Nations Restaurant News recently conducted  an in-depth survey of chefs and cooks

all across the U. S. for their insights and opinions on what are going to be the defining

Food Trends in 2010. Your truly was part of this survey.

Here are the results in an 11 page PDF…Great Insight!

Click Here

Or you can copy the link below into a new browser window.

http://www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/whats_hot_2010.pdf

I have a ton of respect for Darden Restaurants  CEO Clarence Otis. Not only has he raised the quality of food at Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze, Red Lobster, and Olive Garden…he is truly focused on customer experience and customer service.

Here is his interview on CNBC:

My good friend and mentor Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and Per Se restaurants topped this year’s list of the “30 Most Important Restaurants in the United States,” according to online guide Opinionated About Dining.

The list is composed of restaurants that earn a rating of at least 95 points in the Opinionated About Dining guide.

The French Laundry took the top spot for the second year in a row with a perfect score of 100, while Per Se, which scored 99.73, was ranked second.

The full survey, which examines 1,000 restaurants throughout the United States, will be released March 1.

The 30 Most Important Restaurants in the United States and their ratings, according to Opinionated About Dining

• 1. The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif., 100
• 2. Per Se, New York, 99.73
• 3. Masa, New York, 99.00
• 4. Manresa, Los Gatos, Calif., 98.53
• 5. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, N.Y., 98.50
• 6. Mini-Bar, Washington, D.C., 98.48
• 7. Urasawa, Beverly Hills, Calif., 98.43
• 8. Jean Georges, New York, 98.30
• 9. Alinea, Chicago, 97.78
• 10. Corton, New York, 97.53
• 11. McCrady’s, Charleston, S.C., 97.50
• 12. Le Bernardin, New York, 97.17
• 13. Sushi Yasuda, New York, 97.08
• 14. Guy Savoy, Las Vegas, 97.00
• 15. Schwa, Chicago, 96.71
• 16. Kuruma Sushi, New York, 96.43
• 17. Eleven Madison Park, New York, 96.27
• 18. Momofuku Ko, New York, 96.26
• 19. Komi, Washington, D.C., 96.11
• 20. Cyrus, Healdsburg, Calif., 95.93
• 20. Providence, Los Angeles, 95.93
• 22. Marinus, Carmel, Calif., 95.81
• 23. Town House, Chilhowie, Va, 95.73
• 24. Coi, San Francisco, 95.72
• 25. Hugo’s, Portland, Me., 95.66
• 26. Bouley, New York, 95.45
• 27. Aubergine, Carmel-By-the-Sea, Calif., 95.39
• 28. L’ Atelier de Joel Robuchon, New York, 95.28
• 29. O Ya, Boston, 95.16
• 30. Elements, Princeton, N.J., 95.04.