Vongerichten, Jean-Georges

Long before “eating local” and locavorism were “in” things to do, French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (1956–) sought out foods taken from area farms and local gardens. Vongerichten opened many highly rated restaurants, from Hong Kong to Dubai to London to Mexico City. Vongerichten’s cuisine opened up people’s palates to a type of cooking that The New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman termed “global basic.” By bringing together ingredients from different cuisines and mixing them with familiar ingredients, Vongerichten helped to move Americans’ palates toward an appreciation of local foods, particularly those with an Asian flavor. His cookbooks influenced chefs and home cooks around the world. He once summed up his approach to cooking for Time magazine, saying “I am cooking for this new world.”