10 AMAZING CHEFS MAKING A BEAUTIFUL MARK

We love to follow as chefs make their mark with beautiful dishes. We have a wonderful collection to share from emerging chefs, just making their mark in the culinary world for the first time, as well as some signature mark dishes from some icons.

1. SAMEH WADI

Palestinian-American chef Sameh Wadi, of critically-acclaimed and award-winning Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, in Minneapolis, MI, specializes in contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Wadi was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation "Best Chef " and "Rising Star" awards. After appearing as a contestant on Food Network’s Iron Chef, Wadi emerged as a new culinary tour de force. His dishes are beautiful to behold and wonderful to experience.

His new book, The New Mediterranean Table, is inspired both by his family's long history of food and his own modern ideas and flavors.

2. WADE UEOKA

After a stint at the French Laundry, chef Wade Ueoka and wife/pastry chef Michelle Karr-Ueoka opened their first joint venture last year, MW Restaurant, in Honolulu, where they specialize in Hawaii Regional Cuisine.  

Wade is making his mark with beautiful new dishes, like Ahi Poke with Ikura, Uni, Crispy Rice Cracker. Michelle makes her own beautiful marks in the sweets department.

MW was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant in 2014. Check out their weekly pop-up at Taste.

3. ELI KULP

Emerging chef Eli Kulp, of Fork, in Philadelphia, chef, earned a StarChefs.com rising Stars Award and was named one of Food and Wine's Best New Chefs for 2014.

Among the beautiful dishes Kulp is making his mark with is his Onions and Cream. Sounds so simple, tastes and looks so divine!

4. SHANE LYONS

Chef Shane Lyons, who cut his culinary teeth at David Chang's Momofuku, is now making his mark at his own new restaurant, Distilled New York.

The restaurant also touts the "World’s Fastest Bartender" (Guinness certified!), Sheldon Wiley.

Check out his incredible Country Fried Duck with "French-toast-style" Waffle, rocking out with smoked serrano maple syrup.

5. JOSEPH “JJ” JOHNSON

Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson learned to cook as a child, at his Caribbean grandmother’s knee, and later at the Culinary Institute of America.

After stints learning even more at Centro Vinoteca, Jane, and Tribeca Grill, Johnson is making his mark at The Cecil and historic Minton’s jazz club in Harlem.

He recently won Rocco DiSpirito’s “Dinner Party” competition. And you will find Johnson listed on Forbes’ and Zagat’s “30 Under 30.” He was named an Eater Young Gun, and The Cecil was named Esquire’s restaurant of the year in 2014.

Check out Johnson’s Kona Kampachi, Cherries, and Thai Chile-Hibiscus Jam.

7. NICK CURTIN

Chef Nick Curtin made his mark in NY at Rosette, where he brought his Nordic roots to dishes like braised and roasted lamb's neck and potato pancakes, and roasted avocado. Now, in Copenhagen, he's working with with Michelin-starred chef Torsten Vildgaard at Noma.

Check out Curtin’s gorgeous Forever Beet & Black Currant: Tartare of Forever Beets, Skyr, Nasturtium, Ramson Capers, Red Sorrel, Dill Oil,  & Black Currant Jus.

8. MARK MORIARTY

Chef Mark Moriarty, Culinary Counter, was crowned the best emerging chef talent from the UK & Ireland at a live cook off for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 competition.

Mark’s winning dish was the Celeriac Baked in Barley and Fermented Hay with Cured and Smoked Celeriac.

9. CYRUS KEEFER

Chef Cyrus Keefer is making his mark with new flavors at his new restaurant, Piqué, in Baltimore, Maryland. Piqué refers to the French technique of flavoring béchamel sauce with a bay leaf and clove tacked onion -- it is also a verb that means “stimulate.”

Chef Keefer’s Signature Escargot Buns, are a French-Asian fusion masterpiece.

11. HESTON BLUMENTHAL

Master chef Heston Blumenthal has a number of signature dishes, like Snail Porridge and Bacon & Egg Ice Cream. They are all quite strange and quite beautiful. One we think is particularly beautiful is his signature Meat Fruit.

Meat Fruit is served at Blumenthal’s London restaurant, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. It looks like gorgeous tangerine or temple orange. Its “skin” is made of a thin layer of tart mandarin jelly. It is filled with a sphere of ethereal chicken liver mousse.

12. SUSAN TROWER

Signature Dish, a beautiful project by photojournalist Susan Trower, of 's-Hertogenbosch Netherlands, documents spectacular signature dishes created at Dutch restaurants, like this one, created by chef Nils Roksnoer at Auberge de Veste, in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. Signature Dish: Ganzenlever | Kip | Geitenkaas | Rode biet | Wortel (Fois Gras | Chicken | Goat Cheese | Beetroot | Carrot).

Read more about Beautiful Markings, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books on Beautiful Markings Now and The Fickle Nature of Nature’s Beautiful Markings Now.

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Competition. We run new creative competitions every week!

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge. Sweet Pea Flan with Manchego, Brown Butter, and Radishes.
2. Image: Courtesy of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge. Shaved Carrots with Apricots, Charmoula, and Preserved Lemon.
3. Image: Courtesy of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge.
4. Image: Courtesy of Page Street Publishing. The New Mediterranean Table: Modern and Rustic Recipes Inspired by Traditions Spanning Three Continents.
5. Image: Courtesy of MW Restaurant. Ahi Poke with Ikura, Uni, Crispy Rice Cracker.
6. Image: Courtesy of Eli Kulp. Onions and Cream.
7. Image: Courtesy of Distilled New York. Country Fried Duck with "French-Toast-Style" Waffle.
8. Image: Courtesy of Joseph "JJ" Johnson of The Cecil and Minton's. Kona Kampachi, Cherries, and Thai Chile-Hibiscus Jam.
9. Image: Courtesy of Nick Curtin. Forever Beet & Black Currant.
10. Image: Courtesy of S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 Competition. Celeriac Baked in Barley and Fermented Hay with Cured and Smoked Celeriac, by Mark Moriarty.
11. Image: Courtesy of Chef Keefer. Chef Keefer’s Signature Escargot Buns.
12. Photo: by Eddie Judd. Courtesy of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Meat Fruit.
13. Image: by Susan Trower. Signature Dish Project. Restaurant: Auberge de Veste
14. Image: by Susan Trower. Signature Dish Project.
15. Image: by Susan Trower. Signature Dish Project.
16. Image: Courtesy of Distilled New York.