Calmels, Styer, Spence Among Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef Nominees

Three Philly chefs are in the running for Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef award, the new-ish online competition that divvies up chefs by region and invites readers to vote on their favorite candidate. Local cooks on the list include Pierre Calmels of Bibou (who is also up for a Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic), Lee Styer of Fond (also a Beard nom, but in the Rising Star category), and Brad Spence of Amis (who has a great beard).

Fans of the nominated trio can cast their vote here and also read up on facts about each chef — including the fact that Spence is obsessed with curing meat, and that Calmels loves teaching young chefs old school techniques who should know how to break down a damn rack of veal. Voting continues until March 11, and the overall national winner will be featured in the magazine alongside the 10 editorially selected Best New Chef winners.

· People's Best New Chef, Mid-Atlantic [F&W]
· F&W Announces 2012 People's Best New Chefs Nominees [Eater National]