My thought also.

Yeah, I'd love to travel with the guy (as well as Bourdain), but I might have my limit to the amount of testicle soup or tarantula's I'm willing to try!

Taste in chefs
 

1. TONY BOURDAIN for his droll wit and travel tales
2. Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, for her simple elegant dishes
3. Gordon Ramsay--bit of a lad and cuisine is elegant

Personally, one of the best meals I've ever had was cooked by Emeril Lagasse in his Emeril's New Orleans restaurant.

I think Anthony Bourdain is the best TV host among chefs, but Emeril is much the better chef.

I finally made it to a picture posted on Flyertalk, wooooo hoooooo.


The dinner at Morimoto's was awesome but to me the company of my dining companions was the best part of that meal.


:)

Paula Dean

There are a lot of responses of "Jacques Pepin".

I think he's done a great thing for cuisine in America. His cooking shows are easily accessible and informative and his book Complete Techniques (La Methode and La Technique) is often referenced in my library. I would not want him to cook my anniversary (or birthday) dinner as the OP mentioned however. He can make the classics perfectly, but that isn't what I'm looking for a special occasion.

If it was a family Sunday dinner or a summer beach lunch, Pepin would be my choice.

I was a fan of Jeff Smith. Anyone could prepare his dishes. Sadly he is no longer with us.

Morimoto probably gets my vote. Been to his restaurant in PHL and sat at the bar and watched him prepare my sushi. Amazing with the knife, very friendly guy too.

To me Jacques Pepin is the one I would guess to be the best chef.

Ramsay, just tops them all. Not that I don't have appreciation for some others, just Ramsay tops the list. He's an actual cook, started from the bottom of a line chef and worked his way up, has as many (possibly more) michelin stars than anyone ever, and knows what it takes. I think it says something that the OP mentioned ramsay first when he mentioned a few celeb chef examples. Plus the only TV chef not on cable, but a major broadcaster. Entertaining personality aside, he's simply the best. i've eaten at a few of his places, everything about it is just amazing. Most restuarant employees will tell you he's earned his additude he has.

I have been fortunate enough to meet several of these chefs and have a great passion for traveling and food, so I feel very lucky to have eaten at many of there restaurants all over the world.

Gordon Ramsay, IMHO is the best TV chef that there is, I have been to several of his restaurants and the food has always been very good, I have met him twice and he is actually a nice person and really seems to care about the product that he puts out.

Wolfgang Puck is another great chef, I had lunch at his restaurant here in Detroit today, the lobster club sandwich is one of the greatest sandwich I have ever had, also his restaurant CUT both in Vegas and LA are among my top favorite restaurants ever, I have met Wolfgang several times at CUT and at some special dinners that he has done at his restaurants in Detroit, and he i genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met.

Bourdain's restaurants are not that great and he is not the greatest chef in the world, and to be fair he has not actually cooked in a kitchen in many years, but I had the pleasure of meeting him at an event and he is wonderful to talk to and seems to have the same passion for great food and travel that I do.

Andrew Zimmern was at a Stone Crab festival that I attended in Florida along with several other chefs, none actually famous other than him, however each chef made some food for the party, while Andrew is a very nice person his food was nothing special, although I have great respect for him since he is willing to try anything, as I usually am with some exceptions.

Morimoto is a very talented Chef and his restaurant in New York is very good, I do feel that Nobu where he started is a better restaurant and I find that Nobu is one of the best chefs in the world and a pioneer in fusion.

Sorry that I may have rambled, but in the end I think that my top 3 would be:

1. Gordon Ramsay
2. Wolfgang Puck
3. Nobu Matsuhisa

Batali
 

Got to say Batali by far from my experience. I have been to Babbo several times (by far my favorite restauant), Lupa (very good and better price range), Otto (very solid food, good pizza, great bar area), and Del Posto (not worth the money and very stuffy, the one low point).

Flay is also very strong, but not as consistent. I like Mesa Grill a lot (brunch is hard to beat, got to have the prickly pear mojito). Bolo is underwhelming. Bar Americana is solid, but nothing ground breaking.

Emeril was disappointing. Good food but too expensive for what it was.

Jose Andres (Jaleo, Zaytinia, Oyamel) is good but overated in DC.

Morou (Farrah Olivia) is awesome but not as well known and maybe not a "celebrity chef" (he competed on Next Iron Chef)

Michael Simon (Lolita) was very good. Impressed by his creativity.

I've heard great things about Paula Dean's place, but have yet to go there.

Neeley's - There bbq is hard to beat, but it's a different style chef than the others

We made it a point of searching out Neeley's while in BNA last year & I was underwhelmed, but I suspect it's just not my taste. My friend w/me loved it, but then I've never seen a BBQ place he didn't love! For me, the best BBQ place I've ever been to is Blues City Cafe in Memphis.

With all due respect, not sure I'd judge the Neely's based upon an airport representation. I have only had the Memphis version. I'll have to check out Blues City next time I'm in Memphis