Best New Chefs and Their Simplest Recipes

Each year, F&W editors spend months finding cooks who are fantastically skilled, creative and driven. Here, our Best New Chefs of 2010, plus simple, spectacular recipes from each.

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"Dumplings don't just fall out of the sky," says Roy Choi, one of this year's 10 Best New Chefs. His point: Making his favorite childhood dish is hard work. Similarly, Best New Chefs don't just miraculously appear: F&W editors spend months finding them. To locate cooks who are fantastically skilled, creative and driven—and who have run a kitchen for no longer than five years—we gather recommendations from food professionals nationwide, then eat anonymously at countless restaurants. And this year, we located exceptional chefs all over, from a remote corner of Virginia to the streets of Los Angeles, where Choi presides over a revolutionary Korean taco truck.

View a Slideshow of the 2010 Class of Best New Chefs

Watch Videos of the 2010 Class of Best New Chefs

Jason Stratton

© Nigel Parry.

1. Jason Stratton

Spinasse * Seattle

Zucchini Carpaccio with Salt-Broiled Shrimp

Alex Seidel

© Nigel Parry.

2. Alex Seidel

Fruition * Denver

Grilled Green Bean Salad with Lentil Vinaigrette

John Shields

© Nigel Parry.

3. John Shields

Town House * Chilhowie, Virginia

Salmon with Cantaloupe and Fried Shallots

Clayton Miller

© Nigel Parry.

4. Clayton Miller

Trummer' on Main * Clifton, Virginia

Hush Puppies with Green Zebra Tomato Jam

Jonathon Sawyer

© Nigel Parry.

5. Jonathon Sawyer

The Greenhouse Tavern * Cleveland

Foie Gras–Steamed Clams

Mike Sheerin

© Nigel Parry.

6. Mike Sheerin

Blackbird * Chicago

Twice-Glazed Asian Barbecued Chicken

Cucumber-Cherry Salad

Roy Choi

© Nigel Parry.

7. Roy Choi

Kogi Korean BBQ * Los Angeles

Midnight Tortas

James Syhabout

© Nigel Parry.

8. James Syhabout

Commis * Oakland, California

Green Tomatoes with Pistachio Relish

Missy Robbins

© Nigel Parry.

9. Missy Robbins

A Voce * New York City

Orecchiette with Marinated Eggplant, Burrata and Chiles

Matt Lightner

© Nigel Parry.

10. Matt Lightner

Castagna * Portland, Oregon

Grilled Squid and Torpedo Onions with Sorrel

More Great Recipes:

Apple Pie Granita
Kana Okada

2010 Best New Chefs' Inspirations

Spice Crispies
© Joseph de Leo

2010 Best New Chefs: Where They're Coming From

Smoked Salmon Crisps
Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook. Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers, and top them.

Recipes from Hall of Fame Best New Chefs

The Food & Wine Best New Chefs for 2010 share their stories, reactions and recipes.

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