Tahnee Francis , a Best Chef Southwest nominee in 2025 for her Naija Wife Kitchen, learned to cook her husband’s native Nigerian food after the couple got together. With encouragement from friends and family, she upscaled to a full- blown, counter service Nigerian restaurant, serving traditional dishes like suya, egusi, fufu and banga soup. Francis is currently located right downtown, making her spot very convenient for business and leisure travelers staying in the urban core.
Jeff Chanchaleune is a three-time nominee and two- time finalist for Best Chef Southwest. Chanchaleune received nominations for his work at Ma Der Lao Kitchen. His family immigrated after the Vietnam War, and Chanchaleune has spent a large part of his career learning to make his native cuisine, while he was running Japanese restaurants. Ma Der is an anchor in the Plaza District, and shortly after landing on the Bon Appetit “50 Best New Restaurants” and “The List” from The New York Times, the James Beard judges came calling. Chanchaleune subsequently opened Bar Sen, a noodle house and cocktail bar adjacent to Ma Der, both serving traditional Lao cuisine with a modern twist or two.
Zach Hutton owned Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails in the historic Paseo Arts District when he received his Best Chef Southwest nomination. The restaurant featured Oklahoma-centric, rustic cuisine, and a supplier list that was 95 percent Oklahoma farms, ranches and other food producers. Hutton’s specialty is adding chef’s insights and techniques to classic Oklahoma country cuisine. He’s now working out of The Ice House in Edmond, and he’s still focused on elevating Oklahoma cuisine.
Zack Walters returned to his native Oklahoma during the COVID lockdown and promptly opened Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood, an oyster bar similar in many ways to the local spots that dot the West Coast from Washington to California. Featuring fresh fish, raw and roasted oysters, some Bolivian influence via his wife and co- owner, and a small bar program, Walters garnered a James Beard finalist nod for Best Chef Southwest in 2025.
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