Omnivore - Starchefs.com Awards Atlanta Rising Stars

??Starchefs.com hit town last night to dish out awards to Atlanta’s top “rising stars” of the culinary world - chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, brewers and baristas who “represent the vanguard of the contemporary dining scene in America.” Starchefs.com (yes, that’s the full name) may not have the popular name recognition of the James Beard Awards, but they are a good resource for the restaurant industry, with a major job board and plenty of content online. And they are anything but stingy with awards - there were over 20 given out here in Atlanta, one of only three cities being so honored this year (the other two are New Orleans and Austin). That’s not to diminish the work of the chefs who were recognized - a quick glance at the award-winning names and restaurants represented is like a who’s who of Atlanta’s dining scene: Shane Devereux, Ryan Smith, Adam Evans, Tyler Williams, Robert Phalen, Guy Wong, Todd Immel, Taria Camerino, Miles Macquarrie... and many more. Some firmly established chefs also made the cut, with Richard Blais winning the “Concept Chef” award and Hugh Acheson earning a “Mentor Award.”