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America's Best New Chefs

BEST NEW CHEFS

2009
Vinny Dotolo Jon Shook

Vinny Dotolo Jon Shook

Animal
435 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, California
323-782-9225

Son of a Gun

Los Angeles, California


2009 Best New Chef Award Profile

Why they won Because the duo have created a no-holds-barred meat-centric restaurant that has made L.A. excited to eat fried chicken livers.

Born (VD) 1979 (JS) 1981

Raised (VD) Clearwater, FL (JS) South Miami, FL

Education (BOTH) The culinary program at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

Experience (BOTH) The Strand, Miami Beach; Wildflower, Vail, CO; Chadwick, Los Angeles.

How they got their start (JS) “[Chef] Ben Ford hired us to cook lunch at Chadwick. But then the restaurant went out of business. So he hired us to paint his house—we hated painting, all we cared about was lunch. Soon we were cooking for Ben’s dad [Harrison Ford].”

On the L.A. food scene (VD) “People out here eat like kids: hamburgers, hot dogs, doughnuts. You can tell that so much fast food started here.”

Advice to aspiring chefs (JS) Eat out. “When we were 22, 23, we went to see our accountant, and he said we’d spent $150,000 on dining that year. Imagine. But it’s worth it—you get turned on to so many ideas.”


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