JBF LTD: David Kinch and John Paul Carmona

While it was the Chang and Aizpitarte dinners that garnered the majority of attention from the food paparazzi, it was the JBF LTD dinner with David Kinch and John Paul Carmona of Manresa that excited me the most. Last Spring, MW and I were fortunate enough to visit Chef Kinch's restaurant in Los Gatos and considered it among the very best meals that we've enjoyed. Nothing has changed since then, and this meal only strengthened my initial belief that Kinch is one of the most important chefs in America.

JBF LTD: David Chang and Iñaki Aizpitarte

Easily the most anticipated of all the JBF LTD dinners was the collaboration between David Chang and Iñaki Aizpitarte. Known in food circles as culinary rogues, Chang and Aizpitarte represent a new wave of chefs who are pushing the culinary envelope and are unafraid of challenging their diners. Listed as the world's 9th best restaurant by S. Pellegrino (tops among all French entries), Le Châteaubriand has established itself as one of the preeminent destination restaurants despite Aizpitarte's rigid take-it-or-leave-it five-course prix fixe menu. Likewise, with his infamous reservation system, dislike of stools with backs and award-winning food, Chang is a kindred spirit.

JBF LTD: Jon Shook, Vinnie Dotolo and Frank Castronovo, Frank Falcinelli

Known for their uniquely "meaty" approach to food, I was intrigued when the JBF LTD announced a series of meals featuring Los Angeles chefs Jon Shook and Vinnie Dotolo of Animal and Son of a Gun. But after I noticed they were scheduled to cook alongside the Franks of Frankie's Spuntino and Prime Meats, I was determined to get tickets. Having heard good things from a co-worker who attended an earlier meal with the Animal guys, I was looking forward to this collaboration.

JBF LTD: Laurent Gras

With food trucks becoming a fixture into the New York dining scene, it seems as though yet another L.A. food trend has found its way to the Big Apple. They're called pop-ups, and much like food trucks, it appears the concept just might stick around. Roughly defined, a pop-up is a temporary restaurant installation, with "temporary" being the operative term. Chef Ludo Lefebvre popularized the form when his LudoBites restaurant literally "popped-up" six times in five different locations, quickly selling out on each occasion. Naturally it was only a matter of time before pop-ups started appearing in New York. And, after the success of John Fraser's What Happens When, it was all but assured that more would soon follow.