NEW YORK — A Chicago chef who credits his training at the French Laundry in Yountville — as well as the tongue cancer that nearly ended his life — was named the nation's top chef Sunday by the James Beard Foundation.

CHICAGO — The dining room at Alinea is a rare and special place where waiters in dark designer suits glide past tables, carrying trays laden with fantastical creations:

Brix reopens — new name, new direction

Register Correspondent

Classic Sautéed Abalone

With the recent opening of Whole Foods Market with its extensive seafood display and Kanaloa Seafood in the Oxbow Market, seafood lovers in Napa Valley face tempting choices of fish and other marine creatures. Combined with the existing offerings from other markets such as Sunshine, Browns Valley,  Vallerga’s and Osprey, we now have choices we never had before.

Looking for a good guide to fish? Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore have just published “Fish Without a Doubt,” which was named Gourmet magazine’s June pick for its cookbook club. (Houghton Mifflin, $35)

Simple Wok-Smoked Salmon

They say you always remember your first time. Mine was 10 years ago, my very first night in Napa, with Robert Mondavi, and it was amazing.

Fire up — To minimize sticking, be sure the grill is hot before adding your food. Carefully hold your hand just above the grill grate. If you can hold it for one second the heat is high, two seconds equals medium-high, three seconds is medium and five seconds equals low.

Who knew that one of the most flavorful cooking methods is healthy too? Since grilling doesn’t require much added fat, it’s an easy way to economize on calories without sacrificing flavor. The added bonus is the extra layer of smoky flavor it imparts to any food cooked to perfection on a nice hot grill.

This flavorful sauce is a delicious dipper for grilled shrimp or a great condiment for your favorite sandwich. If you can’t find the fire-roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes work well.

This is a fabulous condiment for grilled chicken or fish or to slather on sandwiches

This tasty marinade works well with chicken, fish, vegetables, or tofu. A tablespoon is all that’s needed to flavor one chicken breast or piece of fish.