Forbes 10 "Tastemakers" of 2005

The latest in Forbes' parade of Top 10 lists is their 2005 Tastemakers, in which they list "ten of the most influential chefs this year in the United States." First on the list is Grant Achatz, whose $366-a-meal Alinea was #2 on Forbes' Most Expensive Restaurants list. Forbes describes Achatz' cuisine as "techno-food, sci-fi food and weird science,"and says he makes less than $100,000 a year and got 98 mentions in the press (blogs, we can safely assume, not included), but who's counting?. Second on the list is Washington, D.C.'s José Andrés who makes a lot more than Achatz, and third is Mario Batali, who makes still more and by the end of the year will own eight restaurants and have three shows on the Food Network. The list is rounded out by some familiar and not-so-familiar faces including, of course, Emeril Lagasse (pictured at right doing his Bela Lugosi impression) and Thomas Keller.

Via Kottke.org.