Chefs of the Year
Celebrating the people behind L.A.’s finest food
Fasten your aprons—this could get delicious. The 20 recipients of our first-ever Chef Awards won for more than just their exceptional cooking. Over the past 12 months they have expanded empires, transformed neighborhoods, fused old cuisines, conquered new ones, and challenged our very idea of what a restaurant should be. They’ve also created the dishes that have helped put Los Angeles on a culinary pedestal. Here’s a taste of the year’s best!
And the winners are...
The Comfort Master:
[Plan Check]
Why we picked him →
The Sweet Sensation:
[Milo & Olive, Sweet Rose Creamery, Huckleberry, Rustic Canyon]
Why we picked her →
The Italian Saviors:
[Sotto]
Why we picked them →
The People’s Cook:
[Post & Beam]
Why we picked him →
The Solo Artist:
[Bäco Mercat]
Why we picked him →
The Asian Ambassador:
[Night + Market]
Why we picked him →
The Graceful Grower:
[Picca, Mo-Chica]
Why we picked him →
The Big Boys:
[Son of a Gun, Animal]
Why we picked them →
The Fusion Artist:
[The Spice Table]
Why we picked him →
The Friends of the Farm:
[Cooks County]
Why we picked them →
The Wood-Fire Wizard:
[Tar & Roses]
Why we picked him →
The East L.A. Emperor:
[Bizarra Capital, Dorados Ceviche Bar, Guisados, Cook’s Tortas]
Why we picked him →
The Modern Mensch:
[Mezze]
Why we picked him →
The Professional Pop-Up:
[Wolvesmouth]
Why we picked him →
The Bridge Builder:
[Mélisse]
Why we picked him →
The Newborn Activist:
[Sunny Spot, A-Frame, Chego, Kogi]
Why we picked him →
The Vegetable Sculptor:
[Le Comptoir]
Why we picked him →
The Neoclassicist:
[The Royce at the Langham]
Why we picked him →
The Not-So-Mad Scientist:
[ink., ink.sack]
Why we picked him →
The Everyday Gourmet:
[The Larder at Maple Drive, The Larder at Tavern, Tavern, A.O.C., Lucques]
Why we picked her →
