Other chefs on the front burner

Here are three more young Philly-area chefs to watch.

_ Ben Byruch, 25, chef/owner, Sonam, 223 South St.

Byruch, a graduate of the Art Institute, worked at Pod and Trust before opening his own place. Sonam serves global dim sum, what Byruch calls "new-age comfort food." It's small plates like wild boar tartare with blood orange curry dressing, and Italian eggroll stuffed with roast pork, yellow peppers, broccoli rabe and sharp provolone. He thinks big, hoping to become "the Stephen Starr of BYOBs."

_ Morgan McKenzie, 23, sous chef, Fork Restaurant, 306 Market St.

A graduate of Earlham College, McKenzie was the special-events coordinator at the Free Library of Philadelphia before starting at Fork, her first restaurant job. But she worked with her father in his California catering business every summer during college.

"I love working with my hands and being on my feet, instead of behind a desk," she said. Her favorite thing to make right now? Said McKenzie: "Baking bread is so cool."

_ Youness Jaafar, 25, chef de cuisine, Pond Restaurant, 175 King of Prussia Road, Radnor.

The Casablanca, Morocco-born Jaafar has been working in restaurants since he was 18, when he came to Philadelphia to work at Restaurant Taquet in Wayne. With a strong foundation in classical French cuisine, Jaafar heads the kitchen at Pond, where he also creates Moroccan dishes. "Sometimes it's tough to be the youngest, but if you prove yourself, it doesn't matter how old you are."

- Beth D'Addono