A Chicago chef is in elite company after being named on Food & Wine Magazine’s 2016 list of Best New Chefs.
Chef Iliana Regan, of Elizabeth in the city’s Lincoln Square neighborhood and Bunny, the Micro Bakery in the Lake View neighborhood, was among 11 chefs to make this year’s cut.
The chefs were named after restaurant critics, food writers and “other trusted experts around the country” submitted nominations to the publication’s editors. The editors then travel to taste the nominees’ food and pick the top candidates.
Regan was noted for her "exquisite Nordic-style cooking" which "highlights Midwestern ingredients," according to the publication.
Also named on the prestigious annual list were David Barzelay, of Lazy Bear in San Francisco; Kevin Fink, of Emmer & Rye in Austin; Michael Gulotta, of MoPho and Tana in New Orleans; Edouardo Jordan of Salare in Seattle; Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco; Brad Kilgore, of Alter in Miami; Aaron Silverman, of Rose’s Luxury and Pineapple and Pearls in Washington, D.C.; Jeremiah Stone & Fabian von Hauske, of Contra and Wildair in New York City; and Kris Yenbamroon, of Night + Market and Night +Market Son in Los Angeles.
Regan joins a notable list of past winners from Chicago, including Thomas Keller, Rick Bayless, Grant Achatz, Stephanie Izard, Danny Grant, Jason Vincent, Dave Beran and Jake Bickehaupt.
“At FOOD & WINE we’re obsessed with finding new talent, and the Best New Chefs platform showcases that perfectly,” Editor Nilou Motamed said in a statement. “We’re honored to give these incredible cooks the recognition they deserve, an award that has catapulted so many careers and will change these chefs' lives forever.”
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The winners will be featured in the July issue of Food & Wine and will be honored at a gala event in Aspen, Colorado in June.
