Industry celebs’ wildest picks for best dishes of 2015

Ask a bunch of restaurant-industry veterans to recall their best meals of the prior year and you’re certain to get some surprising choices. Just take a look at some of the exotic dishes that our panel of celebrity judges chose as this year’s Clean Plate Award winners—selections so inviting that you cleaned your plate. Pig snout and all.

Click here for a list of our judges. 

Stan Frankenthaler
Chief Officer for Beer, Brewing, Menu and Supply
Gordon Biersch
Denver

“I’m a fan of communal dining and believe we will see more shareable apps and entrees being offered in the years to come. At CBD I had the pleasure of sharing with a group of brewers and chefs a slow-roasted split pig’s head and all the fixins’ for make-your-own tacos. It was an amazing dish and dining experience.”

Stan Frankenthaler
Chief Officer for Beer, Brewing, Menu and Supply
Gordon Biersch
Denver

When Frankenthaler was chef at Salamander Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass., wood-roasted marrow bones were a specialty.  “I had not again enjoyed such a savory, well-executed version of this bistro classic until dining at Brasserie Ten Ten.” 

Fabio Viviani
Executive Chef and Partner
Siena Tavern and Bar Siena
Chicago

The dish gets a surprise pop of flavor by taking a popular tartare and adding Maui onion, shiso and the unique Japanese sweet tomato, says Viviani. 

Amanda Cohen
Chef-Owner
Dirt Candy
New York City

“They’re made of puffed wheat and not pig skin, but they’re huge on flavor,” says Cohen. The dish is packed with cashew crema, cilantro, sorrel and a pickled-pineapple hot sauce that Cohen says “makes my tongue vibrate. I’ll take it over the original any day.”

Hugh Acheson
Chef-Owner
5&10, The National and Empire State South
Athens, Ga.

“These embody all the flavors of traditional Montreal cuisine in a bite-size croquette: smoked brisket, rye bread, mustard. It’s a thing of beauty.” The croquettes’ size and portability fit into the snacking trend. 

Click here to view complete list of Clean Plate Awards.