Top 40 Restaurants Rock
by Judi Sandall
judi.sandall@chefschoolreview.com
Chef School Review Columnist
Recently Gayot.com, self-described as a “serious, honest, and professional resource on dining and travel for an international readership in search of the best,” published a list of the nation’s top 40 restaurants. Many of the restaurants show up on similar ‘best’ lists from other culinary sources and, not surprisingly, their executive chefs appear on other prestigious ‘best of’ lists. Apparently, excellence is excellence—across the board.
Recipe for Culinary Excellence
What criteria did Gayot judges use to make their 2006 ‘top 40’ restaurant selections? The primary factors are:
- Top of the line ingredients
- Creativity and innovation coupled with consistency
The ambiance, décor, and service of a restaurant doesn’t influence the 20-point score—only the judges’ opinions of the food contribute to the final ranking. Rankings range from exceptional (19 out of 20) to good (13/20 and 14/20), and Gayot.com awards from 1-4 toques (chef’s hats) in their guidebooks. Gayot.com clarifies that “13/20 (one toque) may not be a superlative ranking for a highly acclaimed (and very expensive) restaurant, but it is quite complimentary for a small place without much culinary pretension.”
Quality Ingredients
The freshest seasonal and local produce, the best cuts of meat, and quality fresh fish rate high on the list of culinary ‘must-haves.’ The culinary standard of excellence also encompassed the finest spices, pasta, chocolate, extra-virgin olive oil, and fruit that tastes as if it was plucked from the tree only moments before. Apparently, the devil is indeed in the details—judges loved quality bread and turned up their noses at homogenous sauces. A wine list that complemented the food generated high points, even if the list was neither long nor expensive. “Preparing everything from scratch at the last possible moment, from appetizers through desserts,” is essential, reports Gayot.com.
Creativity, Innovation, and Consistency
Although creativity and innovation are important factors, Gayot judges give higher scores to simple dishes done consistently well. Complicated dishes with exotic ingredients do not necessarily mean excellence—and they require a huge staff to prepare.
Culinary Futures
If a culinary career is your dream, the message from all quarters seems clear. Culinary success is based on quality—from using the finest and freshest ingredients to creating and executing your vision for a savory and elegant new dish.
Source
About the Author
Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.
Posted on February 8, 2007 at 4:09 PM
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