Dining Out: Celebrity Chefs Talk About Their Favorite Restaurants

Even celebrity chefs can be impressed. These celebrity chefs share their favorite meals from their world wide travels. Their favorites range from comfort street vendors to gourmet take out from fellow world class chefs.

Larry’s of Venice Beach

Curtis Stone told Today.com that Larry’s of Venice Beach is one of his Los Angeles area favorites. “For me, it’s the softness of the bun — and you still get that beautiful caramelization on the outside of the meat…” Stone said of Collins’ signature Larry’s burger. “All those caramelized onions bring that sweetness into the crunchiness of the arugula that brings a bit of pepperiness. It’s like the perfect little mouthful.”

Larry’s is short walk from the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk and named after the Southern California artist Larry Bell, who is recognized as a pioneer of the California minimalism movement.

Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Café

Good Eats host and Food Network chef Alton Brown once said to Metro: “The No. 1 place that I love in Boston – and it’s tiny and I would imagine a lot of folks that live there don’t even know about it – is Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe. They do an authentic, Xi’an-style hand-pulled noodles.”

Gene Wu owner of Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe came to The United Stated 15 years ago from Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi province, to study chemistry and find steady work. Although he worked in the corporate world for a while, he wanted more.

The Halal Guys

Scott Conant tells Insider.com “Chicken and rice from halal carts is one of my favorite New York City dishes.” Scott Conant is a judge on “Chopped” and owner of Fusco in New York City said. “It’s almost the perfect combination. The rice absorbs the great depth of flavor from the chicken and it creates something homey and comforting. I love the white sauce and the extra hot sauce. This dish not only speaks to New York City as an incredible melting pot of cultures, but the convenience of it is what makes us all go back for it again and again.”

The Halal Guys legacy began in 1990 with a hot dog cart on West 53rd & 6th Avenue in New York City. The founders recognized a huge demand from Muslim cab drivers searching for a halal food meal. And that is how the famous platter of chicken and gyro over rice was born. Their famous white and red sauces are also legendary.

Frenchie To Go

Where does Food Network celebrity Ina Garten eat when in Paris? According to MSN.com, Frenchie To Go, an American take-out place. “So I came to Paris and had – a pulled pork sandwich for lunch?? But, oh, was it good!!”

Frenchie To Go was created by Gregory Marchand and features meats from the Ginger Pig, Oggleshield Cheddar from Neal’s Yard Dairy, and veggies and fresh herbs from their neighbors at Terroirs d’Avenir, who specialize in working with small producers for ultimate freshness.

Where Chefs Eat

If you are looking for even more suggestions of where to find great food, pick up a copy of Where Chefs Eat. It also comes with an app so you can literally have 650 chefs and their recommendations in your pocket. In Where Chefs Eat, published by Phaidon, four world famous food critics interview international chefs who gave recommendations to restaurants all over the world

Joe Warwick, Joshua David Stein, Natascha Mirosch, and Evelyn Chen are each known for covering the food from around the world for various publications. In its third edition, this global guidebook has sold more than 250,000 copies and features more than 7,000 recommendations for more than 4,500 restaurants in more than 70 countries.

In fact, this resource is well organized by continent and shows city maps, key information, reviews and recommendations from the chefs themselves. This is the ultimate guide for every seeker of good food. Readers are using this reference to create their travel itinerary and culinary bucket list.

The editors of Where Chefs Eat has taken their culinary search to a new level with a line of companion books; Where to Drink Coffee, Where to Eat Pizza, Where to Drink Beer, and Where Bartenders Drink. They’ve interviewed experts who share their favorite places to nosh. If you love reading about outstanding dining experiences, then you may enjoy 5 Notoriously Exclusive New York Restaurants.