Food & Wine's Best New Chefs 2016

Spring means the height of culinary award season, including Food & Wine's list of Best New Chefs, which was released this morning. This year's class is made up of 11 chefs from nine cities, including Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club and David Barzelay of Lazy Bear in San Francisco (the only city with two honorees this year), Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske of Contra and Wildair in New York City, and Aaron Silverman of Rose's Luxury and the newly opened Pineapple and Pearls in D.C. The only woman to make the list: Iliana Regan of Elizabeth and Bunny, the micro bakery in Chicago (see the full list below).

Those who follow culinary awards and honors from food publications (including this one) are likely familiar with many of this year's honorees, but the Best New Chef nod has long been a coveted one for chefs. Previous recipients include Danny Bowien and Eli Kulp more recently and notable members of the old guard, like Daniel Boulud and David Chang.

Editors at the magazine focus on chefs who have been running restaurant kitchens for five or fewer years and get recommendations "from restaurant critics, food writers and other trusted experts," according to a release.

It's important to note that this list is the last one shepherded by longtime Food & Wine editor Dana Cowin, who recently left the magazine to be the chief creative officer of Chefs Club International. As new editor Nilou Motamed takes the reigns, it will be interesting to see how the list changes next year.

Food & Wine's Best New Chefs 2016:

David Barzelay, Lazy Bear, San Francisco

Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye, Austin

Michael Gulotta, MoPho and Tana, New Orleans

Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle

Ravi Kapur, Liholiho Yacht Club, San Francisco

Brad Kilgore, Alter, Miami

Iliana Regan, Elizabeth and Bunny, the micro bakery, Chicago

Aaron Silverman, Rose's Luxury and Pineapple and Pearls, Washington, D.C.

Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske, Contra and Wildair, New York City

Kris Yenbamroong, Night + Market and Night + Market Song, Los Angeles