A Selective Guide to America's Super Chefs

ARIZONA

PARADISE VALLEY

Elements

Charles Wiley | 1994

Wiley complements stunning Paradise Valley views with lively and unpretentious dishes like artichoke and roasted garlic casserole and sake-cured salmon (5700 E. McDonald Rd.; 480-607-2300).

PHOENIX

Christopher's Fermier Brasserie

Christopher Gross | 1989

A veteran of Paris, London and L.A. kitchens, Gross offers wood-oven roasting and 100 wines by the glass (2584 E. Camelback Rd.; 602- 522-2344).

SCOTTSDALE

Mosaic

Deborah Knight | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (10600 E. Jomax Rd.; 480-563-9600).

Restaurant Hapa

James McDevitt | 1999

"Pan-Asian contemporary" describes McDevitt's spare, appealing food, such as crisped sweetbreads with tamarind glaze (6204 N. Scottsdale Rd.; 480-998-8220).

Roaring Fork

Robert McGrath | 1988

Beef tenderloin "shellacked" with coffee-molasses is one of the playful dishes at McGrath's ranchlike home base (4800 N. Scottsdale Rd.; 480-947-0795).

CALIFORNIA

BERKELEY

Café Rouge

Marsha McBride | 1997

McBride favors hormone-free meats dry-aged or cured on site, plus Mediterranean grazing plates (1782 Fourth St.; 510-525-1440).

Chez Panisse

Kelsie Kerr | 1997

Kerr displays her talents as co-chef (with Christopher Lee) at Alice Waters' ur-California-cuisine mecca (1517 Shattuck Ave.; 510-548-5525).

BEVERLY HILLS

Matsuhisa

Nobu Matsuhisa | 1989

This is the amazingly modest first restaurant from the Japanese-fusion maestro the world knows as Nobu (129 N. La Cienega Blvd.; 310-659-9639).

Polo Lounge at Beverly Hills Hotel

Katsuo Sugiura | 1989

"Suki" Sugiura's revival of the glittering Rat Pack–era hangout puts an Asian edge on American standards (9641 Sunset Blvd.; 310-276-2251).

Spago Beverly Hills

Lee Hefter | 1998

Foie gras, sashimi, goulash--Hefter masters all at Wolfgang Puck's star-studded joint (176 N. Cañon Dr.; 310-385-0880).

LA JOLLA

George's at the Cove

Trey Foshee | 1998

Foshee serves superior seafood at this oceanside spot (1250 Prospect St.; 858-454-4244).

LOS ANGELES

Campanile

Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton | 1990

Peel's food continues to exemplify California's clean cuisine, here crowned by pastry chef Silverton's big, bold finishes (624 S. La Brea Ave.; 323-938-1447).

Jar

Suzanne Tracht | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (8225 Beverly Blvd.; 323-655-6566).

Lucques

Suzanne Goin | 1999

In an adorable brick carriage house on a busy L.A. strip, Goin serves creative Cal-bistro dishes (8474 Melrose Ave.; 323-655-6277).

NEWPORT BEACH

Aubergine

Tim Goodell | 2000

A former florist's cottage houses Goodell's ever-evolving French-with-a-twist (508 29th St.; 949-723-4150).

PASADENA

Celestino

Celestino Drago | 1993

Drago serves dressed-up Italian peasant food: bresaola with grapefruit, squid-ink risotto, pumpkin tortelloni (141 S. Lake Ave.; 626-795-4006).

SAN FRANCISCO

Boulevard

Nancy Oakes | 1993

Big braises, grilled meats and wood-oven roasts are Oakes' megapopular signature dishes at this Belle Epoque institution (1 Mission St.; 415-543-6084).

Delfina

Craig Stoll | 2001

In a Mission District space full of dark wood, Stoll tweaks farmers' market produce into fuss-free Italian dishes (3621 18th St.; 415-552-4055).

Fifth Floor

Laurent Gras | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (12 Fourth St.; 415-348-1555).

Fleur de Lys

Hubert Keller | 1988

Keller learned from such masters as Bocuse, Lenôtre and Vergé, and his pedigree is evident in his brilliant command of classical French cuisine (777 Sutter St.; 415-673-7779).

42 Degrees

Jim Moffat | 1996

The latitude--and attitude--of Provence is the inspiration behind Moffat's supper and jazz club (235 16th St.; 415-777-5558).

Fringale

Gerald Hirigoyen | 1994

Hirigoyen's pleasing Basque bistro offers pork tenderloin confit on the edge of the Tenderloin (570 Fourth St.; 415-543-0573).

Gary Danko

Gary Danko | 1989

Danko serves his signature French-American marvels in an unlikely location: Fisherman's Wharf (800 N. Point St.; 415-749-2060).

Home

Lance Dean Velasquez | 1996

Meat loaf Tuesday, cioppino Saturday, roast chicken every day: Velasquez dishes out homey cuisine in a glam room (2100 Market St.; 415-503-0333).

Jardinière

Traci Des Jardins | 1995

A brick, steel and black marble dining room makes a dramatic setting for Des Jardins' fresh Cal-French food (300 Grove St.; 415-861-5555).

Masa's

Ron Siegel | 1999

Siegel's sublime French-Japanese livens up a venerable, and newly modernized, parlor room (648 Bush St.; 415-989-7154).

Mecca

Mike Fennelly | 1993 A huge "industrial luxe" dining room serves as the stage for Fennelly's Asian-spiked American cuisine (2029 Market St.; 415-621-7000).

Merenda

Keith Luce | 1997

Luce takes most of his culinary cues from France at this intimate, red-walled restaurant (1809 Union St.; 415-346-7373).

Restaurant Elisabeth Daniel

Daniel Patterson | 1997

Patterson presents genteel French food with eclectic touches in an equally elegant room (550 Washington St.; 415-397-6129).

Rose Pistola

Reed Hearon | 1994

Northern Italian seafood con brio keeps Hearon's North Beach place going strong--and large, and loud (532 Columbus Ave.; 415-399-0499).

JiRaffe

Raphael Lunetta | 1997

In this bi-level, glass-fronted restaurant, Lunetta sends out fresh, inventive French dishes (502 Santa Monica Blvd.; 310-917-6671).

Melisse Restaurant

Josiah Citrin | 1997

A stark space decorated with light brocades is Citrin's backdrop for sparkling mod-French food (1104 Wilshire Blvd.; 310-395-0881).

ST. HELENA

Terra

Lissa Doumani & Hiro Sone | 1991

The husband-and-wife chef team have run their stone-walled Napa classic, serving globally inflected French and Italian food, for 14 years (1345 Railroad Ave.; 707-963-8931).

WOODSIDE

Village Pub

Mark Sullivan | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (2967 Woodside Rd.; 650-851-9888).

YOUNTVILLE

The French Laundry

Thomas Keller | 1988

A supreme innovator, Napa superstar Keller still astonishes after eight years (6640 Washington St.; 707-944-2380).

COLORADO

ASPEN

Renaissance

Charles Dale | 1995

In this cozy space, Dale whips up creative dishes like coffee-seared ahi tuna with yam polenta and mole sauce (304 E. Hopkins Ave.; 888-311-2433).

CONNECTICUT

RIVERSIDE

Aux Délices

Debra Ponzek | 1989

Country French takeout, a catering service and a tiny clutch of tables form Ponzek's Greenwich-area domain (1075 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-698-1066).

FLORIDA

CORAL GABLES

Pascal's on Ponce

Pascal Oudin | 1995

Oudin's small, sweet slice of Paris doles out contemporary French comfort food, like his beloved lobster bisque (2611 Ponce De Leon Blvd.; 305-444-2024).

DELRAY BEACH

32 East

Nick Morfogen | 1996

Morfogen writes the menu daily, offering Mediterranean-American hybrids like hanger steak on roast-garlic polenta (32 E. Atlantic Ave.; 561-276-7868).

FT. LAUDERDALE

Mark's Las Olas

Mark Militello | 1990

Militello prepares vivacious Floridian inventions in a vast open-kitchen space with a grand terrace (1032 E. Las Olas Blvd.; 954-463-1000).

MIAMI

Baleen

Robin Haas | 1994

Imaginative seafood is Haas' style; try the Asian bouillabaisse in hot-and-sour broth (4 Grove Isle Dr.; 305-857-5007).

Chef Allen's

Allen Susser | 1991

Famed Caribbean-Latin-Euro fusionist Susser is still forging new paths after 16 years (19088 N.E. 29th Ave.; 305-935-2900).

Rumi

Larkin Selman | 1993

Selman is part of the Med-Caribbean cuisine team at this South Beach hot spot (330 Lincoln Rd.; 305-672-4353).

Wish

E. Michael Reidt | 2001

Reidt showcases his Brazilian-French food in jazzy, colorful, Todd Oldham–designed rooms (801 Collins Ave.; 305-674-9474).

PALM BEACH

The Restaurant at the Four Seasons

Hubert Des Marais | 1993

Attention-getting dishes like guava-braised short ribs mark Des Marais' signature style at this upscale property (2800 S. Ocean Blvd.; 561-533-3750).

GEORGIA

ATHENS

Five & Ten

Hugh Acheson | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (1653 S. Lumpkin St.; 706-546-7300).

ATLANTA

Bacchanalia

Anne Quatrano & Clifford Harrison | 1995

In a 1920s meatpacking plant with midtown skyline views, the chef duo turn out honest new-American food (1198 Howell Mill Rd.; 404-365-0410).

BUCKHEAD

Soto Japanese Restaurant

Sotohiro Kosugi | 1997

Locals line up for Kosugi's creative sushi and sashimi, which may contain, say, truffle vinegar (3330 Piedmont Rd.; 404-233-2005).

ILLINOIS

CHICAGO

Blackbird

Paul Kahan | 1999

Kahan does showy but soulful Euro-American food in a minimalist white bo--te (619 W. Randolph St.; 312-715-0708).

Everest

Jean Joho | 1989

A swanky room at mountaintop altitude makes a perfect match for Joho's haute, luxe French dishes (440 La Salle St.; 312-663-8920).

Frontera Grill and Topolobampo

Rick Bayless | 1988

Adjacent places, one fancy and one plain, serve Mexican-food expert Bayless' beautiful regional cuisine (445 N. Clark St.; 312-661-1434).

Kevin

Kevin Shikami | 1991

A relaxed, brick-walled space displays Shikami's refreshing Japanese-American hybrid cuisine, which goes easy on butter and cream (9 W. Hubbard St.; 312-595-0055).

NoMI

Sandro Gamba | 2001

Gamba cooks Asian-spiked French in a gorgeous, wood-rich room (800 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-239-4030).

Tru

Rick Tramonto & Gale Gand | 1994

A spacious white-on-white dining room sets off Tramonto's winsome presentations--such as caviar on a glass staircase--and Gand's divine sweets (676 N. St. Clair St.; 312-202-0001).

CHICAGO SUBURBS

Elaine

Ted Cizma | 2000

Three compact rooms in a house that dates back to the mid-nineteenth century are the setting for Cizma's robust new-American dishes (10 W. Jackson St., Naperville; 630-548-3100).

Gabriel's

Gabriel Viti | 1991

Viti's luxurious Italian-French food walks the line between traditional and inventive (310 Green Bay Rd., Highwood; 847-433-0031).

Le Français

Don Yamauchi | 1993

Yamauchi's creative cooking works a wide variety of international ingredients into French dishes, marking a splendid new era for a storied institution (269 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling; 847-541-7470).

Trio

Grant Achatz | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (1625 Hinman Ave., Evanston; 847-733-8746).

LOUISIANA

NEW ORLEANS

Bayona

Susan Spicer | 1989

For a dozen years, Spicer has interpreted cuisines from around the world in this color-blocked French Quarter cottage (430 Dauphine St.; 504-525-4455).

Brigtsen's

Frank Brigtsen | 1988

Brigtsen continues where his mentor, Paul Prudhomme, left off: Acadian classics, no pretensions (723 Dante St.; 504-861-7610).

Gamay Bistro & Bar

Greg Sonnier | 1994

Sonnier produces lusty Cajun-Creole dishes in this cool, calming room (320 Decatur St.; 504-299-8800).

Lilette

John Harris | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (3637 Magazine St.; 504-895-1636).

Peristyle

Anne Kearney | 1998

Kearney turns out bold, fresh, Louisiana-tinged French food in a homey, welcoming space (1041 Dumaine St.; 504-593-9535).

Restaurant August

John Besh | 1999

Trend-conscious Euro with Creole touches makes Besh the chef with buzz (301 Tchoupitoulas St.; 504-299-9777).

MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON

Hamersley's Bistro

Gordon Hamersley | 1988

Wooden beams and banquettes provide a mellow environment for Hamersley's vibrant comfort-food creations (553 Tremont St.; 617-423-2700).

Mantra

Thomas John | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (52 Temple Pl.; 617-542-8111).

No. 9 Park

Barbara Lynch | 1996

Nostalgic, '40s-era decor frames Lynch's lovable country dishes from Italy and the south of France (9 Park St.; 617-742-9991).

Radius

Michael Schlow | 1996

Schlow presents his high-style French food in a spacious dining room painted in an earthy palette of olive green and burgundy (8 High St.; 617-426-1234).

CAMBRIDGE

Centro

Rene Michelena | 1998

Prepare to wait for a seat at this wee trattoria, where Michelena's genuine cucina rustica draws eager crowds--and reservations are only accepted for a limited number of tables (720 Massachusetts Ave.; 617-868-2405).

Metro

Amanda Lydon | 2000

In an enormous, retro-style brasserie complete with a zinc bar, Lydon serves classics like coq au vin and steak frites (1815 Massachusetts Ave.; 617-354-3727).

Rialto

Jody Adams | 1993

Adams' serious yet merry Spanish-Provençal-Tuscan cooking is complemented by sensual surroundings (Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St.; 617-661-5050).

Salts

Steve Rosen | 1999

Honey-seared salmon or lobster pie may show up on Rosen's no-fuss menu in this sunshine-yellow room (798 Main St.; 617-876-8444).

CHARLESTOWN

Olives

Todd English | 1990

English's two signature chains, Figs and Olives, have grown so rapidly it's clear that his upscale pan-Euro food has a big following. This was his first branch (10 City Sq.; 617-242-1999).

WEST NEWTON

Lumière

Michael Leviton | 2000

Leviton's clear flavors and faultless French technique are enhanced by simple decor and diffused light (1293 Washington St.; 617-244-9199).

MICHIGAN

FARMINGTON HILLS

Tribute

Takashi Yagihashi | 2000

A muraled room is a theatrical stage for Yagihashi's Japanese-French food (31425 Orchard Lake Rd.; 248-848-9393).

MINNESOTA

BLOOMINGTON

Napa Valley Grille

Tim Anderson | 1991

Anderson works miracles with Cal-cuisine staples like heirloom vegetables and wild game, inside the world's biggest mall (220 W. Market, Mall of America; 952-858-9934).

STILLWATER

La Belle Vie

Tim McKee | 1997

Victorian decor meets a contemporary French menu from McKee, who's fond of his wood-fired oven (312 S. Main St.; 651-430-3545).

NEVADA

LAS VEGAS

Nectar

John Schenk | 1995

Schenk plates mammoth portions of raw-bar delicacies and mouthwatering dishes, like fried green tomatoes, in this jolly blue lounge (Bellagio hotel, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; 702-693-7223).

Renoir

Alessandro Stratta | 1994

Modern-French whiz Stratta competes with four Renoirs and wins, thanks to his immense flavors (Mirage hotel, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; 702-791-7442).

NEW MEXICO

SANTA FE

Fuego

Kevin Graham | 1991

In a rustic dining room at a posh Santa Fe resort, Graham serves sophisticated, regionally inspired cuisine against a flamenco-guitar backdrop (La Posada Resort & Spa, 330 E. Palace Ave.; 505-954-9678).

TAOS

Joseph's Table

Joseph Wrede | 2000

Wrede conjures spirited flavors from all-local ingredients in a fresco-decorated space. Due to move later this year (4167 Paseo del Pueblo Sur; 505-751-4512).

NEW YORK

NEW YORK CITY

Annisa

Anita Lo | 2001

Lo scours the globe--Asia, the Middle East, Morocco--for inspiration and gets breathtaking results (13 Barrow St.; 212-741-6699).

Blue Hill

Michael Anthony & Dan Barber | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (75 Washington Pl.; 212-539-1776).

Bouley

David Bouley | 1989

A master of modernized classical French, Bouley recently reopened this Tribeca destination, expanding the dining room into the former bakery space next door (120 W. Broadway; 212-964-2525).

Café Boulud

Andrew Carmellini | 2000 Carmellini offers vigorous, refined French cuisine at a restaurant owned by his mentor, Daniel Boulud (20 E. 76th St.; 212-772-2600).

Cello

Laurent Tourondel | 1998

Tourondel's exquisitely subtle seafood delicacies are presented in a patrician parlor (53 E. 77th St.; 212-517-1200).

Commune

Matthew Kenney | 1994

Kenney applies North African flavor combinations to New York contemporary dishes in this high-energy setting (12 E. 22nd St.; 212-777-2600).

Daniel

Daniel Boulud | 1988

Boulud is Gotham's preeminent master of French cuisine, and this plush, ornate salon provides a fitting frame for his decadent dishes (60 E. 65th St.; 212-288-0033).

Gramercy Tavern

Tom Colicchio | 1991

Colicchio's virtuosity with rustic American, French and Italian food makes this one of New York City's treasured territories (42 E. 20th St.; 212-477-0777).

Ouest

Tom Valenti | 1990

In an elegant bistro, Valenti thrills the Upper West Side (and the celebrities who live there) with hearty, impeccable dishes (2315 Broadway; 212-580-8700).

Picholine

Terrance Brennan | 1995

Brennan refreshes the French canon and serves the ultimate cheese board, in a romantic space near Lincoln Center (35 W. 64th St.; 212 724 8585).

Union Pacific

Rocco DiSpirito | 1999

Culinary pinup DiSpirito displays his passion for experimentation in a soaring room with a Zen ambience (111 E. 22nd St.; 212-995-8500).

Union Square Cafe

Dan Silverman | 1997 & Michael Romano | 1991

Silverman and Romano's generous Euro-American food, served in gallery-like rooms, keeps this 16-year-old restaurant at the top of New Yorkers' list (21 E. 16th St.; 212-243-4020).

Veritas

Scott Bryan | 1996

Bryan offers up his signature braises, roasts and grills in an urban-chic setting with stellar wines (43 E. 20th St.; 212-353-3700).

NORTH CAROLINA

DURHAM

Magnolia Grill

Ben Barker | 1993

Barker draws constant crowds with his imaginative Southern-inspired bistro food and relaxed, wood-floored space (1002 Ninth St.; 919-286-3609).

OHIO

CLEVELAND

Lola

Michael Symon | 1998

A somewhat sci-fi dining room displays Symon's exuberant multi-culti cooking (900 Literary Rd.; 216-771-5652).

PENNSYLVANIA

PHILADELPHIA

Avenue B

Francesco Martorella | 1990

At this pretheater favorite with a daily-changing menu, Martorella's attention to detail is evident in dishes like a napoleon of roasted red peppers and a veal rib chop Milanese (260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-0705).

Jack's Firehouse

Jack McDavid | 1991

McDavid's "haute country" cuisine--pea and hog jowl soup, for instance--livens up a nineteenth-century fire station (2130 Fairmount Ave.; 215-232-9000).

¡Pasión!

Guillermo Pernot | 1998

Pernot does fanciful, bountiful Nuevo Latino at this one-stop churrascaria and seviche bar (211 S. 15th St.; 215-875-9895).

Red Chopstix

Bruce Lim | 1990

Lim's Euro-Asian menu marries the best of both continents, as in his venison scaloppine with baby bok choy (1511 Locust St.; 215-546-0600).

Susanna Foo

Susanna Foo | 1989

It's Chinese food, but not as we know it. Nobody can tinker with a wonton like Foo can (1512 Walnut St.; 215-545-2666).

Vetri

Marc Vetri | 1999

Exquisite balance is Vetri's hallmark at his 10-table labor of love…for Italy (1312 Spruce St.; 215-732-3478).

RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE

Al Forno

Johanne Killeen & George Germon | 1988

The essential destination for paper-thin pizzas. Killeen and Germon's kingdom has grown, but it hasn't spread too thin (577 S. Main St.; 401-273-9767).

Empire

Loren Falsone & Eric Moshier | 2000

Falsone and Moshier's daily menus celebrate southern Italy in a renovated 1912 mock-Renaissance car showroom (123 Empire St.; 401-621-7911).

TENNESSEE

MEMPHIS

Chez Philippe

José Gutierrez | 1990

Amid faux Louis XIV splendor, Gutierrez merges the American South with southern France (Peabody Hotel, 149 Union Ave.; 901-529-4188).

TEXAS

HOUSTON

Américas

Michael Cordua | 1994

An energetic, perpetually packed dining room decorated with Inca motifs makes a striking background for Nicaraguan Cordua's fascinating Latin ideas--quail tacos! (1800 Post Oak Blvd.; 713-961-1492).

Boulevard Bistrot

Monica Pope | 1996

Crowds flock to this laid-back bistro to sample Pope's Moroccan–Middle Eastern flourishes (4319 Montrose Blvd.; 713-524-6922).

SAN ANTONIO

Biga

Bruce Auden | 1988

Auden does big American food with a distinctive Mex-Asian accent in this Texan hacienda (203 S. St. Marys St.; 210-225-0722).

VIRGINIA

McLEAN

Maestro

Fabio Trabocchi | 2002

See America's Best New Chefs 2002 (Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd.; 703-821-1515).

RICHMOND

Acacia

Dale Reitzer | 1999

Reitzer elevates his cosmopolitan dishes with sprightly sauces--orange-cumin, lime-ginger--in a casual terra-cotta-floored place named after his big dog (3325 W. Cary St.; 804-354-6060).

WASHINGTON

SEATTLE

Brasa

Tamara Murphy | 1994

Murphy's innovative cuisine can best be described as the Northwest meets Iberia (2107 Third Ave.; 206-728-4220).

Earth & Ocean

Johnathan Sundstrom | 2001

Sundstrom isn't afraid to serve ultratrendy dishes like wild boar ravioli at his headquarters inside the W Hotel, where he attracts an enthusiastic following (1112 Fourth Ave.; 206-264-6060).

727 Pine

Danielle Custer | 1998

Round-the-world culinary influences, cheeky ideas (such as a three-course steak menu) and ingenious combinations distinguish Custer's cooking at this glam destination (727 Pine St.; 206-774-6400).

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Galileo da Roberto Donna

Roberto Donna | 1990

A one-man industry, Piedmont-born Donna plies Washingtonians with delicious Northern Italian dishes done every which way (1110 21st St. NW; 202-293-7191).

Palena

Frank Ruta | 2001

Former White House chef Ruta, who cooked for both Republican and Democratic presidents, dresses up Italian peasant food for Beltway connoisseurs (3529 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-537-9250).

--Research by Jessica Blatt