Montclair Eatery Among Finalists For ‘Best New Restaurant'

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A Montclair eatery is among the finalists for the 2018 Garden State Culinary Arts Awards (GSCAA).

According to the GSCAA, Marcel Bakery & Kitchen in Montclair is a finalist for “Best New Restaurant." The eatery is owned by Meny Vaknin, who also serves as chef.

Here’s how the GSCAA describes the category:

“A restaurant opened in the previous calendar year (2017) in New Jersey that displays excellence in food and service, already has established a distinctive voice and promises to set high standards for years to come."

Following a second round of voting, the winners will be selected and announced at a gala ceremony on Sunday, April 29.

The GSCAA identifies itself as an independent, juried culinary awards program, and the only one of its kind in New Jersey to honor achievement and excellence in a variety of culinary arts enterprises in the Garden State.

“During the past year, the nine-member GSCA Awards Committee and a statewide body of some 150 judges mined New Jersey for candidates for consideration for the awards,” the organization stated. “After winnowing down the names in each category to 10 nominees, the committee and judges voted in a first round of independently tabulated balloting.”

See the full list of nominees here.

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