the ceviche among 4 shallow bowls and ladle ½ cup of the almond gazpacho around it. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and garnish each bowl with a few pieces of frozen diced mango.

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Antoinette Bruno Stephan Pyles’ Ceviche of Bronzini with Vanilla-Roasted Fennel and Almond Gazpacho 768 769 Index

Index 844 Chefs by Last Name 846 Chefs by State/City 850 International Chefs by Last Name 850 Mixologists by Last Name 850 Mixologists by State/City 850 Sommeliers by Last Name 851 Sommeliers by State/City 851 Pastry Chefs by Last Name 851 Restaurants by State/City 854 Favorite Tools 857 Cuisine 861 Cookbooks by Author 866 Rising Stars Award Winners 867 Star Chefs 868 Mentors/Protégees 876 Culinary Schools 880 Recipes by Course 880 Recipes by Main Ingredient 882 Affiliations Abbreviation Guide

843 843

Restaurants Off the Beaten Path { Chef Recommendations from Across the Country } Barn Diva Ammo 231 Center St. 1155 N Highland Ave. Healdsburg, CA 95448 Los Angeles, CA 90038 (707) 431-0100 (323) 871-2666 www.barndiva.com www.ammocafe.com Seasonal Modern American

Recommended by Michael Ellis Poached egg with roasted beets Recommended by David Lentz

The Hungry Cat 1535 N Vine St, Bombay Café Hollywood, CA 90028 12021 W Pico Blvd. (323) 462-2155 Los Angeles, CA 90064 www.thehungrycat.com (310) 473-3388 Seafood www.bombaycafe-la.com Indian Recommended by Lee Gross Bhel puri Recommended by Susan Feniger Five Feet Restaurant 328 Glenneyre St. Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Brentwood (949) 497-4955 148 S Barrington Ave. www.fivefeetrestaurants.com Los Angeles, CA 90049 Chinese/French (310) 476-3511 www.brentwoodrestaurant.com Recommended by Jared Simons American

The vegetarian plate La Sirena Grill Recommended by Susan Feniger 347 Mermaid St. Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949) 497-8226 Café Verona www.lasirenagrill.com 201 S La Brea Ave. Mexican Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 934-6188 Calamari burrito Italian Recommended by James Boyce Italian French toast Recommended by Mark Peel LOS ANGELES Cobras and Matadors Alegria 7615 W Beverly Blvd. 3510 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 Los Angeles, CA 90026 (323) 932-6178 (323) 913-1422 Spanish Tavern www.alegriaonsunset.com Mexican Fried lentils Recommended by James Richardson Mexican carnitas Recommended by James Richardson Dong il Jang Alejandros 3455 W 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90005 426 Verdugo Rd. (213) 383-5757 Los Angeles, CA 90065 Korean (323) 550-1063 Filipino Chap jae Recommended by Hans Röckenwager BBQ mussels Recommended by Andre Guerrero