Each year, Food & Wine magazine nominates chefs throughout the country to compete as "The People's Best New Chef." According to the magazine, "We name America's 10 most brilliant up-and-coming chefs every year." ---

For 2012, local chef Ryan Lowder -- owner/chef at Salt Lake City's Copper Onion restaurant -- has been nominated, in the Southwest Chef category.

He's up against nine other regional chefs: stiff competition from Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, Aspen, Oklahoma City (that's Southwest?) and Denver.

Interestingly, Food & Wine selected my City Weekly review of the Copper Onion to link to chef Lowder's bio.

To return the favor, I'll provide a link to the voting page of Food & Wine.

To vote for your favorite "People's Best New Chef - Southwest, click here.

Vote early and vote often. Pass it on!