top 10 restauranteurs in LA for an article?

[Lynndsey Rigberg]

hi Chowhounds,

I have a Korean journalist friend who is coming to LA next month to do an article on the hottest, top 10 restaraunteurs of LA. Preferably not chefs (like a Joachim Splichal, per se). She's got her research and list going, but it got me thinking about who Chowhounds would recommend.

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!

[ipsedixit]

Define what you mean "restauranteurs".

People who own restaurants?

People who own and operate restaurants?

People who own, operate and cook in restaurants?

People who provide the financing for restaurants, but otherwise are not involved in daily operations?

Something else?

[Lynndsey Rigberg]

People who dream up big concept restaurants. They might be chefs, run daily operations, or even financiers, but most importantly they are the visionaries. Thanks for your insights ipsedixit - you always have such good responses. Big fan of yours : )

[ipsedixit]

but most importantly they are the visionaries
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Then Roy Choi (Kogi taco truck)

[goodhealthgourmet]

agreed.

Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo (Animal & Son of a Gun) probably also fit the bill in that case.

and of course there's the Dolce Group - i may not like their restaurants but they've certainly made their mark.

i guess SBE kinda counts as well since they've got Katsuya, XIV, CLEO & The Bazaar...

[mnosyne]

FYI. It's Restaurateur, no "n".

[ipsedixit]

Not always. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/restaur...

[goodhealthgourmet]

but the term was initially coined without the "n" and that's still the more widely accepted (and proper) form.

from the "usage notes" in your wiki link:

"This is also spelled restauranteur (with an ‘n’), but this is considered erroneous by some, and the form restaurateur (without the ‘n’) is preferred in formal writing..."

"The form restaurateur (without the ‘n’) is the earlier form, borrowed from French, while the form restauranteur (with an ‘n’) = restaurant + -eur (“(agent) one who”) is a later formation, from Anglicized forms, and thus seen by some as an etymological error."

[ipsedixit]

but the term was initially coined without the "n" and that's still the more widely accepted (and proper) form.
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Because restaurateur is "more widely accepted" must mean, by implication, that restauranteur is "less widely accepted," which therefore means that it is accepted.

[ChefJune]

Suzanne Goin is definitely one.

[goodhealthgourmet]

several come to mind, but they're established names that have been around for a long time, not new up-and-comers:
- Wolfgang Puck
- the Drago Brothers
- Nancy Silverton

[AAQjr]

People may not like them, but I would think its silly to write about LA restaurateurs with out talking about Wolfy and Joachim. They are both visionaries both in terms of food and business.

It's interesting to look at the dinela family tree to see how many chefs worked at one time or another at Spago or Patina.

http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/di...

[ipsedixit]

Thought of a few more:

Paul Pink of Pinks Hot Dogs
Sang Yoon of Father's Office
Clifford Clinton of Clifton's Cafeteria

[Brian S]

Why not a restaurateur who is behind some of those SGV Chinese restaurants that are one of the glories of LA dining? Except for Derek Ma, owner of Gourmet Island in Alhambra, I don't know their names. But they're out there.