Food Writer’s Diary readers vote differently from Beard Foundation judges

March 21

As you would expect, readers of this blog had a different notion of who should be Rising Star Chef of the year, an award the James Beard Foundation gives to chefs aged 30 or younger who show promise.
Of the five nominees, who were named today, only one, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar in New York City, also was in the top five voted on by this blog’s readers from among the long list of Beard Foundation semifinalists for the award.

Not a whole lot of people participated in the vote, just 49, apparently many of them from the Twin Cities.
I’ll post the results below, and also point out that I have a new poll up with the finalists for Best New Restaurant on the right.

Vote away (write in your own candidate in the comments section below)!

MY CHOICE FOR RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR IS:

Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis — 10

Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, New York City — 6

Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland — 5

Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta — 4

Nicholas Stefanelli, Bibiana, Washington, D.C. — 4

Anthony Martin, Tru, Chicago — 3

Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s, New Orleans — 3

Andrew Ashmore, The Greene House, Scottsdale, Ariz. — 2

Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume, Omaha, Neb. — 2

Sheldon Simeon, Star Noodle, Lahaina, Hawaii — 2

Benjamin Bailly, Fraîche, Culver City, Calif. — 1

Eric Gabrynowicz, Restaurant North, Armonk, N.Y. — 1

Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, Mass. — 1

Greg LaPrad, Quiessence, Phoenix — 1

Matt Lightner, Castagna, Portland, Ore. — 1

Jesse Schenker, Recette, New York City — 1

Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, Mass. — 1

Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn, Lummi Island, Wash. — 1

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee — 0

Sean Baker, Gather, Berkeley, Calif. — 0

Sean Ehland, Kaya, Pittsburgh — 0

Sam Gorenstein, BLT Steak, Miami Beach, Fla. — 0

Perry Hoffman, étoile, Yountville, Calif. — 0

Casey Lane, The Tasting Kitchen, Venice, Calif. — 0

Aaron London, Ubuntu, Napa, Calif. — 0

Thomas McNaughton, flour + water, San Francisco — 0

Paul Qui, Uchiko, Austin, Texas — 0

Dan Richer, Arturo's, Maplewood, N.J. — 0

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore. — 0

Lee Styer, Fond, Philadelphia — 0

Michael Toscano, Manzo, New York City — 0

Total votes: 49