When foodies get to talking about American food hot spots, the same handful of cities come up over and over. New York and Philadelphia make the grade for European cuisine and even Asian fare, with high-profile gigs such as Masaharu Morimoto's tenure at Nobu and then his solo venture in Philly. Los Angeles is the epicenter of "California cuisine," with high priest Wolfgang Puck delighting the palates of the glitterati who flock to the Left Coast. Fusion cuisine is big there, as well, with Asian/Mexican/American/whatever being combined in new and exciting ways.

On the Gulf Coast, New Orleans (she'll be back) and Houston share the spotlight, with the former acknowledged worldwide as the high temple of Cajun cuisine and the latter as a Tex-Mex hotbed with an international community that offers every flavor under the sun if you're willing to get out from under the neon and go exploring.

Miami rocks with Cuban cuisine and Caribbean specialties, as my pal Barb Besteni has promised to show me if I ever make it down there. I think mention was made of mojitos in gallon sizes.

In the Midwest, Chicago and Kansas City keep the beef-eating public happy with meaty fare. The Windy City is home to some top-echelon restaurants and steakhouses, and one need only mention the name Arthur Bryant to get barbecue fans starting the car and heading for KC.

All these cities have "it," in the food world, that combination of qualities that allows a restaurant culture to grow and truly flourish. But what are they? I decided to set my mind to it, and I think I've come up with a list of the ingredients required to allow a great food town to come into existence.

Chefs: This seems a bit silly to list, but I'm not talking about just any chefs. I'm talking about men and women who are dedicated to their craft and have a high enough profile to draw others to work with them and compete against them in their chosen cities. In New Orleans, what chef wouldn't be proud to say his Cajun/Creole joint had outdone Emeril's? In Los Angeles, outdrawing Spago (good luck!) could be a career-defining moment for a chef. By the same token, working in a kitchen alongside Wolfgang Puck or Miami's Michelle Bernstein is something akin to finding the headwaters of a great cuisine river and drinking from the source.

Ethnic mix: While some cities, like Kansas City, are primarily famous for one particular type of cuisine, no true food town can exist without a broad palate of international flavors. It's no accident that most of the United States' centers of culinary achievement are on the coasts: Those areas have more established and varied ethnic populations. In New York and Houston, for example, one can find everything from Ethiopian to Russian chow within a 20-minute drive.

Corporate culture: Not to sound too elitist, but in order to support a cadre of top-echelon restaurants, a city needs a good-sized group of residents both accustomed to eating high-class chow and willing and able to pay for it. I spoke to Chef Chris Ivens-Brown, vice president of culinary development for Compass Group North America, a foodservice giant behind such names a Au Bon Pain, Chartwell's and Wolfgang Puck, about the necessity for upper-level clientele. He said, "These people travel, and when they travel they dine at top-notch places. When they come home, they want to find the same quality."

Foodies: We've discussed before what makes a foodie. It's not income, background or any other readily definable quality. Being a foodie is like being a sports fan: You can't really explain why you're one, you just know that you are. Any great food town has got to have an army of folks who seek out the newest food trends, cook for themselves at home and expect to be able to get even the most obscure ingredients without waiting for UPS to deliver them. The presence of chains like Whole Foods Market and Home Economist are good indicators you're in a foodie haven, but the presence of "gourmet" foodstuffs at even the local grocery stores are a surer indication of the sort of culinary turf you're treading.

Education: From New England Culinary Institute to Johnson and Wales, cooking schools are becoming a big business, and having at least one in your city means that you've got a ready braintrust of up-and-coming chefs, at least a few of whom are likely to make their professional homes there.

Events: More often than not, cities couch their big food events in the form of competitions. In Kansas City, the American Royal is to barbecue fans what the World Series is to baseball fans. In Houston, the barbecue cookoff before the rodeo is the epicenter of brisket achievement. And it may not count as haute cuisine, but the hot dog-eating contest at Nathan's on Coney Island puts New York on the map every summer. Whatever's on the schedule, a festival of some sort that draws regional and national media attention is a must-have item to build a city's profile.

Having put my list together, I was pleased to realize that I live on the outskirts of an emerging food town: Charlotte, N.C. Chef Ivens-Brown makes his home there, and is one of the prime movers behind the construction of a truly great culinary culture. Johnson and Wales just completed construction on a big campus, and Compass Group N.A. is headquartered in the city, making it a natural spot for growth.

I can attest personally to the rabid foodie population, having been pleased to find everything from boudain and chorizo to my beloved Crosse & Blackwell Worcestershire sauce readily available even out here in the suburbs.

As the nation's second-largest banking center, home of Bank of America and Wachovia, Charlotte's got the corporate muscle to support top-notch restaurants, and the international population is exploding daily, giving rise to everything from Indian food to some surprisingly good Tex-Mex joints.

And, on Sept. 22, the Charlotte Shout Culinary Arts Experience takes over downtown, drawing names such as Sara Moulton, Wolfgang Puck and Martin Yan to preach to the faithful the gospel of good grub.

Do you live in a food town? Or are you living in a town that's got the potential to become one? Look around and see what you've got available, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Or you could always move.

Got a question? Comment? Topic you'd like to see covered? Drop me a line anytime!