2025 Food & Wine Best New Chef

A Food & Wine Magazine 2025 Best New Chef and three-time James Beard nominee, Vinnie Cimino has built his reputation on Midwest values, exceptional ingredients, and genuine hospitality. Growing up in Ohio, cooking was a family affair — time with his grandpa meant comfort foods and oysters on the half shell, cultivating a deep appreciation for the land and the farmers who steward it. He has been recognized as Plate Magazine’s “Chef to Watch,” Certified Angus Beef’s “Chef of the Year,” and in 2023, Cordelia was voted “Best New Restaurant” by Cleveland Magazine and named one of the “Top 22 New Restaurants in the U.S.” by Tasting Table.

At Cordelia and his newest restaurant ROSY, Cimino embodies the warmth of “Midwest Nice” — a philosophy where team and guests come first, and every plate celebrates farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients. ROSY expands his promise to Cleveland with an open-fire neighborhood restaurant rooted in Ancestral European cuisine, drawing inspiration from the Istrian Peninsula of the Adriatic Sea. With no rules and limited reservations, it’s designed to be part of your night — come with friends, come to make new ones. Most ingredients are sourced within 200 miles of the kitchen, complemented by Ancestral European wines and classic cocktails crafted by the Cordelia bar team.

Beyond the kitchen, Cimino is deeply committed to his community. As host of Five Star Sensation, he helps curate a roster of 50 chefs and vintners from around the world to raise funds for UH Seidman Cancer Center’s biennial benefit. He is also the cofounder of Cleveland Family Meal, a nonprofit supporting industry and hospitality families in times of need, and sits on the board for Food Conscious and the SOW Project.