The culinary awards known as the Oscars of the food world in the US have released the semi-finalists for this year’s edition, with chefs like David Chang, Michael Symon and Andrew Carmellini shortlisted in the category of Outstanding Chef.
For this year’s edition of the James Beard Foundation Awards, semi-finalists were whittled down from 44,000 submissions across categories such as Outstanding Chef, Restaurant, Bar Program, Pastry Chef, Restaurateur, Service, Best New Restaurant and Rising Star Chef of the Year.
Among the most coveted awards of the night are winners of the Outstanding Chef category, which this year includes David Chang of Momofuku; repeat nominee Gary Danko of Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco; Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde in New York; Nancy Silverton of Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles; and popular food TV personality Michael Symon of Lola in Cleveland.
In the category of Outstanding Restaurant, nominees include New York City chef Dan Hill’s Blue Hill, José Andrés’ Washington DC restaurant Jaleo, and French restaurant Patina in Los Angeles.
Here are the semi-finalists:
Outstanding Restaurant nominees:
August, New Orleans
Blue Hill, NYC
Canlis, Seattle
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Foreign Cinema, San Francisco
Greens Restaurant, San Francisco
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Jaleo, Washington, DC
Jewel Bako, NYC
Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC
Lucia’s Restaurant, Minneapolis
Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA
Naha, Chicago
Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Patina, Los Angeles
The Slanted Door, San Francisco
Spiaggia, Chicago
Terra, St. Helena, CA
Vidalia, Washington, DC
Vincent on Camelback, Phoenix
Outstanding Chef nominees:
Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC
Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde, NYC
David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin and Houston
Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
Suzanne Goin, Lucques, West Hollywood, CA
Maria Hines, Tilth, Seattle
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Barbara Lynch, No. 9 Park, Boston
Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place, Portland, OR
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Restaurant, Dallas
Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Julian Serrano, Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas
Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
Michael Symon, Lola, Cleveland
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco
Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia
Winners will be announced May 6 in New York.