The lengthy list of semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards is out, and there's plenty for the Bay Area to root for in nearly every category of these so-called food world Oscars. The next step in the process is for an independent volunteer panel of more than 600 judges to pore over the list and pare it down, with a short list out March 15, and the big awards, in Chicago, to take place on May 1.
Do keep those fingers crossed, because San Franciscans were completely, ever-so-rudely snubbed last year — but not to be left out of the heaping praise for La Taqueria, the James Beard folks did go ahead with an honorary award for that establishment last month, so perhaps they're back to their senses?
A few observations about the long list before it's shortened: Eater points out that Sara Hauman and Melissa Chou have each been nominated for the second time this year, for Rising Chef and Pastry Chef of the year, which is new in that they're both now at Mister Jiu's. Meanwhile, Inside Scoop observes that three of the Best New Restaurant nominees are locals — In Situ, Tartine Manufactory, and Single Thread. Nopa is also nominated for Outstanding Restaurant, now that it's a decade old, and Daniel Patterson, David Kinch, and Christopher Kostow are up for Outstanding Chef. At the bottom is the Best Chefs West list, dedicated to the region, and perhaps a bit filled out with inclusions like the rather humble if well-respected El Molino Central in Sonoma.
Best New Restaurant
Bastion, Nashville
Drifters Wife, Portland, ME
Esker Grove at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
The Federal, Atlanta
Flora Street Cafe, Dallas
Gwen, Los Angeles
Han Oak, Portland, OR
In Situ, San Francisco
Katoi, Detroit
KYU, Miami
Le Coucou, NYC
No Anchor, Seattle
Olmsted, Brooklyn, NY
Oriole, Chicago
Pineapple and Pearls, Washington, D.C.
Roister, Chicago
Saint Leo, Oxford, MS
Saté Kampar, Philadelphia
Senia, Honolulu
Shibumi, Los Angeles
SingleThread, Healdsburg, CA
Smyth, Chicago
SRV, Boston
Sweet Home Café at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.
Tartine Manufactory, San Francisco
Turkey and the Wolf, New Orleans
Upper Bar Ferdinand, Seattle
Outstanding Baker
Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery, Seattle
Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels, NYC
Elizabeth Degener, Enfin Farms, Cape May, NJ
Evrim Dogu, Sub Rosa Bakery, Richmond, VA
Tova du Plessis, Essen Bakery, Philadelphia
Ken Forkish, Ken’s Artisan Bakery, Portland, OR
Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C.
Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis
Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY
Phoebe Lawless, Scratch, Durham, NC
Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit
Sarah O’Brien, Little Tart, Atlanta
Taylor Petrehn, 1900 Barker, Lawrence, KS
Alex Phaneuf and Or Amsalam, Lodge Bread Co., Los Angeles
Alison Pray, Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME
Zak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami
Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC
Greg Wade, Publican Quality Bread, Chicago
Carlyle Watt, Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
Outstanding Bar Program
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans
The Baldwin Bar, Woburn, MA
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Bar Goto, NYC
Canon, Seattle
Chesapeake & Maine, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Clyde Common, Portland, OR
Columbia Room, Washington, D.C.
Cure, New Orleans
The Dead Rabbit, NYC
The Esquire Tavern, San Antonio
Kimball House, Decatur, GA
Lost Lake, Chicago
Manifesto, Kansas City, MO
Martha, Philadelphia
Marvel Bar, Minneapolis
The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, Portland, ME
Standby, Detroit
The Varnish, Los Angeles
Outstanding Chef
Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde, NYC
Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Diner, Raleigh, NC
Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle
Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA
Mark Ladner, Del Posto, NYC
Mike Lata, FIG, Charleston, SC
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago
Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago
Daniel Patterson, LocoL, Los Angeles
Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC
Alex Roberts, Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola, Washington, D.C.
Blaine Wetzel, Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Lummi Island, WA
Eric Ziebold, Kinship, Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Marc Aumont, Gabriel Kreuther, NYC
Melissa Chou, Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco
Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans
Aya Fukai, Maple & Ash, Chicago
Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
Megan Garrelts, Rye, Leawood, KS
Maggie Huff, FT33, Dallas
Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Ilma Lopez, Piccolo, Portland, ME
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Nick Muncy, Coi, San Francisco
Kristen Murray, Måurice, Portland, OR
Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC
Pat O’Malley, Hungry Pigeon, Philadelphia
Casey Renee, Whitfield, Pittsburgh
Laura Sawicki, Launderette, Austin
Shannon Swindle, Craft, Los Angeles
Cynthia Wong, Butcher & Bee, Charleston, SC
Diane Yang, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
Outstanding Restaurant
Bluestem, Kansas City, MO
Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA
Chase’s Daily, Belfast, ME
Five & Ten, Athens, GA
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Frankies 457 Spuntino, Brooklyn, NY
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Jaleo, Washington, D.C.
La Casita Mexicana, Bell, CA
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas
L’Etoile, Madison, WI
Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
Nopa, San Francisco
Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Quince, San Francisco
Rasika, Washington, D.C.
Sagami, Collingswood, NJ
The Spotted Pig, NYC
Topolobampo, Chicago
Outstanding Restaurateur
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C. (The Bombay Club, Rasika, The Oval Room, and others)
Paul and Joe Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants, Milwaukee (Ristorante Bartolotta, Harbor House, Lake Park Bistro, and others)
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
Gabriela Cámara, Cala, San Francisco
JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans
Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix (The Arrogant Butcher, Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy, and
others)
Ford Fry, Atlanta (The Optimist, St. Cecilia, State of Grace, and others)
Richard Gonzmart, Columbia Restaurant Group, Tampa, FL (The Columbia, Ulele, Goody Goody)
Garrett Harker, Boston (Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Row 34, and others)
Eddie Hernandez and Mike Klank, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta
Martha Hoover, Patachou Inc., Indianapolis (Café Patachou, Petite Chou Bistro, Napolese Artisanal Pizzeria, and others)
David Howard, Neighborhood Dining Group, Charleston, SC (Husk, McCrady’s, Minero, and others)
Ken Oringer, Boston (Uni, Toro, Coppa, and others)
Monique Siu, Portland, OR (Castagna and Café Castagna)
Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others)
Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle (Staple & Fancy, Tavolàta, Anchovies & Olives, and others)
Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group, Los Angeles (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others)
Andrew Tarlow, Brooklyn, NY (Diner, Marlow & Sons, Reynard, and others)
Tracy Vaught, H Town Restaurant Group, Houston (Hugo’s, Caracol, Backstreet Cafe, and others)
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson)
Outstanding Service
Aria, Atlanta
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY
Boka, Chicago
Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Boston
Fiola, Washington, D.C.
Galatoire’s Restaurant, New Orleans
Hugo’s, Houston
Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier, Washington, D.C.
Marché Moderne, Costa Mesa, CA
Marea, NYC
Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA
North Pond, Chicago
The Painted Lady Restaurant, Newberg, OR
Providence, Los Angeles
Saison, San Francisco
Spago, Beverly Hills, CA
Terra, St. Helena, CA
Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore
Zahav, Philadelphia
Outstanding Wine Program
Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits, New Orleans
Benu, San Francisco
Canlis, Seattle
Charleston, Baltimore
Corkbuzz, NYC
Emeril’s New Orleans
Empire State South, Atlanta
FIG, Charleston, SC
FnB, Scottsdale, AZ
Jory at the Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg, OR
Komi, Washington, D.C.
Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas
Miller Union, Atlanta
O Ya, Boston
Press, St. Helena, CA
Rouge Tomate, NYC
Sepia, Chicago
Studio at Montage, Laguna Beach, CA
Vino, Honolulu
Wild Ginger, Seattle
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional
Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall, High Wire Distilling Company, Charleston, SC
Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Wayne Carpenter, Skagit Valley Malting, Burlington, WA
Vinnie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA
Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, VA
Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, CA
Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, NY
Charles Joly, Crafthouse Cocktails, Chicago
Manfred Krankl, Sine Qua Non, Oak View, CA
Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY
Jim Law, Linden Vineyards, Linden, VA
Ted Lemon, Littorai Wines, Sebastopol, CA
Greg Lorenz, SakéOne, Forest Grove, OR
Steve Matthiasson, Matthiasson Wines, Napa, CA
Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, OR
Herman C. Mihalich and John S. Cooper, Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey, Bristol, PA
Aldo Sohm, Zalto Glass, NYC
Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME
Chris Weld, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Sheffield, MA
Lance Winters, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Gabe Barker, Pizzeria Mercato, Carrboro, NC
Jay Blackinton, Hogstone’s Wood Oven, Orcas Island, WA
Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia
Zachary Engel, Shaya, New Orleans
Sara Hauman, Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco
Becca Hegarty, The Café Carnegie, Pittsburgh
Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya, Philadelphia
Bradley Kilgore, Alter, Miami
Elise Kornack, Take Root, Brooklyn, NY
Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston
Maya Lovelace, Mae, Portland, OR
Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room, Omaha, NE
David Park, Hanbun, Westmont, IL
Juan Pedrosa, Yvonne’s, Boston
Maximillian Petty, Eden Hill, Seattle
Matt Rudofker, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, NYC
Colin Shane, Arroyo Vino, Santa Fe
Ashley Shelton, Pastaria, Clayton, MO
Brian So, Spring, Marietta, GA
Cara Stadler, Tao Yuan, Brunswick, ME
Miles Thompson, Michael’s, Santa Monica, CA
Kevin Tien, Himitsu, Washington, D.C.
Jenner Tomaska, Next, Chicago
Shuai Wang, Short Grain, Charleston, S.C.
Martha Wiggins, Sylvain, New Orleans
Brady Williams, Canlis, Seattle
William Wright, Helen Greek Food and Wine, Houston
Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)
Wes Avila, Guerrilla Tacos, Los Angeles
Josef Centeno, Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica, CA
Christian Geideman, Ippuku, Berkeley, CA
Ravi Kapur, Liholiho Yacht Club, San Francisco
Mourad Lahlou, Mourad, San Francisco
Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
Ludo Lefebvre, Trois Mec, Los Angeles
Travis Lett, Gjelina, Venice, CA
Anthony Mangieri, Una Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco
Preeti Mistry, Juhu Beach Club, Oakland, CA
Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles
Bryant Ng, Cassia, Santa Monica, CA
Carlos Salgado, Taco María, Costa Mesa, CA
Joshua Skenes, Saison, San Francisco
James Syhabout, Hawker Fare, San Francisco
Karen Taylor, El Molino Central, Sonoma, CA
Kris Yenbamroong, Night Market + Song, Los Angeles
