What does "original" mean?

Some may argue that these days it doesn't mean anything, and that everything is a riff on something else. Here at Tasting Table, we don't agree with that—especially in the restaurant world: We think there's still creativity, innovation and thoughtfulness to be found—and that if you're doing something that is uniquely true to you, it's original. And that's why we're calling a group of nine on-the-rise chefs, restaurateurs and tastemakers our New Originals. Expect to see a new "class" every year. Read more.

Meet the Class

Bonnie Morales

Kachka, Portland, Oregon
Beverly Kim & Johnny Clark

Parachute, Chicago, Illinois
Fabian von Hauske & Jeremiah Stone

Contra & Wildair, New York, New York
Brooks Reitz

Leon's, Saint Alban & the upcoming Little Jack's Tavern, Charleston, South Carolina
Justin Vann

Public Services, Houston, Texas
Sara Kramer & Sarah Hymanson

Madcapra, Los Angeles, California
  • 1/7

    Tasting Table's New Originals gathered in New York City in early October for two days of video and photo shoots—and a toast, of course.

  • 1/7

    Chefs Fabian von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone took us inside their new NYC restaurant-slash-wine-bar, Wildair, to show us how they compose some of the most beautiful plates in the city.

  • 1/7

    Justin Vann from Houston's Public Services is a sherry fanatic—so we sent him to Threes Brewing in Brooklyn, where he set up a Sherry Shack to spread the gospel of the Spanish fortified wine.

  • 1/7

    Chefs Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson of L.A.'s Madcapra won the award for best dancers at the photo shoot. They also came by our Test Kitchen to make some of the most buttery, flakiest bread we've ever eaten.

  • 1/7

    Restaurateur Brooks Reitz of Charleston, SC took us out for an evening of research at some of NYC's classic burger spots for his upcoming restaurant, Little Jack's Tavern.

  • 1/7

    Here, chef Bonnie Morales of Kachka in Portland, OR, is joined by her husband Israel, who runs the restaurant's front-of-house. She spun by NYC's Russian Tea Room, then made us the best borscht we've ever tried.

  • 1/7

    Husband-and-wife team Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim of Chicago's Parachute came to our Test Kitchen to prepare their signature cauliflower dish with crispy chicken skin and chat about serving Korean-American food in the Midwest.

Advertisement