After months of intense scrutiny, major input from the Eater audience at large, chef and industry insider interviews and much, much more, the shortlist for the 2014 class of Eater Young Guns is set.
To recap: Eater Young Guns seeks to identify the most notable up-and-comers in the restaurant industry, whether as chefs or line cooks, wine or cocktail pros, restaurateurs, or maître d's. The criteria are simple. Nominees must be under 30 and must be in the employ of the hospitality industry in the United States or Canada. They must also show extraordinary promise.
With that, it is with tremendous pride that we announce that Marc-Alexandre Mercier, the talented chef at Hôtel Herman, and Dave Schmidt, the prolific restaurateur and partner in the likes of Maïs, Café Sardine/Iwashi and Datcha, will represent Montreal as Eater Young Guns candidates in 2014. As such, the two will face a selection committee that includes the likes of Paul Kahan, David Chang, Danny Meyer, Lidia Bastianich, Vikram Vij and Michael Voltaggio.
The announcement of the Young Guns Class of 2014 will take place in June. Here, now, the full list of 50 Eater Young Guns semi-finalists.