I wasn't around when Alice Waters started the locavore revolution at Chez Panisse or when Thomas Keller gave American fine dining an identity at The French Laundry. But I did eat Christopher Kostow's food in 2012. Like other modern chefs, he has a love affair with vegetables, many of which come from Meadowood's garden. A plate of salt-baked rutabaga is paired with woodsy matsutake mushrooms, goat's milk, maple, and shaved white truffles. But these aren't proverbial "figs on a plate." Kostow's elegant dishes arrive fresh from a precision dance routine with tweezers. And while the kitchen may work Momofuku-loose (is that Rick James on the speakers?), there's nothing dressed down about the experience. From the pressed white tablecloths to the artisanal tableware, everything reminds you that this will be a special meal. To see a chef at the peak of his powers, eat here now.
#2 The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa, CA
