Who better to take recommendations from than the chefs who know good food best? Here, a few favored dishes from some of Orange County's top talents. Dig in.

Yvon Goetz, Executive Chef-Partner, The Winery Restaurant & Bar

"Driftwood Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants to relax at. I love chef Rainer Schwarz's whole roasted dover sole with sauce Grenoble and potato onion brandade. In addition to being a great chef, Rainer is a good friend; he's from Austria, so we have a natural French-Austrian bond. That, and we're both big fans of good bubbles and the Denver Broncos!"

Rainer Schwarz, Executive Chef-Partner, Driftwood Kitchen

“I love chef Dee Nguyen's Hokkaido scallop omelet at Break of Dawn. You don't find these scallops at many restaurants—they are delicate and lend themselves to a delicious breakfast. I always order the Vietnamese iced coffee too; I'm awake for three days after, but it's worth it. Dee's not only a very talented chef but also a great person whose heart comes through in his food.”

Dee Nguyen, Chef-Owner, Break of Dawn

“In a male-dominated profession, Shachi Mehra more than holds her own through her beautiful work at ADYA. One of my favorite dishes is her goat cheese naan, a creative expression of her love of cheese blended with her mastery of her native Indian cuisine. It's a simple dish flavored expertly with ginger and cilantro that delivers every time, and I can't get enough.”