Glen Ellen Star chef Ari Weiswasser up for 'People's Best New Chef'

Food & Wine magazine has nominated Chef Ari Weiswasser of the Glen Ellen Star for its 2015 'The People's Best New Chef Award.'

Weiswasser is one of 100 nominees for the award from across the country and one of 10 nominees from California. The award spotlights innovators who have run their own kitchens for five years or fewer.

At the Glen Ellen Star, the chef marries simple California ingredients with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, highlighting the simple beauty of food from the garden.

'After spending 12 years in fine dining, I wanted to create a restaurant that customers would want to eat at every day,' Weiswasser said. 'It's always been a priority for us to create an inviting, neighborhood-friendly atmosphere that consistently exceeds expectations.'

The People's Best New Chef winner will be determined via online vote through April 8 at foodandwine.com/the-peoples-bnc.

The chef with the most votes in each of the 10 regions will be named a finalist; the finalist with the most votes overall will be named The People's Best New Chef.

The award is an extension of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs Award. The winners of both contests will be featured in the July 2015 issue of Food & Wine magazine.