Michael Hall stands apart from frou-frou food trends, preferring to invent his own techniques. “I want to put out clean-tasting, fresh food,” he says. The Culinary Institute of America grad has gained confidence and respect for his string of successes, from The Butlery to Joe’s Market to the Berkeley, where his tasting menu is one of the city’s gastronomic standouts. Next year could be even more interesting, he says. We’re giving nothing away.