Steve, I am in the restaurant business here in DC and I agree with you about DC not matching NYC...but additionally I would add Boston, Chicago, LA, SF, Portland, Seattle to the list as well. I really think it is a cultural thing. The best American chefs are not born and raised in this city. Furthermore, the majority of chefs that come to this town are distracted by a lot of things other than their art. Big fish in little pond reality is a dulling point for a person's internal motivation. This trend towards mediocrity is further exacerbated by the "maximize revenue" mentality of many restaurant owners in this city who push their inadequate kitchens to the breaking point in order to profit off that next party of 25, 50 etc. when what they should really be doing is focusing on quality in the dining room. I have learned the hard way that hiring a star chef is a big mistake. I find it leads to overpay for underperform. There is a silver lining to all of this. But I will save that for another time.
