Flights Restaurant & Lounge, Raleigh

Heat and pressure define any kitchen, whether you're discussing the science of cooking or the business end of things. Dean Thompson, the executive chef at Flights Restaurant at Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, handles that pressure well. In fact, he enjoys it so much that he's actually sought it out several times by heading to the Fire in the Triangle Cooking Competition. There he pitted his recipes against those of other regional chefs in head-to-head battles, advancing one bracket at a time to claim the top prize not once, but twice.

One might detect a bit of that competitive spirit and love for cooking in his menus, as well; he certainly pulls no punches there. The dinner menu, for instance, offers an Chicken Tartine appetizer with grilled asiago bread, roasted portobello, quail egg, pecorino, and white truffle oil. Chef Thompson also betrays his Southern influences through various entrees, such as an herb-crusted pork chop with apple butter and bison short ribs with haricot verts and goat-cheese truffle mashed potatoes.