Austin has its fair share of celebrity chefs, and their ranks are always growing. And as much as we love poaching a well-liked chef from New York (at least, some of us do), there's something just chef's kiss about seeing our own local chefs rise through the ranks and open their own restaurants.

CultureMap's annual Tastemaker Awards feature a Rising Star Chef of the Year category, designed to pull some of Austin's most promising chefs out from the back of the house to the front of foodies' attention. Many of these chefs haven't won well-publicized awards, been featured in articles, or really had much of an online presence online before, so our judges — mostly the previous year's winners with a deep personal knowledge of the industry — are extra important here.

With the entire industry to choose from, the judges selected these six sous chefs, appointed executive chefs, and freshman small restaurant owners to represent the best chefs doing big things with fewer eyes on them. The winner of this category is someone our industry professionals want to see at the helm of their own culinary empire soon.

In order to dig deeper for these chefs' bios, CultureMap sent around a few questions about where these rising star chefs are from, what experience they've had, and what sets them apart in their industry. Please welcome — some for the first time — this class of Rising Star nominees. Then, come find out who wins on May 11 at Fair Market for our annual Tastemaker Awards tasting event and awards ceremony. Tickets are on sale now.

Harvard Aninye, Canje
This first-generation Nigerian-American chef is used to looking at things from several angles, saying his upbringing in San Antonio taught him to "continue to challenge and question life in general." Since his time in this cultural hot pot, Harvard Aninye landed at downtown Austin sushi restaurant TenTen as Chef de Cuisine, and then took the same position at Caribbean darling Canje, known for its vibrant takes on homey foods.

Javier Nuñez, Odd Duck
Loyalty is treasured but not always rewarded, especially in the fast-moving food industry. Javier Nuñez, however, has actually risen through the ranks as he's stuck with Odd Duck for the past decade — from a "server assistant" in 2014 to one of the most-admired sous chefs in Austin in 2023. The South Lamar staple has been similarly reliable, always a favorite among visitors and locals alike for the fresh ingredients and creative plates.

Joaquin Ceballos, Este
Joaquin Ceballos has always been international, and it's his "love for multicultural environments" that he says sets him apart. Born in Laredo, Texas, and raised across the border in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, he now represents the latter country at Este, the upscale seafood restaurant in East Austin. If he'd never left, however, he'd never had a chance to return to those roots, so thank Parisian bistro Racines NY for holding on to him in between.

Kareem El-Ghayesh, KG BBQ
In a barely alternate universe, Austin might have missed out on this chef's unique Middle Eastern art via his food truck, KG BBQ. From Cairo, Egypt, Kareem El-Ghayesh was in the corporate finance and banking world. After a visit to Austin he was hooked, he told the Austin Chronicle, and even learned his new trade through iconic Austin pit master Aaron Franklin. His contribution to Texas barbecue, he says, comes from "lighter and more balanced ingredients."

Kyle Mulligan
After a long personal history in Texas, including a culinary arts degree and several positions at Austin institutions as sous chef, Kyle Mulligan has finally moved on to more Northern things — but not without leaving his mark on the food scene. Most recently, and notably, it was as executive chef at 1417 French Bistro, where Mulligan created an example of something Austin doesn't see much thanks to its nontraditional bent: excellent, simple, and traditional French food.

Peter Klein, L'Oca D'Oro
The food world loves an unexpected twist, but sometimes we just need an East Coaster to make great Italian food. This New Jersey-raised chef honed his skills in New York City, finally arriving in Austin eight years ago. Fittingly, Peter Klein says his main inspiration is "leaning into simplicity." For this award, judges recognized his work as executive sous chef with L'Oca d'Oro, and he has now moved on to become executive chef at Holiday.