Most overhyped chef?
Michel Richard (Citronelle, Central, Michel): “He doesn’t cook in his kitchen. He’s like a brand. Gucci is for clothes; Richard is for restaurants.”
Barton Seaver: “For a chef without a restaurant, I’ve never seen someone get so much publicity.”
Bryan Voltaggio (Volt): “He wouldn’t be on the list of James Beard nominations without Top Chef.”
Most underappreciated chef?
Frank Ruta (Palena): “We all think we’re the best, but you eat in his restaurant and say, ‘I’m never cooking again.’ ”
Justin Bittner (Bar Pilar): “He cooks the type of food cooks like to eat.”
Yannick Cam (Bistro Provence): “Not many chefs can make sauce the way he does. That’s how you judge a good chef.”
Related:
Chefs Tell All: What They Think of Critics
Chefs Tell All: Bad Servers and Tired Trends
Chefs Tell All: What You Maybe Didn't Want to Know About Kitchens
This article appears in the January issue of The Washingtonian.
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