Monday, Apr. 04, 2011
Grant Achatz
Age: 36
Occupation: Chef
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0
Achatz has become the leading American figure in molecular gastronomy, the art of using science to reinvent familiar foods. His influence extends far beyond his Chicago restaurant, Alinea, which recently won three Michelin stars, and Next, another Windy City eatery due to open in early April. Only a lucky few get to dine in one of Achatz's locales: Alinea seats just 64 and Next will issue tickets. Those able to snag tables at the latter will experience one of four yearly menus, each pinned to a place and time — be it Paris in 1912 or Hong Kong in 2036. Which means, with Achatz behind the venture, time-travel cuisine could be the next foodie obsession.