These are the 14 Best New Chefs in America

2026 F&W Best New Chefs Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir. Photo Credit: Food & Wine / Alex Lau

Dear Pros,

You've got Erika this week. One of many unforgettable moments in starting this job was a series of meetings during my first week of work back in February in which a group of my Food & Wine colleagues thoughtfully, painstakingly debated their way to what you now see before you: the 2026 class of F&W Best New Chefs.

The chefs in this year's class are not only talented in their own right; they are ambassadors for their passions. Lucas McKinney doesn't just expertly handle Gulf Coast seafood — he'll sit down in the middle of the dining room and teach you how to pick a blue crab, too. Quynh Nguyen and Gian Carlo Rinaldi have dedicated years to painstaking research and development so American diners may experience the transcendent joy of a bouncy, slippery, fresh rice noodle. The care and attention that Carlos Delgado turns toward his potatoes, some of which he grows in a greenhouse located directly above his restaurant in Washington, D.C., are a non-negotiable step in showcasing the fundamentals of Peruvian cuisine.

Collectively, these 14 chefs represent the next-generation leaders of America's culinary landscape. As is longstanding tradition, we celebrated the class with a whirlwind of events in New York City earlier this week, including a discussion with esteemed restaurateur Danny Meyer on Monday morning, private mentorship programming, a delightful lunch with dozens of BNC alumni, and an electric BNC bash on Tuesday night. My tireless colleague, news and trending editor Merlyn Miller, recapped the night here. Take it from the new kid on the block: the Food & Wine crew knows how to throw a party.

The 2026 F&W Best New Chefs with Hunter Lewis, Tom Bair, and Joel McHale. Photo Credit: Stephen Lovekin

Speaking of, the NYC launch was just the beginning. We've got an outstanding lineup of events this fall where you can meet these incredible chefs, taste their food, and ask them to sign your copy of the magazine. First up, our charitable partners at the Southern Smoke Foundation, 2013 F&W Best New Chef Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown, are hosting the chefs — and 2026 Restaurant of the Year co-owner, Tom Rogers — at the wildly popular Southern Smoke Festival in Houston on Saturday, October 3. Get your tickets here.

Then, Masako Morishita will head to Los Angeles for a special, one-night-only event on Wednesday, October 14, where she'll collaborate with 2017 F&W Best New Chefs Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson on a five-course dinner at their vegetable-centric restaurant Kismet. (Tickets just went on sale here. Grab 'em before they are gone.)

The following month, we're welcoming Charleston's own Hannah and Zachary Welton to the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, which will be held from November 13-15. Grab a pass right here while they last.

Come join us this fall! And, once you've got your tickets, send me a note. I'd love to say hi in person.

Take care,
Erika