Food Owners

Thirty-five profiles of the people who feed us — and who turned restaurants, brands and kitchens into fortunes — published across three installments.

Part one features Allison Ellsworth, Amin Dhanani, Anand (Andy) Patel and Andrew Cherng. Part two features Jenn Saesue, José Andrés, John Gelastopoulos and Jose Luis Valdez; part three, Penjan Janburiwong, Philip Maung, Hamdi Ulukaya and Rene Diaz.

Food is the most democratic of businesses: everyone is a customer, and anyone can taste the difference. These profiles look at the other side of the counter — ownership — and at how single kitchens become companies.