Every great chef has a defining recipe -- A signature dish is that recipe that identifies an individual chef. It should be unique and allow an informed gastronome to name the chef. It can be thought of as the culinary equivalent of an artist finding their own style, or an author finding their own voice. A chef's signature dish often changes with time or they may claim several signature dishes.
A signature dish can also be used to refer to a culinary region, in which case its meaning may be the equivalent of "national dish".
Scallops on Cauliflower Puree Scallops on Cauliflower Puree and Caper and Raisin dressing by Gordon Ramsay is a winner.
Coq Au Vin was made famous by Julia Child, braised stews with wine existed undocumented for over a hundred years. While the wine used is typically Burgundy, many regions of France have variants of coq au vin using the local wine, such as coq au vin jaune (Jura), coq au Riesling (Alsace).
Moussaka is one of the most popular dishes in Greece and found on menus of most Greek Restaurants around the world.
Socca is most popular in Nice France. But, socca is the National Dish of Gibraltor where it is called Calentita.
Edinformatics Restaurant List:
This is a listing of Best Restaurants in the US using data from the Zagat and the Gayot Rating Systems. Zagat's ratings are compiled from people who rate restaurants they have visited. Gayot uses a method similar to the Michelin Guide where a worldwide team of professionals rate restaurants. Zagat has a maximum of score of 29, while the Gayot system based on Gault Millau has a maximum scale of 19. See the list.