F&W Announces The People's Best New Chef Nominees

Voting starts today for Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef award, and this year's Gulf Coast nominees includes these four New Orleans area chefs: Michael Doyle of Maurepas Foods in the Bywater, Juan Carlos Gonzalez of SoBou in the Quarter, Phillip Lopez of Root in the CBD, and Michael Stoltzfus of Coquette on the edge of the LGD and Irish Channel. Go here to vote from now until March 18. The Gulf Coast region also includes chefs from Puerto Rico and Miami, among other places, and the regional winner goes on to compete nationally.

Here's what F&W has to say about why each of New Orleans' nominees are downright amazing...

· Michael Doyle: Because he's redefining modern Southern cooking.
· Juan Carlos Gonzalez: Because his dishes take pub food to a new level.
· Phillip Lopez: Because he's making new American food that's unabashedly postmodern.
· Michael Stoltzfus: Because in a town full of fancy dining rooms, his modest bistro serves refined dishes with a sense of place.

· Vote For Your Favorite Chef [Food&Wine]
· All Awards Season Coverage [-ENOLA-]
[Photo: F&W]