AP
June 9, 2008
It was salad days at Lincoln Center yesterday for New York's chefs and restaurants, who won four top James Beard Awards - known as the Oscars of the food world.
Gramercy Tavern, a restaurant where many top chefs got their start, was named the outstanding restaurant in the nation at the ceremonies at Avery Fisher Hall.
"If you can judge a restaurant based on the quality of its alumni, I don't think there's a richer restaurant than I could have dreamed of being a part of," said owner Danny Meyer.
Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud was named the country's "rising star" chef.
Joe Bastianich and star celebrity TV chef Mario Batali of Babbo Ristorante Enoteca - as well as a cadre of other restaurants - won the outstanding restaurateur award.
Eleven Madison Park was named top in the US for wine service.
In the local awards category, David Chang of Momofuku Ssam Bar, was named best chef in the city.
The nation's top chef was from Chicago - Grant Achatz, who had been diagnosed with cancer last July. But he underwent aggressive treatment to save his life - and his sense of taste - and is now cancer-free.
