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We’re putting together the stellar lineup of top-name chefs for the 2010
New York Culinary Experience and will announce participants soon.
Here’s a list of the culinary stars who lent their time and talents to the 2009 event:


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Alain Allegretti
Allegretti
Alain Allegretti hails from a prominent culinary background developed in kitchens across France and the United States. Raised in Provençe in the South of France, surrounded by the Alps and the bountiful vegetables and livestock at his family's farm, Alain learned to tend animals and gather fresh produce at a young age. His cooking style pairs cultural influences from his home city of Nice with the guidance culled from famed chefs including Jacques Maximin and Alain Ducasse. He opened Allegretti, his first restaurant, in New York City in 2008.
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Dan Barber
Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Dan Barber is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurants as well as a board member of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. He addresses local food system issues through op-eds in The New York Times and his writing has been featured in "Best Food Writing" for the past five years. In 2009, Time Magazine featured Dan in their "Time 100," an annual list of the world's most influential people. In spring of 2006, Dan received the James Beard Award for "Best Chef: New York City," and in 2009 was named James Beard's "Outstanding Chef."
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Joe Bastianich
Restaurateur, winemaker and author
Joe Bastianich, along with partners Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali, operates wineries in Italy and Argentina, as well as seventeen successful restaurants across the country, including Babbo and Del Posto in NYC, and Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza in L.A. He has co-authored two award-winning books on Italian wine and has received numerous accolades for his groundbreaking work in the field.
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Jonathan Benno
Per Se
As Chef de Cuisine at Per Se, Jonathan Benno oversees all aspects of the kitchen, working directly with Thomas Keller to create a distinctive brand of American cuisine and service. Per Se debuted in February 2004 and since its opening has consistently received the highest of accolades from both national, and international press.
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April Bloomfield
The John Dory and The Spotted Pig
April Bloomfield worked in the kitchens of Kensington Place, Bibendum, The River Café and Chez Panisse before opening The Spotted Pig, New York City's first gastro-pub in 2004 with restaurateur Ken Friedman. They opened The John Dory in 2008, where April offers her unique take on seafood, still appreciating the purity of her ingredients and honoring her native England with dishes like fish and chips and Welsh rarebit. This summer, April will unveil the menu for her third restaurant, The Breslin, in New York's Ace Hotel. |

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Karen Bornarth & Roger Gural
The French Culinary Institute (The FCI)
Karen Bornarth is an instructor and instructional coordinator at The FCI. She has studied, practiced, and taught the craft of bread baking for 10 years. Roger Gural, an FCI alumni and instructor, has baked professionally for almost ten years, at renowned bakeries such as Bouchon Bakery, Bouley Bakery and Amy's Bread. |

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David Bouley
Bouley, Upstairs, Secession and Bouley Bakery
Trained at the Sorbonne and by some of Europe's most acclaimed chefs including Roger Verge and Fredy Giradet, David Bouley is the Chef-Owner of Bouley, Bouley Market, Secession and Upstairs. He has twice received a James Beard Foundation Award for "Best Chef," Bouley has received "Best Restaurant" awards by the James Beard Foundation and was rated the number one restaurant in food and popularity in the Zagat® Survey. To this day, no restaurant has been able to achieve a 29 food rating in Zagat® as Bouley did during its last three years.
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Cesare Casella
Dean of The Italian Culinary Academy,
Chef/Owner of Salumeria Rosi
Cesare Casella is the Dean of The Italian Culinary Academy (sister school of The French Culinary Institute). A frequent traveler between NYC and Italy, Casella has authored three books and designed a comprehensive training program on Italian cuisine for The Italian Culinary Academy. He appears frequently on national television including Food Network and Molto Mario. |

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Scott Conant
Scarpetta
Scott Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating food that is unexpected and soulful at Scarpetta, which garnered glowing three-star reviews from The New York Times and New York magazine in July 2008. In November, he opened Scarpetta at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau resort, which received a four-star review from The Miami Herald. In 2009, Scarpetta received a nomination for “Best New Restaurant” from the the James Beard Foundation. Previously, Scott headed up Alto and L’Impero; the latter earned a three-star review from The New York Times. Scott has appeared on The Today Show, MARTHA, Bravo’s Top Chef and Food Network’s Chopped. Scott has also published two cookbooks: New Italian Cooking and Bold Italian. |

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Ariane Daguin
D'Artagnan
When Ariane Daguin launched D’Artagnan in 1985, the company was the only supplier of game and foie gras in the country. Today, D’Artagnan is the leading purveyor of organic poultry, game, foie gras, pâtés, sausages, smoked delicacies and wild mushrooms in the nation. Ariane is a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement, dedicated to procuring the best from small farms that support humane and sustainable farming practices. She is the founding president of the Les Nouvelles Meres Cuisinieres, recipient of the James Beard Foundation “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America” Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bon Appetit. |

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Ken Friedman
The Spotted Pig
Ken Friedman enjoyed a successful career in the music business working with such legends as Clive Davis and Bill Graham, and such musical artists as U2, UB40, The Smiths and Nine Inch Nails, before moving to New York. After the urging of many music biz friends, he decided to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant. He finally got his opportunity with the opening The Spotted Pig in 2004, which instantly gained critical and popular success. In 2007, he and fellow restauranteur Taavo Somer took over a bar a few blocks from The Pig, overlooking the Hudson River and opened a nautical-themed dive bar called The Rusty Knot, which became an instant hit. He once again partnered with Executive Chef April Bloomfield to open The John Dory in Chelsea in late 2008. He was recently asked by the owners of The Greenwich Hotel to help fix their "Ago problem". He brought in chef Andrew Carmelini and redesigned the restaurant, creating Locanda Verde. His latest project with April Bloomfield, The Breslin in The ACE Hotel, is set to open in October 2009. |

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Alexandra Guarnaschelli
Butter
Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli creates eclectic Greenmarket inspired cuisine at Butter restaurant in NYC. Guarnaschelli, who honed her craft working with some of the world's most notable chefs including Guy Savoy and Daniel Boulud, is also the host of The Cooking Loft, which airs on Food Network on Saturday mornings at 9:30AM. |

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Christopher Lee
Aureole
New York native, Christopher Lee, is currently Executive Chef at Aureole at One Bryant Park. Prior to Aureole, Chef Lee spent two years at restaurant Gilt, in The New York Palace hotel, and was credited for earning the restaurant two Michelin® stars. A graduate of California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Lee honed his talents in the kitchens of Manhattan's most renowned restaurants, including Daniel, Jean-Georges and Oceana. Among his many accolades, in 2005, Lee was named The James Beard Foundation’s “Rising Star Chef of the Year,” and in 2006 was among Food and Wine’s “Top Ten Best New Chefs.” |

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Paul Liebrandt
Corton
Paul Liebrandt, renowned Chef and Owner of Corton, offers a culinary experience on par with the finest restaurants in the country. His contemporary French menu reflects clean, precise and intense flavors. Corton received three stars by The New York Times, six stars by Time Out New York, four stars by New York magazine and was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation. Both Liebrandt and Corton continue to garner worldwide critical acclaim. |

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Sirio Maccioni
Restaurateur, Le Cirque
A native of Montecatini Terme, Italy, Sirio Maccioni opened Le Cirque in 1974, and it remains one of the city’s most legendary restaurants. The 2006 relocation of the restaurant was the subject of the 2008 HBO documentary, “Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven.” Maccioni also oversees restaurants in Las Vegas and Mexico City. |

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Morimoto
Morimoto
Masaharu Morimoto is renowned worldwide as star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America. He is Chef-Owner of restaurants around the world, including Morimoto in NYC. The restaurant is a James Beard Award nominee and has appeared on "best of" lists from publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and New York magazine. |

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Melissa Murphy
Sweet Melissa Pâtisserie
Executive Chef/Owner of acclaimed Brooklyn-based Sweet Melissa Patisserie and Sweet Melissa Crémerie restaurant. Melissa Murphy graduated from The French Culinary Institute (1995), where she currently serves on the Advisory Board committee and was the recipient of the “Most Outstanding Alumni” award in 1998. She has written numerous articles for magazines such as Food and Wine, Bride’s Magazine, Fine Cooking, Quick and Simple, The New York Times Magazine and Pastry Arts & Design. Melissa’s talents were showcased on TV Food Network’s Challenge: Edible Ornaments, where she captured the grand prize and also appeared on the network’s Chef du Jour and In Food Today. Her first cookbook, The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, was released in March of 2008, to numerous accolades and outstanding reviews. |

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Nils Norén and Dave Arnold
The French Culinary Institute (The FCI)
Nils Norén is the VP of Culinary Arts at The FCI and The Italian Culinary Academy. Previously he served as Executive Chef for Aquavit, where he combined his classic sensibilities and immense creativity. Dave Arnold is the Director of Culinary Technology at The FCI where he explores and teaches about the future of cooking. He and his work are frequently featured in national publications such as Food & Wine. |

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David Pasternack
Esca
Winner of the 2004 James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: New York City” David Pasternack has been known to bring his catch of the day into the city via the Long Island Rail Road. Prior to opening Esca, David worked in the kitchens of Bouley and Picholine. In his first book, The Young Man & the Sea: Recipes and Crispy Fish Tales from Esca, David shares his passion for cooking and catching fish. David was the subject of a 2005 profile in The New Yorker and has been featured in Vogue, Gourmet, Esquire, The New York Times, BestLife and many other publications. Most recently, David launched Catch of the Day, a Long Island-themed seafood stand at the New York Mets’ new stadium, Citi Field, in Flushing Meadows, NYC. |

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Zak Pelaccio
Fatty Crab
Zakary Pelaccio is the Executive Chef and partner of two Fatty Crab restaurants in NYC and the soon to open Fatty 'Cue in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Zakary is also a partner in Cabrito and former Executive Chef of 5 Ninth and Chickenbone Cafe. His restaurants reflect the distinctive facets of his culinary education and experience, his classical training at The French Culinary Institute, stints at The French Laundry and Daniel and his travels across Europe and Asia. Zakary is on the advisory board of Heritage Foods USA, a graduate of the University of Vermont, and held a number of positions in the food industry before pursuing a career as a chef. |

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Jacques Pépin
Dean at The French Culinary Institute
One of America's best-known chefs, cookbook authors and cooking teachers, Jacques Pépin has published 26 books and numerous articles and has hosted 11 acclaimed public television cooking series. His newest book and series are follow-ups to his previous PBS-TV series and companion cookbook, Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way. Debuting in early October last year (2008), the new series and book are entitled Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way. |

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Alfred Portale
Gotham Bar and Grill
In the 1980s, Portale bonded French technique to an American sensibility at Gotham Bar and Grill, setting a new casual-but-crisp tone that became the modern New York restaurant standard. He has received twelve stars from The New York Times, penned three cookbooks and earned several awards from The James Beard Foundation, Careers through the Culinary Arts Program and The Culinary Institute of America.. |

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Michael Psilakis
Anthos, Kefi and Mia Dona
One life-changing day, Michael Psilakis was working front-of-the-house at his Long Island restaurant, Ecco, and the chef, and cook never showed up. Michael took over the kitchen and hasn't left since. Now in partnership with Donatella Arpaia, Psilakis has five restaurants: Kefi, Mia Dona, Anthos, Gus & Gabriel and Eos in the Viceroy Miami. He has been awarded a Michelin® star at Anthos, nominated for a James Beard Award for "Best New Restaurant," and named "Chef of the Year" by Bon Appetit magazine and "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine in 2008. Psilakis will publish his first cookbook, How to Roast a Lamb, in Fall 2009. |

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Alain Sailhac
Dean at The French Culinary Institute
Alain Sailhac is Executive Vice President and Dean Emeritus of The French Culinary Institute. He began his distinguished career in France, subsequently cooking his way around the world, and ultimately took New York's restaurant scene by storm. He helped Le Cygne capture four stars from The New York Times, brought a three-star rating to legendary Le Cirque and was also the Executive Chef of the Plaza Hotel and the 21' Club in New York. In 2003, he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." |

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Marcus Samuelsson
Aquavit
Marcus Samuelsson is Co-Founder and Chief Creative Director of Townhouse Restaurant Group and Co-Owner and Chef of Aquavit. Samuelsson received the James Beard Foundation Award for "Rising Star Chef" and "Best Chef: New York City" and placed on Crain's New York Business annual "40 under 40." Author of several cookbooks including his upcoming The New American Table, released this fall, Samuelsson also hosts Urban Cuisine on BETJ. |

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Amy Scherber
Amy's Bread
Amy Scherber is the owner and founder of Amy's Bread, a nationally recognized bakery/café company that specializes in handmade, traditional breads. Opened in 1992, Amy's Bread has grown into three locations and delivers bread to over 200 wholesale customers daily. Amy is the co-author of Amy's Bread and the just-released cookbook The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread. |

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André Soltner
Dean at The French Culinary Institute
and Former Chef/Owner of Lutèce
André Soltner shares his artistry with students of The French Culinary Institute as Dean of Classic Studies. Recognized as America's "first superstar chef," Soltner is best known as the former Chef-Owner of the four-star Lutèce, considered the paragon of classic French cuisine. He has received dozens of distinctions including the Officier du Mérite National and the Légion d'Honneur from the French government. |

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Bill Telepan
Telepan
A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Bill Telepan apprenticed with the legendary Alain Chapel at his eponymous three-Michelin®-star restaurant outside Lyons and worked under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque, Gilbert Le Coze at Le Bernardin and Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill. He was the Executive Chef of New York's JUdson Grill until 2004, and in 2005 opened his own restaurant, Telepan, on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The neighborhood has embraced the restaurant, and in 2007 it was voted “Best Newcomer” in the New York City Zagat® Survey. |

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Jacques Torres
Dean of Pastry at The French Culinary Institute,
Jacques Torres Chocolate
Known as "Mr. Chocolate," Jacques Torres spent eleven years as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Cirque 2000 before creating his world-renowned chocolate company, Jacques Torres Chocolate. The Dean of Pastry Arts at The French Culinary Institute, Torres has received several distinctions including the James Beard Foundation "Best Pastry Chef of the Year." |

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Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Jean-Georges
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s unique culinary style is a combination of his experience with classical French cuisine and exotic Asian ingredients. He began his career at L’Auberge de L’Ill with Paul Haeberlin and went on to work under Paul Bocuse and Louis Outhier. Jean-Georges trekked across the globe to Bangkok, Shanghai and Hong Kong where he developed his love for the ingredients he now uses in all of his dishes. In New York, Jean-Georges began his career at the Drake Swissotel where he shocked the culinary world by breaking French tradition with these innovative flavors. Today, Jean-Georges has an empire of 18 restaurants that span the globe, including his flagship 3-Michelin® star Jean Georges in New York City. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including “Best New Restaurant;” “Outstanding Chef;” and “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage” awards from the James Beard Foundation. He is also the author of four cookbooks: Simple Cuisine, Cooking at Home with a Four Star Chef, Simple to Spectacular and Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges.
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David Waltuck
Chanterelle NYC
David Waltuck opened Chanterelle in New York City in 1979 at the age of 24 with his wife Karen. Chanterelle has earned critical praise and numerous accolades including the James Beard Foundation’s awards for “Outstanding Restaurant,” “Outstanding Service” and in 2007 Waltuck was named “Best Chef New York City.” |

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Michael White
Alto, Convivio and Marea
Although Michael White’s soulful, flavorful interpretations of Italian cuisine indicate otherwise, he is not an Italian native. He trained with the venerated Italian chef Valentino Marcattilii at Ristorante San Domenico in Imola where he began his Italian transformation. Endlessly inspired by the notion of taste memory, he strives to recreate the sensory feel of true Italian dining experiences with each dish he creates. At the acclaimed Alto and Convivio—and surely at Marea—he succeeds.
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