Watch: Professor John Dyson's inaugural lecture at the University of Birmingham – 'In search of treasure and redemption'

was included in the list, there’s something about the flexible straw design of.

There's a cultural reference behind every dish, but we try to make sense of it in a modern context.".There's an enduring narrative in the restaurant world that serious chefs must pay their dues, working their way up rung by rung.

Watch: Professor John Dyson's inaugural lecture at the University of Birmingham – 'In search of treasure and redemption'

But in a strip mall on the west side of L.A., another story is taking shape.This one's about a precocious 26-year-old with almost no formal experience.Meet Jonathan Yao, one of the most imaginative, natural-born cooks we've ever encountered.

Watch: Professor John Dyson's inaugural lecture at the University of Birmingham – 'In search of treasure and redemption'

, Yao interprets the flavors he grew up with as the son of Taiwanese immigrants in the San Gabriel Valley—booming and fading the levels of burnt shallot, sweet soy, basil, and Chinese celery.Three-cup chicken may be the "Free Bird" of Taiwanese cuisine; if you only know one thing about the island's food culture, this dish—seasoned with equal parts soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine—is probably it.Yao's three-cup cover takes the form of a paste, rubbed into curls of octopus or painted on buckwheat crackers sandwiching sweet raw scallops.

Watch: Professor John Dyson's inaugural lecture at the University of Birmingham – 'In search of treasure and redemption'

Thick corn soup is a Taiwanese lunch-box staple; Yao also borrows from congees and egg drops for his luxe rendition, which surrounds a brilliant yellow yolk.

These are flossy ideas, evidence of a thoughtful cook.Reheat before tossing with the pasta..

Bright, red cherry-inflected Chianti..Originally appeared: May 2014.Kitchen appliance shopping can be daunting.

These machines are not cheap and you're going to use them every day, so picking the right ones is essential.Whether you're building a kitchen totally from scratch or just replacing that clunky old.