Chef Nina Compton Named One of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in America 2017

This morning, Food & Wine announced that Chef Nina Compton of Compère Lapin has been chosen as one of the Best New Chefs in America 2017, the highly-anticipated annual list of “the most innovative and talented up-and-coming cooks in the country right now.” This year’s twelve winners, hailing from restaurants in nine cities, join the ranks of past Best New Chefs such as Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, April Bloomfield, Nancy Silverton, Tom Colicchio, Nobu Matsuhisa, Michael Symon, Stephanie Izard, Andrew Carmellini and David Chang.

Culinary major-leaguer Compton was named a finalist for the James Beard Awards only two weeks ago. She’s having a very good spring.

Food & Wine editors choose the Best New Chefs after a months-long selection process. The editors solicited nominations from restaurant critics, food writers and other trusted experts around the country, searching for talented, creative chefs who have been in charge of a kitchen for five years or fewer. The editors then travel incognito to taste the food.

FOOD & WINE BEST NEW CHEFS 2017

Jay Blackinton, Hogstone’s Wood Oven, Orcas Island

Val Cantu, Californios, San Francisco

Peter Cho, Han Oak, Portland

Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans

Diego Galicia and Rico Torres, Mixtli, San Antonio

Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer, Kismet, Los Angeles

Jordan Kahn, Destroyer, Los Angeles

Angie Mar, The Beatrice Inn, New York

Yoshi Okai, Otoko, Austin

Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago

Tomorrow evening, April 4, the 2017 winners will be celebrated at Food & Wine’s annual Best New Chefs party at Rock & Reilly’s NYC at the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel. The winners will also be featured in the July issue of Food & Wine and will be showcased at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen from June 16-18.

For more information on the winners go to http://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/best-new-chefs-2017.