Not that long ago, we were basic—dinner was a hunk of protein sided with a starch, a green veg and a yellow veg. But life and dining are at once simpler and more complicated now. Simpler because we’re eating more foods closer to their source. Complicated because we’ve incorporated all kinds of techniques, ingredients and flavors from other cultures. Simpler because we understand that we can break old rules with impunity. More complicated because food has become a political issue.

Look at the food made by this year’s Dining Awards winners: sunchokes, rabbit, currants, exotic mushrooms, whole fish. The only beef showing is marrow; the only red meat is lamb. In the land of the beef and the home of the burger, vegetables rule.

The chef’s palette has expanded with his palate. Chefs are paying attention to table settings as well as what is on the plate, recognizing that dining is a multi-sensory experience, that the texture of a plate and the heft of a spoon should complement the food.

The new New American cuisine strives to impress with its honesty, not its glamour. Lucky for us, that’s been a Utah value all along.