FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS: Erika Gable at 212-382-5635 or [email protected] Caitlin Eadie at 212-642-1921 or [email protected] FOOD & WINE ANNOUNCES 2013 BEST NEW CHEFS IN AMERICA

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DISCOVERING UP-AND-COMING CULINARY TALENTS

New York, NY (April 2, 2013) – Dana Cowin, editor in chief of FOOD & WINE, will reveal the winners of the 25th annual FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs award tonight during a celebration at Pranna in . For the first time ever, FOOD & WINE broadened its search to consider chefs in Puerto Rico—and found a winner. The 2013 honorees will be featured in the July issue of FOOD & WINE and will also attend the 31st annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen from June 14-16.

Several FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs alumni will prepare signature dishes at this evening’s event including Michael Symon of Lola (‘98); Wylie Dufresne of WD-50 and the new Alder (‘01); Grant Achatz of Alinea (‘02); Scott Conant of Scarpetta Restaurants (‘04); April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig (‘07); and Dan Kluger of ABC Kitchen (‘12). BRAVO’s Season 9 winner will join the BNC alumni in preparing a dish for the night.

“I am thrilled to announce this year’s Best New Chefs,” Cowin says. “With a 25-year perspective on the awards, it’s clear that these talented cooks have a brilliant future ahead of them. I can’t wait to see where they’ll go and what they’ll cook.”

Over the past 25 years this prestigious award has recognized stars early in their careers, like Daniel Boulud (’88), (’91), and David Chang (’06). Their unique culinary visions embody what it means to be a FOOD & WINE Best New Chef.

FOOD & WINE’s editors choose the Best New Chefs after a months-long selection process. The editors solicit nominations from restaurant critics, food writers and other trusted experts around the country, then travel incognito to taste the food themselves. Chefs who have been in charge of a kitchen for five years or fewer are eligible. 2013 F&W BEST NEW CHEFS Danny Bowien Mission Chinese Food, New York, NY Justin Cogley Aubergine, Carmel, CA José Enrique Jose Enriqué, San Juan, PR Matthew Gaudet West Bridge, Boston, MA Jamie Malone Sea Change, Minneapolis, MN Chris Shepherd Underbelly, Houston, TX Alex Stupak Empellón Cocina, New York, NY Andy Ticer & Michael Hudman Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis, TN Jason Vincent Nightwood, Chicago, IL Ink, , CA

The evening’s sponsors are Gallo Winery, All-Clad, Bombay Sapphire, Delta Airlines, Fiji, Godiva, Lexus and Stella Artois. To go behind the scenes at the party, follow @fandw on , @foodandwinemag on Instagram and join the conversation with #BNC25. For more information on the winners go to www.foodandwine.com/best_new_chefs or download the FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs iPhone application on iTunes. As America’s talent-seeking epicurean magazine, FOOD & WINE has awarded the Best New Chef title to superstars including Thomas Keller (‘88), Rick Bayless (’88), Tom Colicchio (‘91), Dan Barber (‘02) and (‘11). For more information on the winners go to www.foodandwine.com/best_new_chefs or download the FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs iPhone application on iTunes.

FOOD & WINE is the modern, stylish, trend-spotting, talent-seeking epicurean brand. Created by American Express Publishing, the luxury-lifestyle authority, FOOD & WINE includes a monthly magazine with a circulation of 925,000; digital editions on the iPad, Kindle Fire, and Nook Color; a books division; and a website, foodandwine.com, with updates on Twitter (@fandw), Instagram (@foodandwinemag), Pinterest and Facebook reaching over a million followers and fans.