Do you ask for the Chef's autograph?
 

My wife and I just started recently doing this. First was for our 1st wedding anniversary. We had an amazing tasting menu and had the menu signed by the Chef and other cooks. While we were in Maui we had the Chef of Ferraro's sign our menu as well. Side-note, he grew up near us which was pretty cool. We plan to either frame these or put them in an album. I would love to ask to take pictures but I'm not at that stage yet :D

If I visit a place where the chef has a cookbook, and its one of those reserve-a-table-2-months-ahead places, definitely. Also, if it's a cookbook that I use heavily, I like to bring it in (all tattered and worn) and have the chef sign it - also so they get a chance to see that their hard work pays off both in and outside the restaurant.

We have the French Laundry cook book that will never be "tattered and worn". lol Only because every recipe has 30 damn ingredients. But I do really like that idea.

If there is a cookbook involved then that is pretty neat. Otherwise, I think a photo with the chef is a much better idea.

I guess a menu signed by Mario Batali or someone of that level would be a good souvenir!

This past weekend I ate at Aria in Chicago, which is the restaurant of Bev from Top Chef Texas. She was walking around and signing autographs all night but I did not ask for hers.

While I don't have anything against this, per se, I would limit my requests to very influential chefs, e.g. Ferran Adria, Paul Bocuse, maybe Robuchon, etc.

I was at a fund raising event for http://www.alexslemonade.org/ and the event featured many celebrity chefs. I did buy some cookbooks and have them signed. However, the only autographed cookbook which really meant so much was the one by Gabrielle Hamilton, "Blood Bones and Butter." It was one of my favorite books of 2011 and I loved talking to her. I read the book on my Kindle and was more than happy to buy a hard copy and have her sign it. Gaby owns Prune in NYC. The book is beautifully written. It is not a cookbook. It is Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir and a magnificent book.
Chefs at the 2011 event:
http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaig...out/meet-chefs

At Alinea, Grant Achatz himself made our dessert tableside. My bf asked him to autograph our menus. He did.

I was kind of embarrassed about it, though.

I met Morimoto Masaharu on the Tokyo Limousine from Narita Airport. Oddly enough, my parents were staying at the same hotel he was, and we met him the next day, also randomly; his manager gave us his 名刺 (meishi=name card), though I should've asked for his signature. I also met Bobby Flay years ago at a NY food show; too bad I didn't have a mango for him to sign.

I asked for a photo with Ferran and got a book signed by him while I was at his El Bulli Taller laboratory. Very nice guy, it was a great experience meeting him.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...06516233_n.jpg

Last night the fiancée and I went to Moto in Chicago and asked our waiter if it would be possible to have Chris or Ritchie (from Top Chef Texas fame) come out and say hi. Instead we got a tour of the kitchen after our meal and got to meet and talk with both of them! We took a picture with them but and I was going to get them to autograph the menu but completely forgot in the moment.

Hell, no. I don't ask anyone for autographs unless they ask for mine first.