Crux, Various Locations

Chicago’s self-taught chef Brandon Baltzley, formerly of Grant Achatz’s Alinea, started his pop-up concept in the Windy City and took it on the road to take it to the next level. Crux is a twice-weekly pop-up dinner publicized on Twitter and Facebook, but its location is revealed only to confirmed diners. (Coming off a stint in Portland, Maine, its next stop is Pittsburgh; New York isn't far behind.) In addition to the highly well-liked pop-up, known for its inventive combinations (tomato and pine; chicken foot, blue cheese and celery), the conceptual “culinary collective” also features a micro-restaurant and does larger-scale charity events. cruxrestaurant.com.