Steve - Great post. You articulated what I was getting at above. A couple of questions on your list - do you exclude Japanese chefs and where would Pascal Barbot, Rene Redzepi and Cesar Ramirez rank?
Martio Batali does not deserve to be on that list. Cesar Ramirez is a no-brainer to me.
I cited those seven chefs because I believe (and when I say that I have not done a scientific study, I am just saying it based on how it appears to me), that every other chef who is working in contemporary cuisine today can trace their roots back to one of those seven guys. Each of them stand for a proposition that is greater than just mere cuisine, and each of them has spawned a line of thinking about food that can be traced back to them. As for Japanese chefs, sadly I have never visited Japan (but will be going in May) so I am not the right person to ask that question. As for the three chefs you asked about. I think Barbot is a great chef but he is derivative of the Passard school of cooking. I haven’t had Cesar Ramirez’s food since Brooklyn Fare first opened so I can’t give you an opinion about him either. Rene’s a friend of mine so I am hesitant to go on the record with comments about him. Plus, I have only been to Noma once. But his contribution to cuisine has more to do with a narrative that is created by foraging for local ingredients that are not typically seen in restaurants, then with creating culinary techniques that other chefs copy. My sense is that when it comes to what people will remember, techniques will win out in the long term over narrative. But I could be wrong. But if you like the Nordic style that Rene pioneered, you should visit Faviken as Magnus Nillson has created a restaurant where the narrative is so strong you feel like you are part of a performance art experience.
As fir the list Nick Gangas posted, a few of the chefs on that list are notable for a number of things. David Chang revolutionized the casual dining experience by altering the relationship between the amount of capital a restaurant dedicated to service as opposed to serving food. Restaurants all over the country copy his model to this day. Jean George pioneered acidity in food. I know he is more famous for fusing Asian and French food but I don’t see that as his main contribution. It wasn’t Eric Ripert, but his former boss, Gilbert LeCoze who taught Americans how to select fish. Batali? Very articulate guy who knows a lot about cooking but to be honest I don’t get it. Other than Esca, I don’t think I have ever had a meal at a Batali restaurant that I enjoyed.
Thanks Steve. Love your posts. Magnus Nillson trained under Pascal Barbot. I agree with you about David Chang.
Willows Inn is also a good example of your narrative concept.
Actually after I had dinner at Faviken last April, Magnus sat with us for a drink in the lounge where he told us his story. Magnus started out at Arpege. But they fired him because he couldn’t speak French. So he ended up with Pascal where they spoke English as well as French in the kitchen.
He also worked along side Chef Adeline Grattard (Yam’Tcha) at L’Astrance.
Have you been to Willows Inn?
Yes twice. One when they first opened and another time for the first harvest dinner. Have you been?
Twice. I was extremely impressed. I actually stayed on the Island for a week and rented a place at Nettles Farm.
Do you live on the west coast?
NYC but I am in LA, San Francisco and Paris quite a bit.
I think I figured that out. I take it you are BrooklynGuy. Unless there just happens to be more than one wine maniac with your name.
Have you been down to Aubergine in Carmel? After Josh Skenes at Saison and Blaine at Willows Inn, Justin Cogley is doing some of the best work in the US at the moment. And did you get to eat David Toutain’s food when he was at L’Agape Substance? I am scheduled to visit his new restaurant next month.
So when I’m thinking of a “top” chef I’m considering the power or influence a person has. If people like a chef either personally or professionally I believe the chefs I listed are all more influential in the restaurant industry and influencing what people eat.
Steve I’d consider your point as most innovative or even technically proficient.
I find it hard to believe that anyone can consider WD a top chef of anything. And a viewpoint that does is very skewed.
Look it makes no difference to me. It’s not a matter of right or wrong. But I can tell you the following. Rene Redzepi’s wife told me that they visit WD-50 every single time they come to New York. So I guess they must know something you don’t know.
Nick - You are confusing popular, and influencing what people eat, with influencing your peers. Batali is the former, Dufresne the latter. History will show that in almost every instance, those who influence their peers are the ones who have the long legacies.
Maybe. What they don’t know is how to eat well.
Or maybe they think they might learn something about food that they did not know before.
Oh yes. Like how to make a piece of duck look like a carrot and taste like watermelon. Yum.
I could find that interesting and yummy if it was done correctly.
I have not been to Aubergine. Thanks for the tip I will check it out. And I missed David Toutain at Substance and he would not do a pescetarian menu when he cooked at Atera so I missed him there. I will try to check his new place out on my next trip.
To me Dominique Crenn is doing some of them most exciting work in the U.S.