In our September issue, we bring to you the best of Utah chefs. Foodies and non-foodies alike enjoy the taste of good quality and delicious meals, and here we have you covered! Meet the best chefs of Utah in 2019.

Rockstar Utah Chefs

Why do so many people love watching and reading about chefs? What is so special about this army of people in white (although admittedly, chef uniforms have gotten more colorful in recent years)?

Top chefs in big cities today are put on a pedestal. They are treated like rock stars for developing dishes that amaze their customers. Netflix offers about five shows just on rock star chefs, but we don’t see or meet these chefs unless we visit Vegas.

In smaller towns and cities, such as Salt Lake, chefs slowly rise to prominence for producing dishes that customers can consistently appreciate, although few gain rock star status. Still, it’s surprising how many people know the big names on the dining scene, even in Utah.

Life of a Cook

The life of a cook in America can be great or it can be awful. Cooking food is unlike any other profession because some top chefs earn enormous sums of money cooking for the elite and wealthy. But other cooks might be paid minimum wage, and struggle to make ends meet. What other profession offers such a wide illustration of our socio-economic spectrum? Plumbers? No. Doctors? No. Lawyers? No way.

Another common thread among chefs is that it doesn’t really matter where one has gone to school. Certainly, “The Culinary Institute of America” looks good on a resume. But what matters most is what these food purveyors can consistently pull off in a kitchen. Really, that’s it. The best will rise to the top, and those who have trouble not burning toast will remain at the bottom, or out of work.

Utah Chef Worship

So why do we worship top chefs? When we enjoy an amazing bite of food, something unlike anything we have had before, their fan base makes sense. All five senses are employed in enjoying great food. We must eat to live. But to live right is to eat well. No matter where we live. No matter if it’s a 2-buck street taco to die for or an entree crafted by a top chef for $75.

In this issue, we sought to find those chefs in Utah who are doing something consistently special with food by harnessing the forces of nature and the power of superb ingredients and techniques. We feel this is a good collection of some of the best chefs in Utah.

Archives and more

From our archives, discover how Utah’s top chefs partnered with local farmers to bring us the farm to table food quality that Utah’s food scene is known for.

Also, check out the James Beard Award restaurant and chef winners on KSL. Furthermore, read the Visit Utah post about Utah’s transforming chef and food scene.