A couple of weeks ago we told you that Time Out, Metromix, and Food & Wine were taking votes for their respective yearly awards. Well, in two instances, the people have spoken: Metromix just posted its readers’ picks for best new restaurant (ABC Kitchen), burger (Shake Shack), seafood (Mermaid Inn), Italian (Locanda Verde — take that, Pino!), and more. And yesterday Food & Wine announced its readers’ pick for People’s Best New Chef: Jamie Bissonnette from Boston’s Coppa. David Felton of Ninety Acres in Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey, got the most votes in the New York region. Food & Wine justified the upset victory over Dan Kluger of ABC Kitchen, George Mendes of Aldea, and other New York City toques: “Because he backs up the buzz brought by partner Sir Richard Branson with seductive yet accessible food prepared with produce from the restaurant’s surrounding farm.” Either that or he led some sort of a ballot-stuffing campaign that was more successful than Gabe Thompson’s offer of a free glass of wine at Dell’Anima.
Best of Metromix New York 2011: The winners! [Metromix]
Jamie Bissonnette Wins Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Chef Award, Coppa to Take Reservations [Grub Street Boston]
The People’s Best New Chef: New York Area [Food & Wine]