Chef Phila Lorn and Rachel Lorn speak during a interview at the Mawn restaurant in Philadelphia, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
PHILADELPHIA – Chef Phila Lorn, co-owner of Mawn in Bella Vista, has been named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in its annual list.
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Lorn and his wife, Rachel, opened the Cambodian-inspired BYOB two years ago. They call it a “noodle house with no rules,” on the restaurant’s website.
Lorn will receive his award on Tuesday night at a ceremony in New York, the magazine says. He’ll then return to Philly for Wednesday’s opening of Sao, the couple’s new restaurant, which will be more focused on seafood.
What they’re saying:
Earlier this year, Lorn won the James Beard Foundation’s award for Emerging Chef, as well. This award honors chefs with “exceptional talent, character and leadership” who “are poised to make a significant impact in the culinary world.”
In a news release announcing the 2025 winners, Food & Wine said these chefs are “redefining American dining by translating their personal histories into deeply expressive dishes.”
“The result is food that’s inventive yet nostalgic, that honors the past while looking to the future,” the release goes on. “This year’s class reflects a clear shift: chefs are putting their histories at the center of the plate.”
Chefs are nominated by Best New Chef alumni, cookbook authors, food writers and more. The monthly magazine says it visits hundreds of restaurants every year “in search of the most promising and dynamic chefs right now.”
Lorn is the 14th chef from the Philadelphia area to win this award. Recent Philly winners include Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club, Emily Riddell of Machine Shop and Camille Cogswell of K’Far.
The Source: Information in this article was sourced from Food & Wine, Mawn’s website, OpenTable, the James Beard Foundation, Visit Philadelphia, Eater, and a press release.
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