Food & Wine dubs Vicia's Michael Gallina a Best New Chef of 2018

The accolades just keep coming for Vicia. This time, chef and co-owner Michael Gallina has been recognized for his culinary prowess on Food & Wine’s 2018 list of Best New Chefs in America.

“I’m speechless. It’s a really incredible honor,” Gallina said. “I give most of the credit to my team. It’s mine and Tara’s (Gallina’s wife and business partner) vision, but without the incredible staff we’ve got it wouldn’t be possible.”

Since opening last year, the restaurant has made it onto the best new restaurants lists from Bon Appetit, Esquire and Eater along with being a semifinalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant: Midwest award. Sauce named it the Best New Restaurant of 2017.

Gallina said he actually found out about the honor on the same day he got word about the James Beard nomination. “It was definitely the hardest secret I’ve had to keep,” he said.

Winners will be feted tonight, May 21, in New York City at a party at Vandal on Bowery, and featured in the July issue of Food & Wine. Their talents will be showcased at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, in June. 

“For 30 years, Food & Wine has highlighted the country’s most brilliant, talented and up-and-coming chefs for pushing their cuisines forward. This year’s class of Best New Chefs is one of the youngest groups to be recognized in the history of the program,” said Food & Wine editor-in-chief Hunter Lewis in a release. “We’re thrilled to announce the 2018 class of Best New Chefs today and celebrate them on all of our brand platforms.”

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.