Who do you think is the best chef?

OK people. I think we should keep things in perspective here. Who is the best Chef ? There are probably 500 great Chefs to every one with a cook book or a star.

We should all look at the one that we respect the most, and keep striving to be what we want to be. Not what a cookbook author, or a restaurant reviewer says.

Just my input.

A canadian in Germany.

in the uk , anton mossiman , michel bourdin , marco pierre white, gordon ramsey , gary rhodes , roux bothers , raymond blanc must be regarded as the best of the last 20 years and the legacies of chefs mossiman, bourdin , blanc, roux continue to live through their proteges. heston bluementhal is one to watch.

Mum !!!!!!!!!!

[panini]

Just my 2 cents.
I feel the best chefs in the world are those people who are responsible to nurish and feed other people. Chef's with a very limited variety and budget(most middle to lower class). These chef's take the same shopping list to the store every week and somehow be creative enough to not only make their food nutritious but fun!.I never once hesitated when my Grandma called us for dinner. It was never the same(I thought). I had no idea the chicken was really eggplant.I never knew what a leftover was. I kept this gift of rework from her which I think makes me very sucessful today.
I challenge everyone to check their trash tonight, you might be surprized.
Jeff

hello everyone, im new to the website and i enjoyed all of your thoughts on this topic so much that i registered. as far as the topic at hand i think that you guys have covered most of the true innovators in our field, but i think that one important name has been left out.and i will go out on a limb and deem him as my #1 pick.....chef charlie trotter...........i would also like to throw norman van aken into the ring
thank you

[Pastachef]

I very much like Sarah Moulton too. That little girl is amazing, and she trained under Julia Child.

[ August 11, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]

[Anneke]

That 'Little girl' is 48; can you believe it???!! I used to not think much of her (I guess she didn't 'fill the screen' with her personality enough)until I started paying attention to what she had to say. Sara Moulton, like Julia, is a fantastic educator and as such merits my utmost respect. She's no Emeril or Bobby, and that's a big reason why I like her. She's the only one who is brave enough to take questions LIVE from her audience. That gives her bigger you-know-whats than any of her male counterparts!!

[Pastachef]

LOL, Anneke. I thought she was 28! I guess her years of experience is the reason she operates so smoothly. I can't believe I mis-spelled her name. I must have been half asleep at the time I posted.

I will have to say my first culinary Instructor John Collinson,who was from England he was sent by the UN to my island to start a hotel school and was over the culinary dept, he was a great mentor and gave me my start in this great field, and where ever he is in this world I must thank him and for me he is the greatest chef God bless you John

[cape chef]

ChefJune!!!

I am kind of known around here as "Not the greatest speller" LOL

I should have said that Wellington came from the duke of Wellington,not after his name but his military boots.
Chef Louis Szamthary really did help to introduce this dish to the American public.

Welcome to cheftalk,and thanks for highlighting my "Terrible" spelling
cc

[Papa]

Dear Friends:

I have to admit that trying to decide on who is the best Chef is one of the hardest tasks. There are so many great Chefs out there and every one is so unique that I believe the task is almost impossible!

I received an article last month from a French Chef on how to make the perfect boiled egg! When I first looked at the article, I thought to myself that this guy must be out of his mind! There are so many more difficult tasks to accomplish in the culinary arts that writing about the hard boiled egg seemed a little ... weird. Then I got further into it. This guy captured my attention and I have to admit that I learned a lot from his article. So, the question is : How do you evaluate a Chef? Which aspect of his art makes him/her more important than oters? My conclusion? Simply impossible!

If you want to read the hard boiled egg article, here is the link: http://www.olivetree.cc/RRthuriesjuly2001ENG.htm

[cape chef]

Papa,

I read that articale on your website last week,It was really a great little dose of imformation.
cc

[chefjune]

The poster who mentioned but misspelled (TERRIBLY!!!) Chef Louis Szathmary formerly of The Bakery in Chicago had a good idea. I don't think he would have told you he invented Beef Wellington, tho... you can find it in Larousse!

I don't think there is -- or can be -- one single best chef in the USA. There are so many superior ones. Among my personal favorites are Wayne Nish, Jody Adams, Waldy Malouf, Rick Bayless. Not only do they produce superb food and run peerless restaurants, they take time to reach back and train their own (future) successors. They also don't seem to be trying to see how many restaurants they can open, but are doing incredible jobs in their own corners of the country.

I've never dined with Melissa Kelly, but she is one chef I've heard a lot about and would love to try her food.

[Kimmie]

Dear Papa,

Thanks for sharing such a fun read!

My «Henrietta» The Hen, Egg Cooker/Poacher by Salton gives me purrrfect eggs every time!!

• Boils up to 7 eggs to perfection-hard, medium or soft
• Poaches up to 4 eggs
• Non-stick heating dish for easy clean-up
• Water level markings in heating dish to control degree of doneness
• "Chirps" and shuts off when eggs are ready
• Indicator light
• Removable egg tray doubles as server and contains egg piercing pin
• Cord stores in base

...and no, I'm not a one of the shareholders...



[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[Isa]

Too cute Kimmie!