Maplewood’s chef-currently-without-a-restaurant, Josh Galliano, was honored on Monday as Food & Wine magazine’s, The People’s Best New Chef for the Midwest.

The magazine put the choice to its readers and Galliano won out over chefs from Iowa City, IA; Omaha, NE; Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN and others.

“He brings the Southern Louisiana flavors of his youth to Missouri using local produce,” Food & Wine states.

It called his sautéed catfish wrapped in sweet potato with roasted mushrooms a “must-try dish.”

Another Midwest chef nominated was another Maplewood chef, Home Wine Kitchen’s Cassy Vires.

Despite the acclaim, Galliano is currently without a home-base. Monarch served its last meal on Saturday. He said in a previous Patch article that no plans are set in stone yet.

"Wherever it is, and whatever the concept will be, it will have to be what's right for that community, my family and anyone else who might be involved."