James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalists Announced

ELV note: Congrats to Julian Serrano, PICASSO, Robert Smith, CHINA POBLANO, Saipin Chutima and Mitsuo Endo for their nominations. Continue after the jump for the full list.


Awards Watch: 2011 Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists

Awards Watch: 2011 Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists

It’s that time of year again—our countdown to May and the annual James Beard Foundation Awards has begun. We’re kicking things off with the semifinalists for our Restaurant and Chef Awards. Judges from across the country will take a look at the list below and vote to narrow it down to a final list of nominees. We’ll be live tweeting the nominee announcement on March 21, but in the meantime check to see if your favorite chefs and restaurants have made the longlist.

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

ABC Kitchen, NYC

A-Frame, Los Angeles

Amis, Philadelphia

Bar Agricole, San Francisco

Barbuzzo, Philadelphia

Baru 66, Windsor Heights, IA

Benu, San Francisco

Bootsie’s Heritage Cafe, Tomball, TX

China Poblano at the Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

ChoLon, Denver

Commonwealth, San Francisco

Community Table, Washington, CT

Cook & Brown Public House, Providence

Elise Coastal Dining, Pensacola, FL

Estadio, Washington, D.C.

Girl & the Goat, Chicago

Husk, Charleston, SC

Kushi Izakaya & Sushi, Washington, D.C.

Menton, Boston

Mondo, New Orleans

Nobuo at Teeter House, Phoenix

Piccolo, Minneapolis

Prospect, San Francisco

Recette, NYC

The Refinery, Tampa, FL

Salt of the Earth, Pittsburgh

Shepherd’s Pie, Rockport, ME

Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle

Star Noodle, Lahaina, HI

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, Miami

Torrisi Italian Specialties, NYC

Uchiko, Austin, TX

Waterloo & City, Culver City, CA

OUTSTANDING CHEF

José Andrés, minibar by José Andrés, Washington, D.C.

Ben Barker, Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC

Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco

Robert Del Grande, RDG + Bar Annie, Houston

Jose Garces, Amada, Philadelphia

Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles

Sam Hayward, Fore Street, Portland, ME

Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago

Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME

Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans

Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago

Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco

Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco

Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas

Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA

Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL

Michael Symon, Lola, Cleveland

Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy, Seattle

Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia

Janos Wilder, Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, Tucson, AZ

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF

Beth Biundo, Lilette, New Orleans

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston

Melissa Chou, Aziza, San Francisco

Patrick Fahy, Blackbird, Chicago

Ken Forkish, Ken’s Artisan Bakery, Portland, OR

Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis

Carla Gonçalves, KOO ZEE DOO, Philadelphia

Huw Griffiths, Tabard Inn, Washington, D.C.

Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA

Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, Olivéa, Denver

Shuna Lydon, Peels, NYC

Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA

Lauren Mitterer, WildFlour Pastry, Charleston, SC

Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles

Angela Pinkerton, Eleven Madison Park, NYC

Aaron Russell, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta

Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar, Chicago

Philip Speer, Uchi, Austin, TX

Erin Stafford, Barbuzzo, Philadelphia

Cynthia Wong, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT

Blue Hill, NYC

Boulevard, San Francisco

Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA

Eleven Madison Park, NYC

Fore Street, Portland, ME

Herbsaint, New Orleans

Higgins Restaurant and Bar, Portland, OR

Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL

La Belle Vie, Minneapolis

Lola, Cleveland

Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC

The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas

Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA

Palena, Washington, D.C.

Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas

The Slanted Door, San Francisco

Spiaggia, Chicago

Tru, Chicago

Vetri, Philadelphia

Vincent on Camelback, Phoenix

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR

Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C. (701, Ardeo + Bardeo, Bibiana, The Bombay Club, The Oval Room, and Rasika)

Tom Baron, big Burrito Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh (Casbah, Eleven, Kaya, Mad Mex, Soba, and Umi)

Roger Berkowitz, Legal Sea Foods, Boston (various locations)

Frank Bonanno, Bonanno Concepts, Denver (Bones, Green Russell, Luca D’Italia, Lou’s Food Bar, Mizuna, Osteria Marco, and Wednesday’s Pie)

Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, NYC

Myles Chefetz, Myles Restaurant Group, Miami Beach, FL (Big Pink, Prime Italian, Prime One Twelve, Shoji Sushi, and Nemo)

Michael Cordúa, Cordúa Restaurants, Houston (Amazón Grill, Américas, Artista, and Churrascos)

Larry D’Amico and Richard D’Amico, D’Amico & Partners, Minneapolis (Café & Bar Lurcat, Campiello, D’Amico Kitchen, D’Amico & Sons, Masa, and Parma 8200)

Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle (Dahlia Bakery, Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s, Lola, Palace Kitchen, Seatown Seabar & Rotisserie, and Serious Pie)

Steve Ells, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (various locations)

Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Scottsdale, AZ (The Arrogant Butcher, Blanco, Bloom, Culinary Dropout, The Greene House, Modern Steak, Montana Avenue, NoRTH, Olive & Ivy, Sauce, True Food Kitchen, Wildflower, and Zinburger)

Scott Harris, Chicago (Davanti Enoteca, DiSotto Enoteca, Dough Boys, Fat Rosie’s, Francesca’s, Osteria Ottimo, Purple Pig, and Salatino’s)

Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta

Pat Kuleto, Pat Kuleto Restaurant Development & Management Company, San Francisco (Boulevard, Epic Roasthouse, Farallon, Jardinière, Martini House, Nick’s Cove, and Waterbar)

Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago (Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, Eiffel Tower, Everest, L2O, Mon Ami Gabi, Shaw’s Crab House, Tru, Wow Bao, and others)

Nick Pihakis, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL (various locations)

Richard Sandoval, Richard Sandoval Restaurants, NYC (Isla, Ketsi, La Biblioteca, La Biblioteca de Tequila, La Hacienda at the Fairmont Scottsdale, La Sandía, Maya, Pampano, Sandoval’s Kitchen, Tamayo, Venga Venga, and Zengo)

Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Alma de Cuba, Barclay Prime, Buddakan, Butcher and Singer, The Continental, The Continental Mid-town, The Dandelion, El Rey, El Vez, Granite Hill at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Jones, Makota, Morimoto, Parc, Pizzeria Stella, Pod, and Steak 954)

Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, NYC (ABC Kitchen, Chambers Kitchen, Gigino Trattoria, J&G Steakhouse, Jean Georges, Lucy, Matsugen, Mercer Kitchen, Perry Street, Prime Steakhouse, Spice Market, and others)

Bill White, Bill White Enterprises, Park City, UT (Chimayo, Ghidotti’s, Grappa, Wahso, Windy Ridge Bakery, and Windy Ridge Café)

OUTSTANDING SERVICE

Blantyre, Lenox, MA

Brigtsen’s, New Orleans

Canlis, Seattle

Charleston, Baltimore

Charleston Grill at Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, SC

The Compound, Santa Fe

Emeril’s, New Orleans

The French Room at the Adolphus Hotel, Dallas

La Belle Vie, Minneapolis

La Grenouille, NYC

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia

Les Nomades, Chicago

L’Espalier, Boston

Marcel’s, Washington, D.C.

Michael Mina, San Francisco

Per Se, NYC

Providence, Los Angeles

Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA

Topolobampo, Chicago

Vetri, Philadelphia

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE

A16, San Francisco, Shelley Lindgren

Annie Gunn’s, Chesterfield, MO, Glenn Bardgett

Avenues at the Peninsula, Chicago, Michael Muser

The Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL, Yvonne Roberts

Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN, Andy Chabot

Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX, James Tidwell

Canlis, Seattle, Nelson Daquip

Charleston, Baltimore, Tony Foreman

Emeril’s, New Orleans, Ray Gumpert

Five and Ten, Athens, GA, Steven Grubbs

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO, Bobby Stuckey

Hatfield’s, Los Angeles, Peter Birmingham

The Modern, NYC, Belinda Chang

Patina, Los Angeles, Silvestre Fernandes

Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas, Robert Smith

Savona, Gulph Mills, PA, Melissa Monosoff

La Toque, Napa, CA, Ken Frank and Scott Tracy

Tarbell’s, Phoenix, Mark Tarbell

Tria, Philadelphia, Michael McCaulley

Troquet, Boston, Chris Campbell

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL

Tito Beveridge, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Austin, TX

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM

Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA

Alex Golitzin, Quilceda Creek Vintners, Snohomish, WA

Paul Grieco, Hearth and Terroir, NYC

Bobby Heugel, Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston

David Hirsch, Hirsch Vineyards, Cazadero, CA

Charles Joly, The Drawing Room, Chicago

Ted Lemon, Littorai Wines, Sebastopol, CA

Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, OR

Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Rajat Parr, Mina Group, San Francisco

Julie Reiner, Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge, NYC

Neal Rosenthal, Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko, NY

Jorg Rupf, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA

Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC

Todd Thrasher, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA

Julian Van Winkle III, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, Louisville, KY

David Wondrich, NYC

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee

Andrew Ashmore, The Greene House, Scottsdale, AZ

Benjamin Bailly, Fraîche, Culver City, CA

Sean Baker, Gather, Berkeley, CA

Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume, Omaha, NE

Sean Ehland, Kaya, Pittsburgh

Eric Gabrynowicz, Restaurant North, Armonk, NY

Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta

Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, MA

Sam Gorenstein, BLT Steak at the Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach, FL

Perry Hoffman, étoile Restaurant at Domaine Chandon, Yountville, CA

Casey Lane, The Tasting Kitchen, Venice, CA

Greg LaPrad, Quiessence, Phoenix

Matt Lightner, Castagna, Portland, OR

Aaron London, Ubuntu, Napa, CA

Anthony Martin, Tru, Chicago

Thomas McNaughton, flour + water, San Francisco

Paul Qui, Uchiko, Austin, TX

Dan Richer, Arturo’s, Maplewood, NJ

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland

Jesse Schenker, Recette, NYC

Sheldon Simeon, Star Noodle, Lahaina, HI

Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, MA

Nicholas Stefanelli, Bibiana, Washington, D.C.

Lee Styer, Fond, Philadelphia

Michael Toscano, Manzo, NYC

Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC

Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis

Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn, Lummi Island, WA

Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s, New Orleans

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA

BEST CHEF: GREAT LAKES

Myles Anton, Trattoria Stella, Traverse City, MI

Zachary Bruell, L’Albatros, Cleveland

Aaron Butts, Joseph Decuis, Roanoke, IN

Michael Carlson, Schwa, Chicago

Craig Common, The Common Grill, Chelsea, MI

Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Peninsula, Chicago

Dirk Flanigan, Henri, Chicago

David Gilbert, Forest Grill, Birmingham, MI

Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH

Dale Levitski, Sprout, Chicago

Regina Mehallick, R bistro, Indianapolis

Chris Nugent, Les Nomades, Chicago

Steven J. Oakley, Oakleys bistro, Indianapolis

Kent Rigsby, Rigsby’s Kitchen, Columbus, OH

Bruce Sherman, North Pond, Chicago

David Tallent, Restaurant Tallent, Bloomington, IN

Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs, IL

Eric Williams, Momocho, Cleveland

Magdiale Wolmark, Dragonfly Neo-V Cuisine, Columbus, OH

Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC

Andrew Araneo, Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Keyport, NJ

Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA

Pierre Calmels, Bibou, Philadelphia

Jay Caputo, Espuma, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Bertrand Chemel, 2941 Restaurant, Falls Church, VA

Melissa Close-Hart, Palladio at Barboursville Vineyards, Barboursville, VA

Tony Conte, The Oval Room, Washington, D.C.

David Gilberg, KOO ZEE DOO, Philadelphia

Michael Krikorian, The Copper Canyon Restaurant, Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.

Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.

Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ

Dave Racicot, Notion, Oakmont, PA

Dale Reitzer, Acacia, Richmond, VA

Chip Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, PA

Adán Saavedra, Paloma, Philadelphia

John B. Shields, Town House, Chilhowie, VA

Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia

Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.

Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

BEST CHEF: MIDWEST

Erik Anderson, Sea Change, Minneapolis

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee

Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery, Minneapolis

Justin Carlisle, 43 North, Madison, WI

Jennifer Coco, The Flatiron Cafe, Omaha, NE

Gerard Craft, Niche, St. Louis

Timothy Fischer, HoDo Restaurant at the Hotel Donaldson, Fargo, ND

Doug Flicker, Piccolo, Minneapolis

Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO

Jonathan Justus, Justus Drugstore, Smithville, MO

Russell Klein, Meritage, St. Paul, MN

Steve Logsdon, Lucca, Des Moines, IA

Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI

Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis

Lenny Russo, Heartland, St. Paul, MN

Jason Simon, Alba, Des Moines, IA

Matt Steigerwald, Lincoln Café, Mt. Vernon, IA

Dan Van Rite, Hinterland, Milwaukee

Jim Webster, Wild Rice, Bayfield, WI

Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis

BEST CHEF: NEW YORK CITY

Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern

April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig

Saul Bolton, Saul

Marco Canora, Hearth

Scott Conant, Scarpetta

Polo Dobkin, Dressler

Wylie Dufresne, wd~50

Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune

Sara Jenkins, Porchetta

Craig Koketsu, Park Avenue

Sotohiro Kosugi, Soto

Mark Ladner, Del Posto

Paul Liebrandt, Corton

Anita Lo, Annisa

George Mendes, Aldea

Missy Robbins, A Voce

Masa Takayama, Masa

Bill Telepan, Telepan

Michael White, Marea

Galen Zamarra, Mas (farmhouse)

BEST CHEF: NORTHEAST

Francesco Buitoni, Mercato, Red Hook, NY

Tim Cushman, o ya, Boston

Krista Kern Desjarlais, Bresca, Portland, ME

Jason Gulisano, The Green Cup, Waitsfield, VT

Gerry Hayden, The North Fork Table & Inn, Southold, NY

Brian Hill, Francine, Camden, ME

Matt Jennings, La Laiterie, Providence

Megan Chase, Penelle Chase, Phoebe Chase, and Ted LaFage, Chase’s Daily, Belfast, ME

Serge Madikians, Serevan, Amenia, NY

Evan Mallett, Black Trumpet Bistro, Portsmouth, NH

Tony Maws, Craigie On Main, Cambridge, MA

Daniel Nilsson, DA/BA, Hudson, NY

Peter Platt, The Old Inn On the Green, New Marlborough, MA

Demos Regas, Emilitsa, Portland, ME

Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, MA

Champe Speidel, Persimmon, Bristol, RI

Suzanne Stack, Suzanne Fine Regional Cuisine, Lodi, NY

Bill Taibe, LeFarm, Westport, CT

Nathaniel Wade, ¡Duino! (Duende), Burlington, VT

Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST

Chris Ainsworth, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Walla Walla, WA

Matthew Bennett, Sybaris, Albany, OR

Andy Blanton, Cafe Kandahar, Whitefish, MT

Dustan Bristol, Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, ID

Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang, Joule, Seattle

Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle

Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson Hole, WY

Mark Fuller, Spring Hill, Seattle

John Gorham, Toro Bravo, Portland, OR

Christopher Israel, Grüner, Portland, OR

Jenn Louis, Lincoln, Portland, OR

Paul O’Connor, Il Villaggio Osteria, Teton Village, WY

Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Portland, OR

Daniel Roberts, Q Cuisine, Billings, MT

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Ethan Stowell, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle

Jason Stratton, Spinasse, Seattle

Ian Troxler, Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, MT

Christopher Vane, Crush, Anchorage, AK

Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, OR

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC

Josef Centeno, Lazy Ox Canteen, Los Angeles

Kevin Chong, Chef Mavro, Honolulu

Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles

Josiah Citrin, Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA

Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, Animal, Los Angeles

Laurence Jossel, Nopa, San Francisco

Loretta Keller, COCO500, San Francisco

Andrew Kirschner, Wilshire, Santa Monica, CA

Chris Kobayashi, Artisan, Paso Robles, CA

Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

Mourad Lahlou, Aziza, San Francisco

Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco

Daniel Patterson, COI, San Francisco

Gayle Pirie and John Clark, Foreign Cinema, San Francisco

Laurent Quenioux, Bistro LQ, Los Angeles

Richard Reddington, Redd, Yountville, CA

Carl Schroeder, Market, Del Mar, CA

John Rivera Sedlar, Rivera, Los Angeles

James Syhabout, Commis, Oakland, CA

Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco

BEST CHEF: SOUTH

Zach Bell, Café Boulud, Palm Beach, FL

Scott Boswell, Stella!, New Orleans

Aaron Burgau, Patois, New Orleans

Chris Dupont, Café Dupont, Birmingham, AL

Adolfo Garcia, RioMar, New Orleans

John Harris, Lilette, New Orleans

Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL

Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Philip Krajeck, Fish Out of Water at WaterColor Inn & Resort, Santa
Rosa Beach, FL

Dean James Max, 3030 Ocean at Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa,
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans

James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL

Hari Pulapaka, Cress, DeLand, FL

Lee Richardson, Ashley’s at Capital Hotel, Little Rock, AR

Taylor Bowen Ricketts, Delta Bistro, Greenwood, MS

Philippe Ruiz, Palme d’Or at the Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL

David Solazzo and Torre Solazzo, Ristorante Del Porto, Covington, LA

Stephen Stryjewski, Cochon, New Orleans

Wesley True, True, Mobile, AL

BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST

Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, GA

Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA

Ashley Christensen, Poole’s, Raleigh, NC

Scott Crawford, Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary, NC

Craig Deihl, Cypress, Charleston, SC

John Fleer, Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley, Cashiers, NC

Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, WV

Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta

Scott Howell, Nana’s, Durham, NC

Shane Ingram, Four Square, Durham, NC

Anthony Lamas, Seviche, Louisville, KY

Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY

Ouita Michel, Holly Hill Inn, Midway, KY

Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC

Keith Rhodes, Catch, Wilmington, NC

Hector Santiago, Pura Vida, Atlanta

Chip Smith, Bonne Soirée, Chapel Hill, NC

Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC

Ken Vedrinski, Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, SC

Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville, TN

BEST CHEF: SOUTHWEST

Bruce Auden, Biga on the Banks, San Antonio

Bertrand Bouquin, Summit at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO

Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s Restaurant, Cave Creek, AZ

Bowman Brown and Viet Pham, Forage, Salt Lake City

Bryan Caswell, Reef, Houston

Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas

Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin, TX

Mitsuo Endo, Aburiya Raku, Las Vegas

Mark Fischer, Restaurant Six89, Carbondale, CO

Ryan Hardy, Montagna at the Little Nell, Aspen, CO

Jennifer James, Jennifer James 101, Albuquerque, NM

Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver

Kelly Liken, Kelly Liken, Vail, CO

Armando Pomales, Café Central, El Paso, TX

Martín Rios, Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe, NM

Randy Rucker, Bootsie’s Heritage Cafe, Tomball, TX

Teiichi Sakurai, Tei-An, Dallas

Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe, Phoenix

Alex Seidel, Fruition Restaurant, Denver

John R. Sharpe, The Turquoise Room at La Posada Hotel, Winslow, AZ

5 thoughts on “James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalists Announced

  1. Can not speak to most of these places as I have not been to them, but whoever put this list together is crazy. Spiaagia in Chicago is owned by Levy Resturants and tastes like food you get at a ball park. Can only imagine the other places are not that good either.

  2. The only thing more overrated than the Beard Awards is teenage pussy. Unless, of course, you live in New York. (Where the awards are more meaningful, and the girls more worldly.

  3. Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas-
    whos balls is this guy dipping in green curry sauce to be nominated again. come on, the food aint that good.

    And what happen to the RM Upstairs machine, that was just getting started.

    Unbelievable, not one rising star from las vegas. Rising star means like a somewhat young chef making noise in the community, Maybe like Jet tila, Gary la morte, Drew Terp, Rich Camarota, Eric Klien, Dan Rossi, Steve Benjamin.

    And Picasso as outstanding restaurant vote is a waste. Sure its good and glamourous, to be surrounded by Picasso’s late aged muddled art with Bellagio fountians in the distance. The place deserves more of a, Industry achievment award. Kinda like that memorable moment the Grammy puts on for the old timer who achieves greatness in the music industry, thats Picasso.

    And for Portland, Higgins is just played out. Philippe Boulot cooks much better food and plus theres a few top notch places around that kill.

    This year is like James Beard all stars or some shit, voting the same ass bitches.

  4. Saipin Chutima-For the one’s who come by cab-loads and wait in the hot tarmac of the sun parched tarmac-any food will taste good. This guy is as much to cooking as Mike Tyson to polovaulting. The list is useless. Las Vegas being the Fourth Culinary Capitol next to NY,SF and Chicago and we have Two Chefs nominated? The list is flawed.

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