RAVE: Niche chef: one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Che

[lukethedrifter]

I'll admit right up front, I'm a food geek. You can have your Chicken Bowls and McRibs, give me Red'z Rib Shack or The French Laundry. You can have your Thickburgers and Arby's 5 for $5, give me an O'Connell's burger and a Mammer Jammer.

My point is? I'm totally psyched that the 28 y/o old chef at Niche (my favorite nice place to eat in St Louis) in Benton Park- just west and south of Soulard- won this incredibly prestigious award.

Gerard Craft, chef and owner of Niche restaurant in the Benton Park neighborhood, is one of 10 chefs on the list of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs in America. The list was announced yesterday in New York. The magazine says that the award — open to people of any age who have been head chefs for five years or less — recognizes "America’s next superstar chefs...who are innovators with a distinct culinary style and vision creating exceptionally delicious food."

How can you not like smoke pork shank pappardelle or sea bass that has been poached in some kind of lemony concoction then seared to make the outside crispy??? Well??


Among others chefs who have won this are:
Rick Bayless
Thomas Keller
Hubert Keller
Daniel Boulud
Tom Colicchio from Top Chef
Rocco DiSpirito
Wylie Dufresne ( I think he was that guy in Shawshank Redemption)
Grant Achatz


/one of luke's ex gf's said he'd make a great rich guy
//luke is not anywhere close to a rich guy

[thrill]

Wow, that's some prestigious company.

[haltz]

You can have your Chicken Bowls and McRibs, give me Red'z Rib Shack or The French Laundry.

LOL, yeah I'd rather go to The French Laundry than eat a McRib too.

I'm definitely going to have to try this place when I come into town.

[lukethedrifter]

You can have your Chicken Bowls and McRibs, give me Red'z Rib Shack or The French Laundry.

LOL, yeah I'd rather go to The French Laundry than eat a McRib too.

I'm definitely going to have to try this place when I come into town.

That seems obvious to you and me.

[Popeye_Card]

Shawn Williams at the Rally's on Broadway was recently named Employee of the Week.

His BBQ Bacon Double was pretty tasty. I think the key is that he wipes the grease off the spatula between burger flips. He's a brilliant fast-food tactictian.

[lukethedrifter]

Shawn Williams at the Rally's on Broadway was recently named Employee of the Week.

His BBQ Bacon Double was pretty tasty. I think the key is that he wipes the grease off the spatula between burger flips. He's a brilliant fast-food tactictian.

Bet that went well with a heavy beer like Guinness.

[maddash]

You can have your Chicken Bowls and McRibs, give me Red'z Rib Shack or The French Laundry.

LOL, yeah I'd rather go to The French Laundry than eat a McRib too.

I'm definitely going to have to try this place when I come into town.

That seems obvious to you and me.

Elitists

[cardinalkarp]

Man it really suck sometimes that my wife is such a picky eater. It pretty much rules out restaurants like these. I'll get her to try new things sometimes but generally its just a waste of money and she doesn't like the food.

[lukethedrifter]

You can have your Chicken Bowls and McRibs, give me Red'z Rib Shack or The French Laundry.

LOL, yeah I'd rather go to The French Laundry than eat a McRib too.

I'm definitely going to have to try this place when I come into town.

That seems obvious to you and me.

Elitists

++

Strangely, I like to eat food made by someone who knows how to cook. Btw, have you eaten at Red'z in Maryville? Closing on Sunday for good so, mercifully, Maryvillians won't have to drive a mile and a half up 159 for their last minute Valentine gifts at the heretofore nearest Walgreen's.

[Simbagal23]

I haven't been to Red'z since I moved out of the STL area, but it makes me sad to see it close in order to put up a Walgreens.