Craig Shelton of the Ryland Inn with his 5 acre organic garden 1 hour outside of NYC. He was pioneering local way before most. Bryan Moscatello who just landed in Chicago, while he was cooking at Bistro Toujours and then Adega. He was putting flavors and techniques together that I had never seen before in 99. His seared foie gras with a ragout of cantaloupe, bacon, and confit of fingerling potato was mind blowing. That was the tip of the iceberg for him.