Five of New York's hottest young chefs offer fresh takes on haute cuisine.
Michael Psilakis, Anthos- On the job: “My story is crazy,” says Michael Psilakis, who has revolutionized Greek cuisine at Anthos. Psilakis opened his first restaurant—as an owner—at age 24. But when the bulk of his kitchen staff failed to show up one day, he grabbed an apron. “As an owner I was at the whim of the chef,” recalls Psilakis, 37, “so I decided to go back to the kitchen and teach myself to cook. It’s been a wild ride ever since.”
Can’t stand the heat: Not that the kitchen is for everyone. “I don’t think most people understand what it is like,” says Psilakis, whose use of Greek staples such as raw seafood and lamb alongside current culinary faves like Berkshire pork belly and sea urchin, has seen him called the Mario Batali of Greek cooking. “The kitchen is not glamorous or sexy. The kitchen is all about sacrifice. I’m like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Out front I’m very cool and mellow, but when I get in the kitchen, it’s not pretty.”
Michael Psilakis wears Ermenegildo Zegna suit, $2,695, dress shirt, $295, silk tie, $150, linen pocket square, $70, and dress loafers, $465.
Sam Mason, Tailor- Mix master: At his new Soho eatery, Tailor, Mason is taking the culinary wizardry that’s earned him a rep as N.Y.C.’s mad scientist of the kitchen to a new level. “I’d never be able to tell a person what kind of restaurant they’d like,” says Mason, 33. “But going out and finding what you like is one of life’s pleasures.” What Mason likes is the interplay of sweet and salty, as in pork belly with miso butterscotch and artichoke or passion fruit poached char with lime pickle and coconut.
Cook ’n’ roll: “Shows like Top Chef are great because they promote cooking as a whole,” says Mason, whose own foray into the world of celebrity chefs is decidedly more punk rock. For the past year Mason has been filming the Web show Dinner With the Band in which he shows hipster darlings, such as Tokyo Police Club and El-P the ways of the kitchen. “Music is a huge part of my life,” says Mason. “The bands on the show are all from indie labels. We cook, drink, and hang out. It’s just a good time.”
Sam Mason wears a Theory vest, $195; Calvin Klein Collection shirt, $395; Paul Smith London tie, $135; and Z Zegna jeans, $265.
Craig Koketsu, Park Avenue Spring- Seasonal affair: Under executive chef Craig Koketsu, Park Avenue (the name changes with the season; it opened last year as Park Avenue Summer) has taken the loca-vore movement to new extremes. Koketsu designs four menus every year, with each one corresponding to the season. “We’re getting back to our roots,” he says. “Cooking with the seasons goes back to when cooking began.”
Paying dues: After starting as a dishwasher making minimum wage in California, Koketsu has worked his way to the top without going to culinary school. “One of the first things I tell my new cooks is, ‘You’re going to be working every day,’” says Koketsu. “People get into cooking for the wrong reasons. It’s not a glamorous industry.” As for celeb chefs? “I hope it’s a passing fad,” he says. “If you’re the chef and your name is on the restaurant, you need to be in the kitchen.”
Craig Koketsu wears a Bottega Veneta jacket, $2,170, and shirt, $280; John Varvatos scarf, $135, Juicy Couture for Men necklace, $125; Burberry London jeans, $295; Prada belt, $350; and Rolex Submariner watch, $5,525.
Todd Mitgang, Crave Ceviche Bar- Young gun: The co-owner and executive chef of one of New York’s hottest eateries is only 27 years old, but already he’s changing the way we think about cooking. “I felt like not enough was being done with the concept of ceviche,” Mitgang says of the method of curing meat and seafood with acidic liquids. Cuisine without fire is nothing new, but Mitgang’s take—like his cure of escolar, arctic char, duck, and lamb with brown sugar and Negra Modelo beer—is a taste to remember.
Kitchen calling: “The love and the passion for cooking, it’s in my blood,” says Mitgang, who recently added a full dining room to Crave’s 21-seat bar. “I don’t think I could ever walk away from this industry. Sometimes you want to, but you can’t.” With a degree in business and a natural flair in the kitchen, Mitgang refuses to be considered strictly a restaurateur. “Seven days a week I’m there,” he says. “I don’t just jump on the line when a cook needs help; I am the line.”
Todd Mitgang wears a Salvatore Ferragamo trench coat, $1,950; Prada knit sweater, $650; Boss Selection shirt, $225, and tie, $125; Calvin Klein Collection jeans, $450; and Versace shoes, $650.
Neil Ferguson, Allen & Delancey- Pressure drop: Having arrived Stateside from his native Britain with fire-breathing celeb chef Gordon Ramsay (Hell’s Kitchen), Neil Ferguson knows a thing or two about working under pressure. That’s why at his acclaimed new restaurant on the Lower East Side, comfort is paramount: cozy, relaxed, and sophisticated, serving up bold downtown takes on haute classics (caramelized bone marrow with caviar, Colorado lamb chop persillade with potato purée).
Night owl: “In New York there’s a great late-night restaurant scene,” says Ferguson, 36, of his new home. “I want to be open until 3 a.m., serving soak-up-the-alcohol-style food. We have a big communal table, and I’d love for people to come and say, ‘All right, we’re here for three or four hours, and Neil’s cooking for us.’ There are places that do it, but I think we can raise the bar. In New York you can do anything you want. It’s just perfect.”
Neil Ferguson wears a Paul Smith London suit, $1,700, and silk tie, $135; and Versace Collection shirt, $225.