Follow these local top chefs for mouthwatering inspo and a delicious taste of Boston’s culinary culture. 
Cecelia Lizotte, suyajoint.com
Chef Cecelia Lizotte started a local catering business fueled by her passion for cooking, sparked at a young age while watching her family prepare meals. That small business, which was run out of her home, has now become a full-service Nigerian restaurant: Suya Joint.
Karen Akunowicz, @chefkarenakunowicz
This James Beard Best Chef: Northeast award winner is a fan-favorite, whether the support comes from regulars of her Fox & The Knife restaurant or Top Chef season 13 binge-watchers. Akunowicz finds inspiration from her time spent living and cooking in Modena, Italy and uses that to create Italian food for the soul.
Kwasi Kwaa, @kkwaa1
A native of Ghana, chef Kwasi Kwaa is passionate about sharing remnants of home through his cooking. After refining his skills working in restaurants and catering for over 12 years, Kwaa curates dishes at Comfort Kitchen that honor the untold stories of ingredients from the spice trade and African Diaspora.
Laurence Louie, @laurence_louie
Laurence Louie, a Boston-bred Chinese American chef, transitioned from community organizer to full-time cook after a trip to Southern China, where he reconnected with his culinary roots. Catch the chef of Bon Apétit’s Best New Restaurant 2023 Award at his modern Hong Kong cafe, Rubato Food.
Rachel Miller, @chefrachelmiller
Chef Rachel Miller first became enamored with cooking while working at a quaint restaurant in Virginia, where she learned the importance of terroir from locally sourced ingredients. Now, the 2023 finalist for the James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Chef” Award cooks a fusion of French-Vietnamese cuisine at her own Nightshade Noodle Bar.
Robert Sisca, @chefsisca
Cheffing his way through New England and around the East Coast, Robert Sisca has mastered authentic Provencal-style cuisine. At Bistro Du Midi, a French Bistro just off The Public Garden, Sisca enriches his recipes through tradition and skill.
Tiffani Faison, @tiffanifaison
Featured on Bravo’s Top Chef and as a judge on Food Network’s Chopped, American chef and restaurateur Tiffani Faison has been working in eateries since age 14. Under Big Heart Hospitality Group, Faison’s Boston restaurants are instantly charming and include Sweet Cheeks Q, Fool’s Errand and Tenderoni’s, Dive Bar and Bubble Bath.
Tracy Chang @tracypagu
Tracy Chang, semi-finalist for James Beard Best Chef: Northeast, began her culinary journey at her grandmother’s Japanese restaurant, where she witnessed her grandmother’s dedication to owning multiple restaurants. Now, Pang feeds the community and carries her grandmother’s legacy at her Japanese-Spanish restaurant, PAGU.
Valentine Howell Jr., @_valentino_86
Often recognized for his mantra to stay hungry, humble, focused and prepared, chef Valentine Howell Jr. is currently a contestant on season 21 of Top Chef. Howell Jr. brings a variety of expertise, including Greek and Caribbean-Latin cuisine, which is featured at his pop-up, Black Cat Tacos.
Yisha Siu, @chefyishasiu
Voted by the Boston Globe in 2022 for an award, Expanding Boston’s Culinary Horizons, there is no better place for authentic Dian dishes than at chef Yisha Siu’s Yunnan Kitchen. The Chinese restaurant serves dishes like sweet and sour fish filet, pea jelly salad and their specialty Yunnan-style dishes.
Photography by: photopalace/iStock
