Best New Chefs

Best New Chefs ’09 Revealed!: Paul Liebrandt Only New York Honoree

Food & Wine just announced its 2009 Best New Chefs and they are:


1. Naomi Pomeroy/Beast, Portland
2. Barry Maiden/Hungry Mother, Cambridge
3. Kelly English/Iris, Memphis
4. Nate Appleman/A16, San Francisco
5. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo/Animal, Los Angeles
6. Bryan Caswell/Reef, Houston
7. Christopher Kostow/Meadowood, Napa
8. Mark Fuller/Spring Hill, Seattle
9. Linton Hopkins/Eugene, Atlanta
10. Paul Liebrandt/Corton, NY

Congratulations are in order to all, of course, as these chefs join a group that includes Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, and Thomas Keller, among many others. And, big ups to New York’s own Paul Liebrandt, who is the sole Best New Chef from the Big Apple this year. For Liebrandt, finally there’s a silver lining to his time at Gilt: To qualify for Best New Chef, a chef must have spent no more than five cumulative years cooking. If he’d lasted any longer at Gilt, he might have been too seasoned for consideration. As for the rest of the list, hat tip to Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo out of Animal in Los Angeles for having their very unique brand of pork- and party-infused cooking legitimized, and, in San Francisco, look for Appleman to have a very big year of accolades. He’s all but a lock for the 2009 Beard Rising Star Award, too.

Best New Chefs ’09 Revealed!: Paul Liebrandt Only New York Honoree