This morning, the James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its annual chef, restaurant, and media awards. (These are the first awards since the Foundation declared it would make changes to its policies in order to increase diversity and representation.) Nominees from New York include Atomix and Frenchette for Best New Restaurant, Alex Raij and Eder Montero for Outstanding Restaurateur, and Daniela Soto-Innes for Best Chef: New York City. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Chicago on May 6; for now, check out the full list of finalists.
2019 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards
Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in 2018 that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine and hospitality, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
Angler
San Francisco
Atomix
NYC
Bavel
Los Angeles
Frenchette
NYC
Majordomo
Los Angeles
Outstanding Baker
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a retail bakery. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
Zachary Golper
Bien Cuit
NYC
Maura Kilpatrick
Sofra Bakery and Café
Cambridge, MA
Lisa Ludwinski
Sister Pie
Detroit
Avery Ruzicka
Manresa Bread
Los Gatos, CA
Greg Wade
Publican Quality Bread
Chicago
Outstanding Bar Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the selection, preparation, and serving of cocktails, spirits, and/or beer.
Bar Agricole
San Francisco
Dead Rabbit
NYC
Kimball House
Decatur, GA
Lost Lake
Chicago
Ticonderoga Club
Atlanta
Outstanding Chef
A chef who sets high culinary standards and who has served as a positive example for other food professionals. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.
Ashley Christensen
Poole’s Diner
Raleigh, NC
David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA
Corey Lee
Benu
San Francisco
Donald Link
Herbsaint
New Orleans
Marc Vetri
Vetri Cucina
Philadelphia
Outstanding Pastry Chef
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a restaurant. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
Juan Contreras
Atelier Crenn
San Francisco
Kelly Fields
Willa Jean
New Orleans
Meg Galus
Boka
Chicago
Margarita Manzke
République
Los Angeles
Pichet Ong
Brothers and Sisters
Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Restaurant
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, service, and operations. Must have been in business 10 or more consecutive years.
Balthazar
NYC
FIG
Charleston, SC
Jaleo
Washington, D.C.
Quince
San Francisco
Zahav
Philadelphia
Outstanding Restaurateur
A restaurateur who demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.
Hugh Acheson
Empire State South, Five & Ten, The National, and others
Atlanta
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz
Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
Chicago
JoAnn Clevenger
Upperline
New Orleans
Ken Oringer
Little Donkey, Toro, Uni, and others
Boston
Alex Raij and Eder Montero
La Vara, Txikito, Saint Julivert Fisherie, and others
NYC
Ellen Yin
High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson)
Philadelphia
Outstanding Service
A restaurant in operation for five or more years that demonstrates consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service.
Brigtsen’s
New Orleans
Canlis
Seattle
Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder, CO
Saison
San Francisco
Swan Oyster Depot
San Francisco
Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Ann Arbor, MI
Outstanding Wine Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in wine service through a carefully considered wine list and a well-informed approach to helping customers choose and drink wine.
Bacchanal
New Orleans
Benu
San Francisco
Miller Union
Atlanta
Night + Market
Los Angeles
Spiaggia
Chicago
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
A beer, wine, or spirits producer who demonstrates consistency and exceptional skill in his or her craft.
Cathy Corison
Corison Winery
St. Helena, CA
Ann Marshall and Scott Blackwell
High Wire Distilling Co.
Charleston, SC
Steve Matthiasson
Matthiasson Wines
Napa, CA
Rob Tod
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland, ME
Lance Winters
St. George Spirits
Alameda, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year
A chef age 30 or younger who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
Ana Castro
Coquette
New Orleans
Alisha Elenz
MFK
Chicago
Alexander Hong
Sorrel
San Francisco
Jesse Ito
Royal Izakaya
Philadelphia
Kwame Onwuachi
Kith and Kin
Washington, D.C.
Jonathan Yao
Kato
Los Angeles
Best Chefs in America
Chefs who set high culinary standards and also demonstrate integrity and admirable leadership skills in their respective regions. A nominee may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Diana Dávila
Mi Tocaya Antojería
Chicago
Jason Hammel
Lula Café
Chicago
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute
Chicago
David Posey and Anna Posey
Elske
Chicago
Noah Sandoval
Oriole
Chicago
Lee Wolen
Boka
Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Amy Brandwein
Centrolina
Washington, D.C.
Tom Cunanan
Bad Saint
Washington, D.C.
Rich Landau
Vedge
Philadelphia
Cristina Martinez
South Philly Barbacoa
Philadelphia
Cindy Wolf
Charleston
Baltimore
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Michael Corvino
Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room
Kansas City, MO
Michael Gallina
Vicia
St. Louis
Ann Kim
Young Joni
Minneapolis
Jamie Malone
Grand Café
Minneapolis
Christina Nguyen
Hai Hai
Minneapolis
Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Sean Gray
Momofuku Ko
Brooks Headley
Superiority Burger
Daniela Soto-Innes
Atla
Alex Stupak
Empellón Midtown
Jody Williams and Rita Sodi
Via Carota
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT)
Tiffani Faison
Tiger Mama
Boston
James Mark
North
Providence
Tony Messina
Uni
Boston
Cassie Piuma
Sarma
Somerville, MA
Benjamin Sukle
Oberlin
Providence
Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Peter Cho
Han Oak
Portland, OR
Katy Millard
Coquine
Portland, OR
Brady Williams
Canlis
Seattle
Justin Woodward
Castagna
Portland, OR
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi
Joule
Seattle
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
Vishwesh Bhatt
Snackbar
Oxford, MS
Jose Enrique
Jose Enrique
San Juan, PR
Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus
Coquette
New Orleans
Slade Rushing
Brennan’s
New Orleans
Isaac Toups
Toups’ Meatery
New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Mashama Bailey
The Grey
Savannah, GA
Katie Button
Cúrate
Asheville, NC
Cassidee Dabney
The Barn at Blackberry Farm
Walland, TN
Ryan Smith
Staplehouse
Atlanta
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman
Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen
Memphis
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)
Charleen Badman
FnB
Scottsdale, AZ
Kevin Fink
Emmer & Rye
Austin
Michael Fojtasek
Olamaie
Austin
Bryce Gilmore
Barley Swine
Austin
Steve McHugh
Cured
San Antonio
Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)
Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles
Jeremy Fox
Rustic Canyon
Santa Monica, CA
Jessica Koslow
Sqirl
Los Angeles
Travis Lett
Gjelina
Venice, CA
Joshua Skenes
Saison
San Francisco
2019 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics
Pho 79
Garden Grove, CA
Owners: Tong Trần and Liễu Trần
Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House
Huntington, WV
Owners: Jimmie Carder, Larry Tweel and Ron Tweel
A&A Bake & Double Roti Shop
Brooklyn, NY
Owners: Noel and Geeta Brown
Sehnert’s Bakery & Bieroc Café
McCook, NE
Owners: Matt and Shelly Sehnert
Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse
Washington, D.C.
Owner: Paul Katinas
2019 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
The Giving Kitchen
Non-profit that provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources.
2019 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
Patrick O’Connell
Multiple James Beard Award-Winning Chef; Chef & Owner, The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, VA
2019 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards
75 Seats and Under
Firms: Heliotrope Architects and Price Erickson Interior Design
Project: Willmott’s Ghost, Seattle
Firm: Roman & Williams
Project: La Mercerie, NYC
Firm: Studio Writers
Project: Atomix, NYC
76 Seats and Over
Firm: Land and Sea Dept.
Project: Lonesome Rose, Chicago
Firm: studio razavi architecture
Project: Boqueria, NYC
Firm: Parts and Labor Design
Project: Pacific Standard Time, Chicago
Other Eating and Drinking Places
Firm: AvroKO
Project: China Live, San Francisco
Firm: Schwartz and Architecture (S^A)
Project: El Pípila, San Francisco
Firm: Summer Ops
Project: Island Oyster, NYC
Design Icon
Canlis
Seattle
