Cory Morris, Executive Chef | Ronero, Chicago
How it’s Made: Chef Morris puts a modern twist on the humble baked potato by topping simply roasted russet potatoes with a black truffle “ash,” Taleggio cheese fondue, and crispy bacon lardons. To make the ash, Morris chars onions in a 400-degree oven, cools them, and blends them with a spice grinder into a fine powder before mixing with truffle oil treated with tapioca maltodextrin.
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, Chefs/Owners | Parachute Restaurant, Chicago
How it’s Made: Chef Kim makes this starchy, flavorful bread by adding sesame oil–coated, roasted russet potatoes; crispy bacon bits; white cheddar; and scallions to the dough mixture before rolling and shaping it into a 6-inch circle, brushing it with a soy glaze, and baking the bread in a cast-iron pan until browned. The bread is topped with toasted sesame seeds and served with a smear of sour cream–infused butter.
Matt Bolus, Executive Chef | The 404 Kitchen, Nashville, Tennessee
How it’s Made: Using a mandoline, Chef Bolus thinly slices Yukon gold potatoes into large strands, combining them with the neonata (a Italian condiment spread made with the sardine-like neonata fish preserved in olive oil, salt, and sweet and hot peppers), butter, and chives before stacking and molding the mixture into 4-inch cakes using a ring mold and pan-frying them until golden and crisp. He finishes the cakes in the oven and tops them each with a poached egg, a pinch of Maldon salt, and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.
Staffan Terje, Chef/Owner | Perbacco, San Francisco
How it’s Made: Drawing on his Swedish heritage, Chef Terje makes this traditional Scandinavian potato casserole using anchovy tins to bake the mini starters or sides. After sautéing yellow onions in butter with salt, white pepper, and allspice, he lines the greased tins with layers of thinly sliced and peeled Yukon gold potatoes, sautéed onions, and anchovy fillets before topping the tins with a mixture of cream, reserved anchovy brine, breadcrumbs, and a few pats of butter and baking until bubbly and golden. A separate roe garnish is optional.
Anoosh Shariat, Chef | Anoosh Bistro/Noosh Nosh, Louisville, Kentucky
How it’s Made: Chef Shariat starts by caramelizing brown sugar in butter with shallots, garlic, and rosemary. He deglazes the dish with white wine, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce before finishing with cayenne pepper, a bourbon flambé, and butter for a twist on lemon piccata sauce, in which he simmers the shrimp until just cooked. He uses fingerling potatoes—roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Old Bay—as the base for the shrimp and sauce, garnishing with apples and pecans.
