San Francisco: Coi



At Coi, visionary chef Daniel Patterson (an F&W Best New Chef 1997) idolizes produce in dishes like this upside-down tomatoes tart, in which quickly charred, peeled cherry tomatoes sit on a bed of pesto and are topped with a tomato puree (made in a whipped-cream dispenser) and a crispy olive tart shell.

Errenteria, Spain: Mugaritz



Dish: Red Fruits From the Garden

A year's worth of experimentation went into Andoni Luis Aduriz's voluminous edible bubbles, made with sun-ripened berries and beetroot. The Michelin-two-starred Mugaritz was destroyed by a kitchen fire in February 2010, but Aduriz reopened it in June.

Paris: Pierre Gagnaire



Dish: Les Cristaux de Vent ("Wind Crystals")

Legendary French chef Pierre Gagnaire gives the meringue a divine twist. He adds water to the classic egg white and sugar mixture to make them ethereally light€"a discovery by molecular gastronomist Hervé This€"and shapes them into gorgeous-looking sticks

Laguiole, France: Bras



Dish: Gargouillou

This beautifully composed salad by the super-cerebral Michel Bras can have up to 60 individually prepared vegetables, leaves, flowers and seeds, which vary depending on the day.

New York City: Le Bernardin



Dish: White Tuna Poached in Olive Oil

Seafood genius Eric Ripert juxtaposes the high and low in this playful dish of white tuna poached in olive oil, topped with delicate sea beans, crispy potato chips and a light red-wine béarnaise sauce.

Chicago: Alinea



Dish: Heart of Palm

At Alinea in Chicago, the always-forward-thinking Grant Achatz (an F&W Best New Chef 2002) serves hearts of palm stuffed with five different fillings€"from vanilla pudding to truffle-pumpernickel puree€"on five separate pedestals.

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