The 30th Annual James Beard Award Semifinalists have been announced, and the South is again well represented in various categories:
Best New Restaurant:
- Automatic Seafood & Oysters, Birmingham, AL
- The Blind Goat, Houston
- Cultura, Asheville, NC
- Gianna, New Orleans
- iNDO, St. Louis
- Lazy Betty, Atlanta
- Oak Hill Café & Farm, Greenville, SC
- Salaryman, Dallas
- Squable, Houston
Outstanding Baker
- Evrim Dogu and Evin Dogu, Sub Rosa Bakery, Richmond, VA
- Graison Gill, Bellegarde Bakery, New Orleans
- Clyde Greenhouse, Kessler Baking Studio, Dallas
- David Norman, Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden, Austin
- Nathaniel Reid, Nathaniel Reid Bakery, Kirkwood, MO
- Chris Wilkins, Root Baking Co., Atlanta
Outstanding Bar Program
- Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
- The Atomic Lounge, Birmingham, AL
- Kimball House, Decatur, GA
- Las Almas Rotas, Dallas
Outstanding Chef
- John Fleer, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC
- Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
- Justin Yu, Theodore Rex, Houston
Outstanding Hospitality
- Angus Barn Steakhouse, Raleigh, NC
- Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
- Chez Fonfon, Birmingham, AL
- Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop, Charleston, SC
Outstanding Pastry Chef
- Antonio Bachour, Bachour, Coral Gables, FL
- Sylvia Gould, Kool Beanz Cafe, Tallahassee, FL
- Maggie Huff, Homewood, Dallas
- Claudia Martinez, Tiny Lou’s, Atlanta
- Ricardo “Ricchi” Sanchez, Bullion, Dallas
- Krystle Swenson, Crawford and Son, Raleigh, NC
- Katherine Thompson, Thompson Italian, Falls Church, VA
Outstanding Restaurant
- FIG, Charleston, SC
- Mai Lee, Brentwood, MO
Outstanding Restrauteur
- JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline Restaurant, New Orleans
- Benjamin Goldberg and Max Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality, Nashville (The Catbird Seat, The Patterson House, Henrietta Red, and others)
- Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman, McGuire Moorman Hospitality, Austin (Jeffrey’s, Perla’s, Pool Burger, and others)
- Ouita Michel, Ouita Michel Family of Restaurants, Lexington, KY (Holly Hill Inn, The Midway Bakery and Cafe, Honeywood, and others)
- Steve Palmer, The Indigo Road, Charleston, SC (Indaco, The Macintosh, O-Ku Sushi, and others)
- Tracy Vaught, H Town Restaurant Group, Houston (Hugo’s, Xochi, Caracol, and others)
Outstanding Wine Program
- Bacchanal, New Orleans
- Lucky Palace, Bossier City, LA
- Miller Union, Atlanta
- Rosie Cannonball, Houston
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
- Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall, High Wire Distilling Co., Charleston, SC
- Austin Evans and Richard Patrick Jr., Cathead Distillery, Jackson, MS
- Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY
- Kim McPherson, McPherson Cellars, Lubbock, TX
- Jeffrey Stuffings and Michael Stuffings, Jester King Brewery, Austin
- Rutger de Vink, RdV Vineyards, Delaplane, VA
Rising Star Chef Of The Year
- Will Aghajanian and Liz Johnson, The Catbird Seat, Nashville
- Ana Castro, Thalia, New Orleans
- Valerie Chang, ITAMAE, Miami
- Bria Downey, Clay Pigeon Food & Drink, Fort Worth, TX
- Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL
- Ashleigh Shanti, Benne on Eagle, Asheville, NC
- Kaitlin Steets, Theodore Rex, Houston
- Maricela Vega, 8ARM, Atlanta
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
- Sunny Baweja, Lehja, Richmond, VA
- Peter and Lisa Chang, Mama Chang, Fairfax, VA
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
- Blake Aguillard and William “Trey” Smith, Saint-Germain, New Orleans
- Lindsay Autry, The Regional Kitchen & Public House, West Palm Beach, FL
- Timon Balloo, Balloo Restaurant, Miami
- Michael Beltran, Ariete, Coconut Grove, FL
- Bill Briand, Fisher’s Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina, Orange Beach, AL
- Derek Emerson, CAET, Ridgeland, MS
- Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
- Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer, Boia De, Miami
- Hao Gong, LUVI Restaurant, New Orleans
- Michael Gulotta, Maypop, New Orleans
- Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf, New Orleans
- Timothy Hontzas, Johnny’s Restaurant, Homewood, AL
- Duane Nutter, Southern National, Mobile, AL
- Niven Patel, Ghee, Miami
- Rafael Rios, Yeyo’s Mexican Grill, Bentonville, AR
- Austin Sumrall, White Pillars, Biloxi, MS
- Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
- Gregory Collier, Uptown Yolk, Charlotte, NC
- Adam Cooke, Topsoil Kitchen & Market, Travelers Rest, SC
- Cassidee Dabney, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
- Steven Devereaux Greene, Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary, NC
- Bryan Furman, B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue, Atlanta
- Josh Habiger, Bastion, Nashville
- Meherwan Irani, Chai Pani, Asheville, NC
- Kevin Johnson, The Grocery, Charleston, SC
- Philip Krajeck, FOLK, Nashville
- Joe Kindred, Kindred, Davidson, NC
- Cheetie Kumar, Garland, Raleigh, NC
- Jiyeon Lee and Cody Taylor, Heirloom Market BBQ, Atlanta
- Leonard Lewis, Bones, Atlanta
- Ricky Moore, Saltbox Seafood Joint, Durham, NC
- Annie Pettry, Decca, Louisville, KY
- Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis, TN
- Julia Sullivan, Henrietta Red, Nashville
- Viviek Surti, Tailor, Nashville
- Shamil Velazquez, Delaney Oyster House, Charleston, SC
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Lisa Becklund, Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy, Depew, OK
- Jeff Chanchaleune, Gun Izakaya, Oklahoma City
- Kevin Snell, Amelia’s, Tulsa, OK
Best Chef: Texas
- Dawn Burrell, Kulture, Houston
- Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye, Austin
- Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie, Austin
- Alexandra Gates, Cochineal, Marfa, TX
- Manabu Horiuchi, Kata Robata, Houston
- Anita Jaisinghani, Pondicheri, Houston
- Molly McCook, Ellerbe Fine Foods, Fort Worth, TX
- Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio
- Aldo Mora, Cafe Central, El Paso, TX
- Trong Nguyen, Crawfish & Noodles, Houston
- Misti Norris, Petra and the Beast, Dallas
- Alex Paredes, Carnitas Lonja, San Antonio
- Esaul Ramos, 2M Smokehouse, San Antonio
- Regino Rojas, Revolver Taco Lounge, Dallas
- Teiichi Sakurai, Tei-An, Dallas
- Donny Sirisavath, Khao Noodle Shop, Dallas
- Norma Frances “Tootsie” Tomanetz, Snow’s BBQ, Lexington, TX
- Jason Vaughan, Nancy’s Hustle, Houston
- Iliana de la Vega, El Naranjo, Austin
- Laurie Williamson, Rancho Loma, Talpa, TX
FINALISTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MARCH 25th
