Hugh Acheson
Why Because his idiosyncratic vision succeeds in merging soul food with Old World cuisine.
Born Ottawa, Canada, 1971.
Education He is a self-taught chef.
Experience Henri Burger, Montreal; Gary Danko, San Francisco.
How he describes his food Contemporary American with influences from France and Italy. "It's definitely not fusion."
First dish cooked Paprika toast. "I think I was 4. Don't even ask."
Why he became a chef He studied political philosophy in college. "If that won't make someone want to pursue something else, nothing will."
Where he would eat on a $1,000 budget Gordon Ramsay in London. "He's a nutcase but an absolutely amazing cook."
Where he would eat on a $10 budget La Taqueria, in San Francisco's Mission District.
What keeps him up at night "Things like, Are the fridges still working? Are the veal bones burning? God, everything keeps me up at night."
Favorite kitchen tool "Other than the stove? The Vita-Mix blender. And a good Japanese knife—a Masahiro."
About his recipe His Frogmore stew, named after an old South Carolina town, is a Southern version of bouillabaisse. "It's simple yet refined. We're not into foam yet."
Won Best New Chef at: Five & Ten, Athens, GA
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