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4 L.A. Chefs Are Contenders for "The People's Best New Chef"

Four Los Angeles chefs are among those in the running to be named "Food & Wine's The People's Best New Chef 2011." Determined by the public's vote from regional lists of nominees, the honors have been bestowed on rising kitchen talent by the popular magazine since 1998.
The innovative chefs hailing from Los Angeles are Mo Chica's Ricardo Zarate, The Laxy Ox Canteen's Josef Centeno, Beechwood's Jamie Lauren, and Tasting Kitchen's Casey Lane.
Lane's Venice eatery got some national attention late last year when GQ named it one of the best new restaurants. Meanwhile, over in Little Tokyo, Centeno's Lazy Ox is home to one of the city's best burgers (says we) and was called out by Angeleno's food maestro Brad Johnson last year as the best new spot in town. Zarate was one of the standouts at last year's wildly successful Test Kitchen enterprise, while Lauren came to LA to dazzle diners by way of San Francisco, and TV's "Top Chef," and, more recently, "Top Chef All-Stars."
If you've been to their restaurants, or any others in the various regions, have your say via the online vote.
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