When it opened in December, Boston’s Eataly became the fourth U.S. location of Mario Batali’s brand of massive, multi-floor Italian dining emporiums. So when chef Dan Bazzinotti interviewed for a role at Terra, one of several full-service restaurants inside the 45,000-square-foot space, he wanted to make sure his hometown wasn’t being served stale leftovers. “I think the first question I asked was, ‘Are you making an Eataly Boston or are you trying to just bring the Eataly New York store to Boston?’” Bazzinotti said.

Like most toques in this town, the Lawrence-raised chef’s local pride runs deep. Ours is not a city that immediately fawns over imported, industry-hyped new restaurants that think they can coast on the marquee name of a non-native. But after the opening-day ribbons are cut and the TV-fueled star owners jet-set to their next public appearance, these headliner-affiliated kitchens are actually helmed by local ambassadors who enjoy most of the same creative freedoms as chefs in independent restaurants, and get to put their own passion-fueled stamp on the cuisine.