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"I'm not a big fan of the chains," Gontram said. Other local favorites? "Trattoria Marcella is a wonderful place, and King Louie's does an incredible job."

Gontram should know. The St. Louisan is the owner/chef of Harvest, the much-praised, fine dining spot known for an innovative menu built around seasonal food. The company does $1.5 million in annual revenue.

Gontram, son of restaurant developer Bob Gontram, opened Harvest in 1997 with three partners: his father, Charles Downs and George Mahe. The California Culinary Academy graduate bought out his partners last May for $325,000 and seems to relish having full responsibility. "I'd rather not work for anybody else," he said, adding that he "has been the one who has always been here."

Restaurants may be in his blood, but they were not a given for Gontram. When he graduated from Georgetown with a foreign service major, his intention was to work overseas, but he couldn't find a job during the country's last major recession. He came home, faced up to the fact that he really liked to cook and pursued professional education.

Harvest, as its name implies, focuses on the bounty of the season. The food is driven by a few simple precepts, Gontram said: "As fresh as possible, everything done from scratch (from sauces to pastries) and no artificial products." During the warmer months and even into November, Gontram works with specialty growers here to obtain local ingredients.

Gontram's fresh-as-possible approach has influenced local restaurant cuisine, said Mount Pleasant Winery president P. Charles Dressel, and won wider acclaim. Gontram was asked to prepare the Thanksgiving Day meal at the James Beard House in New York City in 1998 (Beard was considered the father of modern American cuisine). Harvest also has been a generous contributor to Dining out For Life, whose proceeds go to the St. Louis Effort for AIDS.

Apart from the food is the ambiance of a restaurant, and in that department Gontram again has aimed for something unique. He worked with CSI Design to transform the former Cyrano's to the happening Harvest.

For the near future, Gontram said the key is to not let high standards slip. He'd like to learn more about Asian food. Beyond that, he dreams of a small bistro in Oregon, maybe even a bed and breakfast, where control is absolute. Five acres, vineyards, room to grow his own food and "hopefully cooking for my family."

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