Dale Talde Wins 'The People’s Best New Chef'

It’s official: Dale Talde is “The People’s Best New Chef.”

FoodAndWine.com’s annual contest, which names America’s 10 “most brilliant up-and-coming chefs every year” throughout the nation, asked people to vote for whom they thought was the paramount newfangled culinary artist in the New York area.  

And the people have spoken, Dale Talde won the contest, beating out chefs like Justin Hilbert of Gwynnett St.; Hooni Kim Danji; Joe Ogrodnek & Walker Stern of Battersby; Michael Toscano of Perla and five others.

“It’s a real honor to be grouped up with that collection of chefs—they’re all great and to win was a great feeling,” Talde said,  who is the chef and partner of Thistle Hill Tavern, Talde and Pork Slope—the last two being some of the most popular new restaurants in Park Slope.

The Chicago-native, who was on the TV show Top Chef and is partner in the three local restaurants with David Massoni and John Bush, has brought a unique mix of Asian and American cooking to the Seventh Avenue restaurant Talde with dishes like Kung Pao Chicken Wings, Pretzel Pork & Chive Dumplings and Korean Fried Chicken.

Last year, Zagat rated Talde (the restaurant that’s named after its chef) the second-best restaurant in New York City.  

According to FoodAndWine.com, Talde’s “quintessential dish” is his Korean Fried Chicken made with spicy kimchee yogurt, grapes and mint for $23.

During an interview after Talde’s win, the chef was humble.

“This win is for the entire team. Me, as an individual chef, can only be good with my team,” Talde said. “The people who voted for me says a lot about my partners at all three restaurants." 

However, Food And Wine gave all the credit to the chef himself—stating that he’s “so amazing” because:

“[He] is brilliantly combining Asian and American cooking in fun ways that work, such as with his “pretzel” (coarse salt–topped) pork-and-chive dumplings with spicy mustard.”

Talde said that he is going to share his new title:

“When a quarterback wins MVP, he buys a gold Rolex for the entire team, this award is my gold watch to my team,” he said, explaining that he wanted to give a shout out to Andrew Del Veccio, Kyle Eakins and Janine Denetdpel from Talde; Memo Flores from Pork Slope; Kerwin Wang and Bun Cheam from Thistle Hill Tavern; managers Calli, Mike, Phil and Amy; and of course his partners David Massoni and John Bush. “I’m happy, all the support was great and well appreciated.”

To see Talde's profile and the other chef he beat out, visit FoodAndWine.com here. 

What do you think about Talde winning FoodAndWine.com’s “The People’s Best New Chef” for the New York Area? Let us know in the comments section below.