Maui chef Sheldon Simeon of Star Noodle in Lahaina, is in the running as a candidate for “The People’s Best New Chef,” a contest by Food & Wine magazine.

The contest in which the public is invited to vote, seeks to honor up-and-coming culinary innovators who have run their own kitchens for five or fewer years. Nominees are separated into regional categories and Simeon is in the Northwest and Pacific Chefs division.

The winner will be featured in the July issue of the magazine.

Simeon, who made it to the final three contestants on the most recent season of “Top Chef” on the Bravo cable network, credits the original Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs, particularly Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi, for being his main influences. He is known as @chefwonder on the Twitter social media network.

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