A history of the evolution of the American restaurant chef in the 1970s and 1980s, from the pioneers behind Chez Panisse, Spago, and other landmarks to the young cooks like Mario Batali, Tom Colicchio, and Bobby Flay who went on to become household names. Told through the perspectives not only of the pioneering chefs but also of line cooks, front-of-house personnel, investors, and critics who had front-row seats to this extraordinary transformation.