[Daniel Boulud, Gail Simmons. Photos by CHANCE YEH for PMc]. New York is nothing if not a gourmand's paradise. This Wednesday, Food & Wine Magazine brought big name kitchen masters to an invite-only reception at City Winery, in order to celebrate the best new chefs of 2009. Culinary gods including Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, David Chang, Drew Nierporent, Wylie Dufresne, Scott Conant, Michael Psilakis, Michael Anthony, Paul Liebrandt and Laurent Tourendel mingled with Top Chef alums...Stephanie Izard, Perilla's Harold Dieterle, Lee Anne Wong, 24's Nikki Cascone, Spike Mendelsohn, Hosea Rosenberg and Fabio Viviani; as well as beautiful burger master Katie Lee Joel and the camera friendly, Italian stallion chef Rocco DiSpirito.
Amidst likely discussion of impenetrable reservation systems and the stepping stones to becoming a restaurant impresario, this year's rising star chefs basked in the much coveted and highly selective praise of both the leaders and critics of the restaurant world elite.
David Chang, Dana Cowin, Fabio Viviani, ?, Elizabeth Hooker
Scott Conant, Michael Psilakis, Paul Liebrandt
Dana Cowin, Michael Anthony
Gail Simmons, Christina Grdovic, Dana Cowin
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