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Update: Nominations are now closed.
To find these up-and-comers, we're opening Young Guns nominations up to the public. Know an amazing young sommelier, a genius baker in the making, or a burgeoning chef? We want to hear about them. Then we'll put our heads together with the legends of the industry who serve on the Young Guns selection committee. The winners will be contacted in May, and the 2016 class will be announced and toasted at a gala event this June.
But first: nominations. Nominees must be under 30 years of age — or have worked in their field for less than five years — as of April 30, 2016, and must be currently employed in the hospitality industry in the United States or Canada. They're not yet household names, but they show extraordinary promise. They're working with their heads down and haven't received recognition they deserve.
Do you know someone who deserves to be honored as an Eater Young Gun? Fill out the nomination form below, open through Tuesday, March 29. If you have additional supporting materials (anything from Instagram photos of brilliant pop-up menus or pastry glamor shots to local newspaper articles), please do include.