Food & Wine Reveals Their 10 Best New Chefs in America for 2020 — See Who Made the List
The 32nd annual list highlights 10 up-and-coming chefs across the U.S.
Food & Wine just announced their annual list of the Best New Chefs in America for 2020, recognizing ten rising culinary stars from across the country.
Over the past 32 years, the magazine has scoured the country for fresh talent who push flavor boundaries in innovative ways. Over the years, the list has included icons in the culinary world including Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, and David Chang.
“We’re honored to celebrate these amazing people and their singular talents and accomplishments with our readers," said Hunter Lewis, Editor in Chief of Food & Wine in a press release. "With the world in crisis and the food and beverage industry especially hard hit right now, this class of Best New Chefs inspires optimism and hope for the future of restaurants. I can’t wait to dine at their tables again and toast all 10 of them in person.”
To qualify for consideration, the chefs must have been the head of a restaurant kitchen for no more than five years. This year's winners include ten chefs from nine cities who were selected by Khushbu Shah, restaurant editor from Food & Wine. While pastry chefs have never been honored on their own on this list, two have been selected this year.
“It has been a great year for bold, flavor-to-the-face cooking, with strong mission statements," said Shah. "It was also deeply important to me that the chefs are just as committed to their staffs and their communities as they are to their food.”
Scroll to see the talented chefs who made the cut this year.
Nick Bognar, Indo, St. Louis
Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Hestia, Emmer & Rye, Henbit, TLV, and Kalimotxo, Austin
Trigg Brown, Win Son and Win son Bakery, Brooklyn
Camille Cogswell, K'Far, Philadelphia
Eunjo Park (above), Kāwi, New York
Niven Patel (above), Ghee, Miami
Daisy Ryan, Bell's, Los Alamos
Lena Sareini (above), Selden Standard, Detroit
Donny Sirisavath, Khao Noodle Shop, Dallas
Douglass Williams, Mida, Boston
While the restaurant industry has been suffering, Food & Wine hosted a virtual Best New Chefs mentorship program in April along with industry leaders. According to the press release, "The program focused on leading in crisis, with panelists sharing legal resources and stories about pivoting their business models, along with sessions about prioritizing mental health and relationships."
Each winner will also be paired with Best New Chef alums and other well-known chefs for a yearlong mentorship program to help the newcomers enhance their careers and give advice during this time.