America's best chefs?

Holy smokes, I've unleashed some deliciously spicy conversation with this post from a few days ago. Read what Hank, JM, The Urban Eater and Jim Webster have been saying about Emeril, Jacques Pepin and others. (Personally, not a huge fan of Emeril's food, but I met Pepin a few times when I was the secretary for the Sommelier Assoc. of California. He seemed like a real gentleman, and I do value his cookbooks.)

For no good reason, other than I'm procrastinating on a story, here are my favorite American chefs, in order (strictly in terms of meals of theirs I have eaten, not cookbooks or personalities or those with whom I'd like to frolic in the kitchen):

1. Daniel Boulud
2. Thomas Keller
3. Alice Waters
4. Charlie Trotter
5. Gary Danko
6. Margaret Fox (for breakfast)
7. Lydia Shire
8. Bradley Ogden
9. Rick Bayless
10. Annie Somerville
11. Jean-Louis Palladin
12. Mark Miller
13. Roland Passot
14. Hubert Keller
15. Michael Mina/George Morrone (at Aqua)
16. Michael Chiarello (at Tra Vigne)
17. Barbara Tropp (pioneering SF chef, died in 1991)
18. Mark Franz (but back when he was at Stars after Jeremiah left)
19. Jean-Georges Vongerichten (nice meal recently at Chambers Kitchen in Minneapolis)
20. Ken Hom
21. Julian Serrano
22. Masa Takayama (his L.A. restaurant was, um, interesting)
23. Joyce Goldstein
24. Cindy Pawlcyn
25. Jonathan Waxman

Comments

[Hank]

My mom and grandmother would be arguably 1 or 2! LOL Can’t beat those German/Hungarian “peasant” dishes.

My personal top 3 chefs/best dining experiences would be Joel Robuchon (L’Atelier in New York and Paris), Daniel Boulud, and Alain Ducasse (Spoons, Hong Kong, Paris). The top ten, definitely top 15 has to include Grant Achatz (Alinea in Chicago) and Todd English (Mystic CT).

* Masa was maybe the biggest waste of money I have experienced. Wow, was I disappointed. Good cold Sake though.

What say you?

[JM]

This is a fun exercise if only because I can't wait to research the chefs listed here that I don't recognize. (I'm sure it's obvious, but I'm a relatively new foodie and a serious but amateur cook. Never been to cooking school (but might after I win the lottery) nor worked in the food business.)

So, my top-3 chefs, listed simply by my joy of watching them cook are:

1. Jacques Pepin (esp. the Julie Child episodes)
2. Emeril Lagasse (prefer the "Essence" show to the live one)
3. Mario Batali (can't wait to see his new series on Spain...with Mark Bittman?)

Oh, and I'm a serious "Good Eats" fan, but Alton's not really a chef is he?

You know what else would be cool, Laura?, especially since we have some serious cooks/diners here? A list of everyone's top-3, most-leafed-through, falling-apart-at-the-seams cookbooks.

Bet I'll be breaking the bank on Amazon orders after that debate begins!

Thanks.

[The Mouth]

I've never eaten Alain Ducasse's food (but I dated one of his disciples, does that count?). I'm just sad I'll never get to go to the Essex House to get my own fancy pen (if I were paying the bill). I suppose I'm interested in Adour at the St. Regis, but it depends on who is buying.

Hank, my Masa story is ridiculous. I was on assignment to review his Beverly Hills place and he was a weird, petty tyrant. Very commanding, but it was a little like having your meanest librarian cook you dinner and watch over you with the occasional "sshh" and "tsk."

[ken]

Hi Laura,
You say you were the secretary of the Sommelier Assoc. of California. I googled "Sommelier Assoc. of California" and "Sommelier Association of California" and came up with no links other than "A.I.S., Italian Sommeliers Association". Is this the association you are refering to or something different? Your recent posts about Robert Irvine have put us into a "Check the background mode :)"

[The Mouth]

Na, it was a real organization started in 1989 or so and ending about 1992. Started by a woman in San Francisco named Chantal Plasse, but it had a whole bunch of CA sommeliers in it, including a bunch of master sommeliers (Steve Morey, Evan Goldstein, Emmanuel Kemiji, Peter Granoff). Mu job was to go to the meetings and write all their tasting notes down--an awesome way to learn.

[Mal Carne]

16. Michael Chiarello (at Tra Vigne)

Really?? Wow, my experience at Tra Vigne was an adventure to the farthest reaches of bland. Potato/red onion ravioli, black truffle, butter lettuce - sounds good, right? Boy was I wrong. The $85 price tag for lunch for 2 with that lack of quality left me with a rather bad taste in my mouth - which was a least a flavor, something that couldn't be said for my lunch.

[The Mouth]

Mal, I had several really wonderful meals there (and my wedding rehearsal dinner, too) so I have massively fond memories of Tra Vigne. It was the first place I ever tasted Super Tuscans, or Italian varietals made in CA. I can't remember specific dishes, but I definitely recall being really wowed. Same thing with Paul Bertoli at Oliveto. Really simple, rustic, gutsy food.

[The Urban Eater]

I'm with Mal. I was horrified at my experience at Tra Vigne and I really, really wanted to love it. At that time, I was a budding culinary aficionado and loved the show Easy Entertaining. My Hubby hated it because he said Chiarello’s techniques were all wrong, he having spent some time in Italy just to learn the food.
So, when we were in St. Helena, we went to Tra Vigne by recommendation. My Hubby knew it was Chiarello’s place but didn’t tell me. I was so excited about the meal and then really, really disappointed. I had lobster bisque with some kind of pasta. I can’t remember exactly, but I do remember asking the server for salt and pepper. It was by far my least favorite dinner in my life. Worse than Emeril’s.
Nice list (other than Chiarello). I’d have to add:
Susan Spicer (pretending The French Laundry, Per Se, and Bouchon do not exist. I may have to say Bayonna is my favorite restaurant.)
Todd English
Norman Van Aiken
Eric Ripert
Tom Colicchio (Craft kicks ass)
Michelle Bernstein
Mario Batali

[Old Chef Dude]

I miss Palladin.

[jim webster]

wow. i may take your list and turn it into an itinerary. tremendous.

i would have a hard time ranking my 1-2-3 among keller, trotter and wolfgang puck (spago). had amazing meals at each.

my next round of three would be among waters, bayless and marc vetri.

rounding out the top 10, in some order, would be mark miller, donald link (went to herbsaint, and the only reason i would ever go back to n.o. is to go to cochon), douglas keane and randy evans.

as far as the tv guys, i haven't been to babbo yet (going in may), but i went to batali's original, po, and loved it. i went to his place otto and kind of shrugged. and i liked both flay's mesa grill and the now-defunct bolo a lot.

i have enjoyed emerils in orlando every time i have gone, but didn't care for his tchoup chop at all. went to nola when in new orleans with high expectations, and it was ok, but underwhelming.

mixed experience with english. have been to bluezoo in orlando, and loved it half the time and shrugged others. i loved the admittedly touristy english is italian in nyc, but its gone now. was very much looking forward to the original olives in boston, and was very disappointed. may have been a bad menu choice, tho. i would consider giving it another shot.

in florida, my faves are ponte, michelle bernstein and tom gray of bistro aix in j'ville.

[Michael]

Mal/Urban Eater

Love to know when you both were there. Both of those dishes dont even sound vaguely familar. I sold my interest in Tra Vigne and have not cooked there since 1999. Either you have great memories from bad meals of 9 years ago or it was the new chef.

I am opening a new restaurant in yountville this fall called Bottega and I can assure you these dishes will not be on the menu ;-)

M. Chiarello

[The Mouth]

Um, is Michael Chiarello really commenting on my blog? Michael, I worked at Bay Food magazine in the early 1990s and Catherine Brown did an interview with you that I was absolutely smitten by (except, if I remember right, the cover photo contained a fly that we didn't notice until it got printed, yeesh). Anyway, I've always been a big fan of your cooking and had many wonderful meals at Tra Vigne.

[gbp]

Chef Ciarello (and all you naysayers), my several Tra Vigne visits (1988-1992)were food heaven. Sad to hear it has slipped.

[mchiarello]

The Mouth..that was a very funny pic..I remember it well..was my first big piece of press! I was actually doing some research on a new TV series and always go to the blogs to see what I can learn.

Lets see when our above friend were eating at Tra Vigne..sometime I feel like putting up a sign in Napa saying "I am no long cooking here" ;-)

Great to hear from you..all the best

MC

[mal carne]

Interesting traffic around here. The sign might be a really good idea ;).

I was told by folks at a Napa tourist center (I'd assume that they'd know better than me) that Mr. Chiarello owned Tra Vigne at the time (about 4 years ago). "He is simply great" was the comment that I received from the woman at the counter. Combine that with the author's listing of his name/restaurant pairing above and the overwhelming presence of Napa Style cookbooks at the door, I followed the logical path. With no evidence to the contrary, I've carried around that misconception until now. I stand corrected.

Doesn't change the fact the my meal was beyond horrible, but at least I will no longer associate it with Mr. Chiarello's name. Next time that I'm out that way I'll try the new digs.

[The Urban Eater]

My visit was in the late winter of 2004? It was the same time of that freak snowstorm that blanketed everything between Tahoe and Sacramento. I fondly remember getting stuck on the mountain right at the Donner Pass exist.
I remember my dish now. It was Lobster bisque with Prawns. The bisque carried only the flavor of milk and the prawns were so over cooked, the skins were unremoveable. I understand that it is customary to eat the skins, but I do not like that.
The front door had a 3X4 easel Easy Entertaining cookbook promo along with a table adorned with other cookbooks of yours. Because of this, I too assumed that you were still in the kitchen. Why would Tra Vigne have such a display if you were no longer in the kitchen? I find this a little odd.
Laura, I do still want to eat at Bertoli's. I've heard many good things.
Jim, Couchon is exceptional, but next time you are in N.O, try Bayonna. You will not be disappointed. I am surprised by your comment that only Cochon would make you go back to New Orleans. I've had great experiences both pre and post Katrina. August never fails to please and I forgot to list Besh above. The escargot is unforgettable at Irene’s, not to mention all of the smaller restaurants. Lil' Dizzy's and Willie Mae's Scotch House. Pre Katrina, Uglesiches was a must for every trip as was the still proud Mother's.
Michael, tell us about your new show concept? I do still like Easy Entertaining, regardless of my Hubby's opinion. I've picked up some great tips from that show, whether it be cooking technique or entertaining concepts.

[Colette]

Love the list, and definitely second your number 1 -- we visited the new Bar Boulud last Friday, and it's as fabulous as all Daniel's other restaurants. I would add Batali, Spicer and the fantastic John Besh, whose New Orleans restaurants August and Luke are among the best I've dined at in the last year. Also Tucson chef Janos Wilder, not nationally known (he has won a Beard award) but as inventive and accomplished as many of the big dogs, and a master of the locavore trend a couple of decades before the word was invented.

[The Mouth]

Hey, Colette. Some nice additions--and a good "to do" list focused around New Orleans. Not familiar with Janos Wilder, either.