We're 95% Sure Josh Skenes Is A Food & Wine Best New Chef

The word is pretty much out now that Josh Skenes will join Food & Wine's esteemed Best New Chefs 2011 entourage when the awards are announced in a few hours. First there was Dana Cowin's "Bay Area Ale" clue referring to Skenes restaurant Saison. And today Skenes tells GrubStreet he's in New York and he can't talk tonight. Remember last year, James Syhabout of Commis joined the short list of Bay Area chefs to make the cut: Thomas Keller ('88), Douglas Keane ('07), Sean O'Brien ('08), and Nate Appleman ('09). We can certainly see Skenes fitting it well with this crew. The full list of 2011 Food & Wine Best New Chefs will be announced today at 5 p.m. EST.

· Confirmed: Joshua Skenes Is In New York [GrubStreet]
· @fwscout [Twitter]
· All Previous Saison Coverage [~ ESF ~]

[Photo: foodfashionista]