Rising Star Chefs 2009

Michael Mina, Loretta Keller and Charles Phan all have at least one thing in common: In the early stages of their careers they were singled out as Rising Star Chefs in The Chronicle.

For the past 17 years, we've given annual recognition to a group of talented young chefs in their 20s or very early 30s, and we've had a pretty good track record. Does Mourad Lahlou, Traci Des Jardins or Wendy Brucker ring a bell? These past winners have shaped the Bay Area dining scene - and this year Brucker and Keller have each mentored one of the young chefs.

This year's group is just as promising and diverse as their predecessors: One is of Chinese descent, another is from Brazil, and a third from France. Then we have two country boys - one from Ukiah and the other from Louisiana. The diversity in their backgrounds - and cooking styles - promises to give depth and breadth to the dining scene.

Inside we profile the chefs and share a recipe that reflects their style. As with all Food & Wine section recipes, we've tested them in The Chronicle kitchen to make sure they'll work for the home cook. Our wine matching expert Lynne Char Bennett then worked with each chef's restaurant sommelier to come up with perfect wine pairings.

Like their mentors, we think the following five chefs will shape the Bay Area dining scene in years to come.

The restaurants

Aziza, 5800 Geary Blvd. (at 22nd Avenue), San Francisco; (415) 752-2222 or aziza-sf.com.

Cafe Majestic, 1500 Sutter St. (at Gough, in the Hotel Majestic), San Francisco; (415) 441-1280 or thehotelmajestic.com/restaurant.html.

Corso, 1786 Shattuck Ave. (near Delaware), Berkeley; (510) 704-8003 or trattoriacorso.com.

Gitane, 6 Claude Lane (at Bush), San Francisco; (415) 788-6686 or gitanerestaurant.com.

Moss Room, 55 Music Concourse Drive (in Golden Gate Park), San Francisco; (415) 876-6121 or themossroom.com.

"I've been making some things here for six months, and only now I'm finding ways of making them better."

Melissa Chou

Aziza, San Francisco

Can't live without: Her dad's old radio, which keeps her company as she cooks.

"The ambiance in the kitchen here is different than it is in France - less competitive, more respectful."

Lisa Eyherabide

Gitane, San Francisco

Can't live without: A cataplana, the Portuguese copper hinged steamer. "I use it at the restaurant for several different dishes."

"What's most important is simplicity, not manipulating food or flavors."

Justin Simoneaux

Moss Room, San Francisco

Can't live without: Preserved lemons. "I just love the flavor."

"There's nothing more satisfying than watching people eat your food and having the plates come back clean."

Rodrigo Da Silva

Corso, Berkeley

Can't live without: My cleaver. "It's my second hand."

"I don't do red wine, bananas and beef. My mind doesn't work like that. Some people can pull it off, but it's not for me."

Louis Maldonado

Cafe Majestic, San Francisco

Can't live without: My Masamoto knife. "Chef Quinn Hatfield (formerly of Cortez)