Awards

Here Are 2016’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Finalists

Judgment day is May 2.
Judgment day is May 2. Photo: James Beard Awards

It’s that time of year: The James Beard Foundation has announced its top picks for restaurants and chefs around America, whittling down from its list of semifinalists. Congrats to Angela Dimayuga, Jody Williams, Jeremy Fox, Michael Solomonov, and all the others who scored nominations. (The nominations for the Foundation’s book, broadcast, and journalism awards were also announced today.) Winners of the chef and restaurant awards will be announced at the annual ceremony on May 2 in Chicago. Here’s the full lineup:

Best New Restaurant
Death & Taxes, Raleigh, N.C.
Launderette, Austin
Liholiho Yacht Club, San Francisco
Shaya, New Orleans
Staplehouse, Atlanta
Wildair, NYC

Outstanding Baker
Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston
Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C.
Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
William Werner, Craftsman and Wolves, San Francisco

Outstanding Bar Program
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Clyde Common, Portland, O.R.
Cure, New Orleans
Maison Premiere, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Outstanding Chef
Sean Brock, Husk, Nashville
Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco

Outstanding Pastry Chef
Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC
Jennifer Yee, Lafayette, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant
Alinea, Chicago
Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, C.O.
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, A.L.
Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
The Spotted Pig, NYC

Outstanding Restaurateur
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, Swift & Sons, and others)
Ken Friedman, NYC (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, Tosca Café)
Michael Mina, Mina Restaurants, San Francisco (Michael Mina, Bourbon Steak, RN74, and others)
Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa, C.A. (Mustards Grill, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, Cindy’s Waterfront at the Monterey Bay Aquarium)
Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Serpico, the Dandelion, Talula’s Garden, and others)

Outstanding Service
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, N.Y.
Eleven Madison Park, NYC
North Pond, Chicago
Quince, San Francisco
Topolobampo, Chicago

Outstanding Wine Program
Bern’s Steakhouse, Tampa, F.L.
Canlis, Seattle
Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
FIG, Charleston, S.C.
Sepia, Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional
Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, D.E.
Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, N.M.
Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, C.A.
Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, M.E.
Harlen Wheatley Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, K.Y.

Rising Star Chef of the Year
Alex Bois, High Street on Market, Philadelphia
Angela Dimayuga, Mission Chinese Food, NYC
Grae Nonas, Olamaie, Austin
Matt Rudofker, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, NYC
Daniela Soto-Innes, Cosme, NYC
Jenner Tomaska, Next, Chicago

Best Chef: Great Lakes (I.L., I.N., M.I., O.H.)
Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago
Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago
Lee Wolen, Boka, Chicago
Erling Wu-Bower, Nico Osteria, Chicago
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia, Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., D.E., M.D., N.J., P.A., V.A.)
Peter Chang, Peter Chang, Arlington, V.A.
Eli Kulp, Fork, Philadelphia
Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia
Aaron Silverman, Rose’s Luxury, Washington, D.C.
Greg Vernick, Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia
Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

Best Chef: Midwest (I.A., K.S., M.N., M.O., N.E., N.D., S.D., W.I.)
Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis
Justin Carlisle, Ardent, Milwaukee
Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Café, St. Louis
Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, M.N.
Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Marco Canora, Hearth
Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, Carbone
Anita Lo, Annisa
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
Jody Williams, Buvette

Best Chef: Northeast (C.T., M.A., M.E., M.H., N.Y. STATE, R.I., V.T.)
Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston
Brian Hill, Francine, Camden, M.E.
Zak Pelaccio, Fish & Game, Hudson, N.Y.
Susan Regis, Shepard, Cambridge, M.A.
Mike Wiley and Andrew Taylor Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, M.E.

Best Chef: Northwest (A.K., I.D., M.T., O.R., W.A., W.Y.)
Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, Ox, Portland, O.R.
Mike Easton, Il Corvo Pasta, Seattle
Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle
Justin Woodward, Castagna, Portland, O.R.
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle

Best Chef: South (A.L., A.R., F.L., L.A., M.S., P.R.)
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, M.S.
Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, P.R.
Slade Rushing, Brennan’s, New Orleans
Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast (G.A., K.Y., N.C., S.C., T.N., W.V.)
Kevin Gillespie, Gunshow, Atlanta
Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, K.Y.
Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis
Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville

Best Chef: Southwest (A.Z., C.O., N.M., O.K., T.X., U.T.)
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin
Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio
Hugo Ortega, Caracol, Houston
Alex Seidel, Fruition, Denver
Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston

Best Chef: West (C.A., H.I., N.V.)
Matthew Accarrino, SPQR, San Francisco
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, C.A.
Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles

2016’s James Beard Chef and Restaurant Finalists