Nixta Taqueria's Edgar Rico earns spot on Food & Wine's list of Best New Chefs in America

Hannah Ortega, Austin American-Statesman
·3 min read

Many Austinites already think of Nixta Taqueria as a one of Austin's best restaurants, and now an esteemed publication is recognizing the taco spot's owner as one of the best new chefs following a nationwide search.

Food & Wine announced Tuesday that Egdar Rico, co-owner and chef of Nixta Taqueria on East 12th Street, earned a spot on the exclusive 2023 list of Best New Chefs in America. Only 10 other chefs made the cut.

"It's a dream come true. I remember as a teenager, I was always excited when the list would drop," Rico told the Statesman. "Seeing what chefs from all around America were cooking in their kitchens, I always felt like Food and Wine does an amazing job of seeking out the chefs that are truly defining what the culinary landscape in America looks like."

More: Austin's Franklin Barbecue and Nixta Taqueria collaborating on burrito dinner Sunday

The hunt for the best new chefs began with "nominations from food writers, cookbook authors, best new chef alums, and other trusted experts around the country," according to Food & Wine. From there, Food & Wine's restaurant editor Khushbu Shah spent several months dining across the U.S., looking only at chefs running a kitchen or pastry program five years of age and younger.

Shah ended up visiting 23 cities, including Austin.

“It became crystal clear as I ate my way through 23 cities around the country that the most interesting restaurants were not just the ones focused on cooking the most delicious food, but the ones with a larger mission in mind — something each member of this year’s class of Best New Chefs embodies," Shah wrote in the Best New Chefs feature story. "There is no compromise on integrity. There is no compromise on leadership. And that commitment — to vision, values, and ambition — carries over into the dining room, where there’s zero compromise on the big flavors and groundbreaking cooking that have defined every class of F&W Best New Chefs since the first class in 1988."

More: Nixta Taqueria raises over $100K, working with city of Austin on expedited reopening

This is yet another recent honor under Rico's belt, as he landed on Time's 100 Next list last year. The Statesman's restaurant critic, Matthew Odam, also named Nixta Taqueria as the fifth best restaurant in Austin last year.

Who are Food & Wine's best new chefs for 2023

Here's the full list of this year's best new chefs:

  • Amanda Shulman - Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia

  • Edgar Rico - Nixta Taqueria, Austin

  • Aisha Ibrahim - Canlis, Seattle

  • Isabel Coss - Lutece, Washington, DC

  • Steven Pursley - Menya Rui, St. Louis

  • Nando Chang & Valerie Chang - Itamae, Miami

  • Hannah Ziskin - Quarter Sheets, Los Angeles

  • Ed Szymanski - Dame & Lord's, New York City

  • Eunji Lee - Lysée, New York City

  • Emmanuel Chavez - Tatemó, Houston

Who else from Austin has been named a best new chef?

And here's the list of past Austin winners of the best new chefs distinction:

  • Will Packwood (7) - 2011

  • David Bull (Driskill Hotel) - 2003

  • Tyson Cole (Uchi) - 2005

  • Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine) - 2011

  • Paul Qui (Uchiko) - 2014

  • Michael Fojtasek and Grae Nonas (Olamaie) - 2015

  • Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye) - 2016

  • Yoshi Okai (Otoko) - 2017

  • Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group) - 2020

  • Fermin Nunez (Suerte) - 2021

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Nixta Taqueria's Edgar Rico named one of Food & Wine's best new chefs