Food: Three Austin Pastry Chefs named in Food & Wine Top 50

Three Austin pastry chefs were included in Food & Wine's crème de la crème list of nominees vying for the prestigious honor of The People’s Best New Pastry Chef in America. Stephen Cak of Parkside, Laura Sawicki of La Condesa, and Josh Matlock of Paggi House are among the Top 50 up-and-coming pastry chefs competing in online poll to determine the people’s pick for the best of the best.

Supporting these talented chefs is easy as pie; just visit Food & Wine's website between now and midnight on February 14 to vote. The Top 50 nominated chefs are divided into one of three regions: East, West, or Central. Between now until the polls close, readers can vote for one chef in each category to determine regional finalists. The top vote recipient of the three finalists will be named the first annual The People’s Best New Pastry Chef in America. The winner and finalists will be announced February 15 online.

For the past 24 years, Food & Wine’s editors have selected an annual list of promising culinary talents with help from a large network of journalists, chefs, and other in-the-know sources. However, the magazine has sweetened this year’s search with the inclusion of a pastry chef category. As tradition, only those who have helmed a kitchen for five or fewer years were eligible to be nominated. Past Best New Chef America winners have included Tyson Cole (Uchi, 2005) and Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, 2011).

The winner will be featured in the May 2012 edition of Food & Wine Magazine and attend the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. Vote for one of Austin’s nominees by visiting Food & Wine online.