Back of the House

Most Influential Young Chefs Named, Presented With Tchotchkes

From left, David Chang, Polo Dobkin, Brad Farmerie, Cal Elliott, Alexandra Guarnaschelli, Alex Ureña. Seated, front: Aaron Sanchez, Gypsy Gifford, Iacopo Falai Photograph by Jonathan L. Smith

Move over, Bouley! Step aside, Jojo! There’s a new generation of “emerging tastemakers,” — according to Food Arts magazine and their friends at Sterling Meats, at least. Sunday night, meat purveyor and magazine jointly fêted ten young chefs who, they predict, “will be influencing what, where and how we dine out on a national level.” The chefs were presented with framed, diploma-like certificates and envy-inducing Masamoto cobalt-steel knives. Here’s who was honored and why — and our own take on the ones that most deserve props.

The Spotted Pig’s April Bloomfield, for giving America its first gastropub.

• Pork-happy Momofuku chef David Chang, for creating a fine restaurant in the style of a casual noodle bar.

• Eccentric Falai cook Iacopo Falai — who bowed constantly on his way to accept his certificate, and then bowed at everybody on the way back — for his brilliant cookery.

• Gypsy Gifford, whose UWS restaurantRain predated the current pan-asian craze.

• Alexandra Guarnaschelli, of sleek Butter, for her imaginative cooking and teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education.

• The suave Aaron Sanchez, whose modern Mexican menus have won raves at of Centrico and Paladar.

• Alex Ureña, of Ure&#

Most Influential Young Chefs Named, Presented With Tchotchkes