FOOD & WINE unveils its 35th class of FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs, spotlighting 11 of the most dynamic up-and-coming chefs in the country who are cultivating kindness in their kitchens and vibrant flavors on the plate. The 2023 class joins the ranks of past Best New Chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Nancy Silverton, Tom Colicchio, Nina Compton, Nobu Matsuhisa, Kwame Onwuachi, Stephanie Izard, and David Chang. Profiles of the 2023 Best New Chefs, along with their favorite spots to eat and drink in the cities they call home, are featured now at Best New Chefs and in the October issue of FOOD & WINE, on newsstands September 22.
“The 2023 FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs represent a profound shift in the industry,” said FOOD & WINE Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis. “They’re not only creating exceptional food and dining experiences for their customers, but also cultivating nurturing environments for their teams. As a result, their restaurants are places of celebration, education, and joy. We are thrilled to showcase their excellence and innovation.”
FOOD & WINE BEST NEW CHEFS IN AMERICA 2023
Amanda Shulman - Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia
Edgar Rico - Nixta Taqueria, Austin
Aisha Ibrahim - Canlis, Seattle
Isabel Coss - Lutece, Washington, DC
Steven Pursley - Menya Rui, St. Louis
Nando Chang & Valerie Chang - Itamae, Miami
Hannah Ziskin - Quarter Sheets, Los Angeles
Ed Szymanski - Dame & Lord's, New York City
Eunji Lee - Lysée, New York City
Emmanuel Chavez - Tatemó, Houston
For more information on the winners, click here.
FOOD & WINE chooses the Best New Chefs after a monthslong selection process. Chefs who have been in charge of a kitchen or pastry program for five years or less are eligible. The process begins with F&W editors soliciting and vetting nominations from food writers, cookbook authors, Best New Chef alums, and other trusted experts around the country. Then, Restaurant Editor Khushbu Shah travels the country. This year, she visited 23 cities, dining out in dozens of restaurants in search of the most promising and dynamic chefs right now. For more information about the selection and vetting process, please visit here.
Shah wrote in the Best New Chefs 2023 feature story: “It became crystal clear as I ate my way through 23 cities around the country that the most interesting restaurants were not just the ones focused on cooking the most delicious food, but the ones with a larger mission in mind—something each member of this year’s class of Best New Chefs embodies...There is no compromise on integrity. There is no compromise on leadership. And that commitment—to vision, values, and ambition—carries over into the dining room, where there’s zero compromise on the big flavors and groundbreaking cooking that have defined every class of F&W Best New Chefs since the first class in 1988.”
The FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs 2023 event taking place this evening at NINE ORCHARD in New York City will feature FOOD & WINE ALUMNI Best New Chefs DANIEL BOULUD [1988] and CAROLINE SCHIFF [2022] as well as BUDDHA LO, BRAVO’s Top Chef Winner Seasons 19 & 20.
To support the new class, FOOD & WINE will kick off the celebration with the Best New Chef Mentorship Program, which empowers new BNCs to grow personally and professionally in their careers.
The FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs 2023 event is sponsored by Mijenta Tequila, Santa Margherita, S.Pellegrino®, and Bravo’s Top Chef. The 2023 Best New Chef Mentorship program is sponsored by YETI.
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FOOD & WINE is the ultimate authority on the best of what's new in food, drink, travel, design, and entertaining. FOOD & WINE has an extensive social media following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. FOOD & WINE includes a magazine in print and digital; a website, foodandwine.com; a books division; plus newsletters, events, and more. At FOOD & WINE, we inspire and empower our wine- and food-obsessed community to eat, drink, entertain, and travel better—every day and everywhere. FOOD & WINE is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
