The roots of New Yorks restaurants run deep in some cases, they go back centuries. But the dining scene as we know it now was born in 2004.

It was the year that French fine dining gave up the ghost: Places like La Caravelle made way for a new zeitgeist, a far more casual one where louder flavors reigned. People like April Bloomfield, who brought Michelin-worthy sensibilities to pub fare at the Spotted Pig, and David Chang, who got New Yorkers hooked on bold, cross-cultural flavors in stripped-down rooms at Momofuku, ushered in the era. Danny Meyer, who had built a culture of personable service and greenmarket dining in the 1980s and 90s, opened Shake Shack. The thoughtful burger joint launched a million elevated quick-service concepts. The new high-end, meanwhile, was redefined by the Time Warner Center, where Masa Takayamas eponymous sushi bar and Thomas Kellers Per Se would raise the limit on how much New Yorkers would spend on food.

The pre-crash aughts also saw the rise of modern cocktail culture, fueled by PDTs Jim Meehan, Clover Clubs Julie Reiner, and Milk & Honeys Sasha Petraske, who led a movement that prompted even middle-of-the-road restaurants to hire professional bartenders. High standards for simple yet ambitious cooking at cozy neighborhood restaurants in part grew out of Gabriel Stulmans West Village spots, Andrew Tarlows Williamsburg venues, and the Franks fiefdom of unpretentious Italian go-tos. As the recession years and a desire for classic comfort faded into the background, chefs started experimenting again: At Estela, Ignacio Mattos stunned diners with visually striking small plates, hiding proteins under canopies of foliage. Danny Bowien, in turn, attracted a citywide following for his freewheeling take on Chinese fare at Mission Chinese, while Carlo Mirarchi grew a quirky pizza empire called Robertas out of a garage in Bushwick.

There was also the ascent of food television to bona fide national pastime, from the Food Network to Top Chef. It solidified restaurant personalities growing status as a new kind of counter-cultural celebrity, a reality that would, at its worst, exacerbate a longstanding culture of excess and harassment until the MeToo movement came to a head in the late teens.

New York is a town of empire builders, but when one thinks about the dining and drinking scene today, these are the restaurateurs whose influence and accomplishments are always front of mind. Once the vanguard, theyre now the establishment. For Eater New Yorks special issue, several of these players discussed what it means to find themselves in the seats of power. Their condensed answers to Eaters questions are presented below.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I think our legacy is already taking shape through the community that has grown out of these businesses. So many people who have spent time teaching, learning, and growing with us have branched out to create the next generation of hospitality Caroline Fidanza of Saltie, who is now back with us as our Culinary Director; Sarah [Sanneh] and Carolyn [Bane] of Pies n Thighs; Nick [Perkins] and Leah [Campbell] of Harts and Cervos; the Meat Hook; and Drifters Wife in Maine; and Mike [Fadem] and Marie [Tribouilloy] just celebrated three years at Ops in Bushwick, the list goes on.

My oldest son Elijah, who really grew up in Diner, is now working on the line in the kitchen there, so things are coming full circle in that respect, too.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

Im really inspired by the work that organizations like Drive Change (a paid culinary fellowship program for formerly incarcerated youth) are doing to provide learning and development opportunities to people who might not have otherwise considered a profession in this industry.

What does the next decade look like for you?

The next decade is still really open. I want to continue to grow organically and find projects that really resonate with my team. My focus will also continue to be on deepening the connections along the path from our guests to our farmers, the ingredients, and the soil.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Dont forget why you chose to do this work. Define your own version of success, and then take time to reflect on whats worked and what hasnt.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Using the vehicle of food to show people that were all more alike than different.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

A lot of it will be defined by real estate. Its going to go up and down and look a lot like metropolitan cities in Asia. Youll find restaurants pop up where you never thought they would be. The next decade is [also] defined by the environment, the pressing issue of our time. Lastly, it will be driven by rising costs.

What does the next decade look like for you?

No idea. Im taking things a year at a time.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Dont do it like everyone else. Dont become a statistic.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Being Dale DeGroffs protg came with a high degree of visibility, and I wanted to use my advantage for good. My vision was to radically transform how America drinks.

I studied my ass off, mastered my trade, and began my swim upstream. As a mentor, Im proud to say that Ive trained an entire generation of some of the very best bartenders in New York. I taught them how to properly utilize then-obscure ingredients such as gin, rye, vermouth, [and] amari. I shunned soda guns and instead utilized bottled sodas and fresh produce. I also provided them with good ice (first Kold-Draft machine in NY since 1982), fresh-squeezed juice, artisanal cherries, proper tools, and appropriate, thoughtful glassware. The word began to spread to other bartenders and bars, and the use of these ingredients proliferated across the country. To this end, not only did the craft cocktail industry boom, but an entire craft distilling industry has also seeded, grown, and flourished as well.

This is also my 16th year as the beverage director for the Citymeals on Wheels Chefs Tribute to James Beard event. The very first job I ever had was helping out at a local senior center, so this position is personal for me. I created the beverage component for them and have raised over $600,000 for them at this point.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

I think NYC landlords will play a large role here. I believe that the combination of escalating rents and minimum wage increases will dictate what establishments will look like, size-wise, and ultimately, dictate their longevity as well.

What does the next decade look like for you?

My parents have always been my closest friends and their welfare has always been a priority for me. I had begun working on a small mixology school with my husband Robert Hess back in 2015, but soon thereafter had to put it on the back burner when my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. I lost her just a year ago, and only just lost my dad a few weeks ago, and I miss them terribly. Right now, I am taking some personal time to heal myself, reset, and reflect on both the past and future. After that, writing my mixology book and rebooting the school will be the next step because they wouldnt have it any other way.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Hire good, kind, thoughtful people who truly enjoy giving of themselves. You can teach anyone proper procedure, steps of service, and standards, but you cant teach them to be warm or kind. Its a quality that comes from within, and the one that speaks to everyone. Folks go out not just for a good drink or great meal; equally important is that they are also going out for the experience. Caring, thoughtful service is the very stuff that the best memories are made of, and wildly more important than any hand-crafted ice cube could ever be.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I look forward to seeing my lifes work continued by my children and my employees past, present, and future. I believe that food is central to peoples lives and that experiencing world cultures through cuisine brings joy to people and enriches life. This is what I work to bring to the Japanese food scene in New York, and I hope to inspire all who work with me to carry on my vision by continuing to cultivate Japanese culture and cuisine for people around the world to enjoy.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

New Yorkers and patrons of the restaurants in New York will continue being the most influential force in shaping the next decade of dining. New York has always played a central role in popularizing new cuisines, and will continue to be a destination city to enjoy food that is familiar or pushes the envelope. Its also up to New Yorkers to keep encouraging up-and-coming restaurateurs as well as supporting mom-and-pop neighborhood favorites. How? By choosing to dine out and to explore. Its a great city for that.

What does the next decade look like for you?

Japanese cuisine has an enormous variety of cooking styles and flavors to offer that are not yet well-known, and I hope to continue being a leader in introducing new flavors of Japan to New York.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

As a budding restaurateur, you need a lot of patience. Find out what people need, whats missing in the food scene, and dont give up even though its hard. It helps to be inspired by others, but as you grow, remember to create your own style. Always try to improve on what came before and bring something new to the table.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Anyone conceited enough to even think of such a self-aggrandizing word as legacy in terms of himself doesnt deserve to be in the restaurant business in the first place. If Im remembered at all, Id like it to be for treating my staff well.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

I tend to think about what is shaping trends in dining, not who. I think therell be less and less meat on menus. And as a result of astronomical rents for ground floor spaces, I see a major increase of restaurants on second floors.

What does the next decade look like for you?

Over the next 10 years Id like to make life better for my staff and try to emphasize the quality of food and service at the restaurants I already have, instead of fantasizing about future projects.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Never take advice from someone who tells you they know what theyre doing.

What do you want your legacy to be?

First and foremost, to have created a company where employees feel they can build a career and unravel their potential, and where clients have a long-standing and special connection to our brands. And next, maybe to have a small spot in the wonderful journey and legacy of Italian cuisine in America.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

Today all senses need to be stimulated concurrently and holistically: taste in great food is one factor, but more customized service, visual appeal, soundtrack of the venue, a lighting program for the evening, and so forth. Second, with the advent of technology and smartphones, the client can instantly record and share that experience. We have to listen very carefully to our clients and all feedback mechanisms more than ever. New technology tools will continue to evolve in delivery portals, reservations, and client information data as seen with SevenRooms (a restaurant reservation app).

What does the next decade look like for you?

We will build out our core platform and proven brands on both the more elevated, luxury side and the quality casual spectrum, and in different neighborhoods and geographies. We see a greater footprint outside of New York and internationally.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Dreams can turn quickly into nightmares. Be sure to understand and be diligent on all the components of the business at the outset: from capital to leasing to licensing and permitting, to inspections to infrastructure, and to cost. The potential pitfalls before even cooking your first dish are everywhere.

What do you want your legacy to be?

[Its] hard to refer to myself as a legacy at the moment, but I am most proud of the impact that I was able to make in the city of Philadelphia. The economic reverberations that Starr Restaurants was able to, and is still able to create in Philadelphia is what Im most proud of. We created a ton of jobs and a real dining scene which hopefully paved the way for future generations of chefs and restaurateurs.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

There are so many creative and skilled artisans in New York bringing insanely good cocktails, pastry, dumplings, whatever their gift is to the dining scene. But truthfully, I think its the diners themselves the people who eat out in NYC [who] are the ones shaping the next decade, and if were smart, well listen to them.

What does the next decade look like for you?

The next decade is going into the hotel business, that industry is something Ive always wanted to do.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Dont assume your idea is great because you really believe in it. Take the idea, write all the reasons why it wont work, then a list of the reasons why it will the list with the longest reasons is the one you should listen to.

What do you want your legacy to be?

The question of legacy is a hard one, because were all invariably imperfect, so I think of it as more of a pursuit. I also think there are two legacies that one leaves behind: their personal legacy and their professional one. For me, my personal legacy is more important. There, Id like to be remembered for being generous, others-centered, and actively loving the people in my life: my wife, my family, my friends, and my community.

On the professional side, Id like to be remembered in a couple ways. First, as someone who created restaurant environments defined by gracious hospitality both for the guests, and for all the people that gave so much of themselves to those restaurants in helping create memorable experiences for those guests. And as someone who strived to create community around hospitality through things like the Welcome Conference (an annual conference for people in the hospitality industry) for my peers in the dining room and anyone in any industry that derives significant and genuine pleasure out of bringing joy to others.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

Id like to call attention to Gabe Stulman and his incredible group of partners at Happy Cooking. Ive been incredibly inspired by him over the last couple years, because he puts more intention, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail into a 30-seat restaurant than most do into a 100-seat restaurant. And from my perspective, he doesnt do it for accolades, or fanfare, or even reviews (less than half of the restaurants hes opened have even gotten reviewed). Instead, he just does it for the love of the game. The best example is perhaps his most recent restaurant, the Jones. I honestly dont know who is shaping the next decade of dining in New York City, but I hope that his example is one that more of us are inspired to follow.

What does the next decade look like for you?

Im writing my next chapter as we speak, more to come.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Most of the lessons that I find myself sharing are ones that I learned from my dad, Frank Guidara. Ill share two here: First, early in your career you should articulate as best you can why you fell in love with the restaurant business and chose to give your life to it in the first place. There will be moments where you need to tap back into that perspective, and you always want to have it at the ready. Second, something he always says is, adversity is a terrible thing to waste. In life, and in business, there will invariably be bumps in the road. We cant always control what comes our way, but we can control how we react. If youre able to step back and take a deep breath, sometimes your greatest challenges can end up being your greatest opportunities.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Wed like to be thought of as a company that made significant strides toward bridging the gap between whats refine[d] and whats fun, what is art and what is commerce.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

I think the single most significant person shaping the next generation of New Yorks dining scene is the exact same person its been since the very first day of hospitality. Its the customer. They are the ultimate judge and juror of what we do. It doesnt become a trend or a fad or an institution without them.

What does the next decade look like for you?

Were looking at what challenges hospitality can present to us next and what opportunities we can provide for our team. I think operating our own hotels is absolutely on that list and something were actively working on. The sum of our parts has never been stronger, so absolutely anything is possible.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Set reasonable goals and work unreasonably hard towards them.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Legacy is a pretty heavy concept! Im best carrying myself, my work, and my place in the world one day at a time. I believe in being a steady, dependable, and joyful individual. One not afraid to ask questions, be pushy, and blaze a trail through the tricky, sticky jungle of life. I hope that daily approach to humanity and curiosity is one that grows beyond me and continues far beyond my reach, whether through questioning the frosting on the side of a cake, steeping cereal in milk to use for wacky things, being a grownup that is adamant about making friendship bracelets for strangers, or making the aisles of the grocery feel a little more adventuresome.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

Yewande Komolafe. When we worked together over a decade ago, she was still finding her way in the world of food. Choosing every avenue of cuisine but the one that defined her palate, she now builds and shares the recipes, the flavors that are home to her, true to her. And our taste buds are listening. With unapologetic truth, individuality, Yewande and a handful of others are shaping the next decade of dining in and dining out.

What does the next decade look like for you?

See 1 🙂

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Know yourself. Know your North Star, be incredibly flexible and nimble in between. All the fun (rollercoasters galore) happens there.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I honestly havent ever thought about my legacy, its not very important to me at the moment. In my 15 years as a business person in NYC, I have done a ridiculous amount of damage to the environment and the animal world on this planet; before considering my legacy, Id like to settle up my carbon and karmic footprint.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

I work a lot these days and keep my head down, [so] I dont pay much attention to whats going on in the NYC dining scene. Id have to say the people that are shaping the next decade are the ones that are implementing the best sustainability practices. This planet is headed for destruction; if everyone as a whole doesnt consider the way they run their businesses, there wont be much of a dining scene to shape in the future.

What does the next decade look like for you?

For me, the next decade will look similar to the last except on a much larger scope and in many more markets than NYC. We will continue to innovate in the ways of plant-based foods and to hone our sustainability practices and hopefully teach and influence others to do the same.

Whats one piece of advice youd give to a NYC restaurateur whos less established than you?

Like an artist or musician has a gift and passion for what they do, you should only enter this business if you have the same qualities. Its more of an art than a business, and you have as much chance of success as you do at becoming a successful painter. And, if you do go for it, please consider the future and try to leave your small corner better than when you arrived.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I would like my legacy to focus around my dedication to raising the platform for women in a male-dominated industry. Via my partnership in my bar, Leyenda, with three women or the many women and minorities we hire there, and my work with Speed Rack (an all-women bartending competition that highlights up-and-comers in the cocktail industry), I hope to see people of all sorts and kinds being seen more at the top of the game.

Who do you think is shaping the next decade of dining in New York?

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David Chang, Stephen Starr, Keith McNally, and More: NYCs Biggest Restaurateurs on the Future of Dining - Eater NY