Congratulations to Saipin Chutima and Picasso, and its Master Sommelier Robert Smith, for being nominated as finalists for the 2011 James Beard Awards.

Chutima is nominated for the third year in a row (if memory serves) in the Best Chef Southwest category, while this is at least the third time Smith and Picasso have reached the final round. (Continue after the jump for the complete list of finalists in all categories.)

2011 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards
Winners will be announced on May 9, 2011
Best New Restaurant
Presented by Mercedes-Benz
A restaurant opened in 2010 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a
significant impact on the industry in years to come.
ABC Kitchen
NYC
Chef/Owner: Jean-
Georges Vongerichten
Owner: Phil Suarez
Benu
San Francisco
Chef/Owner: Corey
Lee
Girl & the Goat
Chicago
Chef/Owner:
Stephanie Izard
Owners: Kevin
Boehm, Rob Katz,
and Daniel Russo
Menton
Boston
Chef/Owner: Barbara
Lynch
Torrisi Italian
Specialties
NYC
Chefs/Owners: Mario
Carbone and Rich
Torrisi
Outstanding Chef Award
Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other
food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.
José Andrés
Minibar
Washington, D.C.
Gary Danko
Restaurant Gary
Danko
San Francisco
Suzanne Goin
Lucques
Los Angeles
Paul Kahan
Blackbird
Chicago
Charles Phan
The Slanted Door
San Francisco
Outstanding Pastry Chef Award
Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters
A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a national standard-bearer for excellence.
Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.
Joanne Chang
Flour Bakery + Café
Boston
Patrick Fahy
Blackbird
Chicago
Dahlia Narvaez
Osteria Mozza
Los Angeles
Angela Pinkerton
Eleven Madison Park
NYC
Mindy Segal
Mindy’s HotChocolate
Chicago
Outstanding Restaurant Award
A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food,
atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.
Blue Hill
NYC
Chef/Owner: Dan
Barber
Owners: David Barber
and Laureen Barber
Boulevard
San Francisco
Chef/Owner: Nancy
Oakes
Owner: Pat Kuleto
Eleven Madison Park
NYC
Owner: Danny Meyer
Highlands Bar and
Grill
Birmingham, AL
Chef/Owner: Frank
Stitt
Owner: Pardis Stitt
Vetri
Philadelphia
Chefs/Owners: Marc
Vetri and Jeff
Benjamin
Outstanding Restaurateur Award
A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must
have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard
Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.
Bruce Bromberg and
Eric Bromberg
Blue Ribbon
Restaurants
NYC
Tom Douglas
Dahlia Bakery, Dahlia
Lounge, Etta’s, Lola,
Palace Kitchen,
Seatown Seabar &
Rotisserie, and
Serious Pie
Seattle
Pat Kuleto
Boulevard, Epic
Roasthouse, Farallon,
Jardinière, Martini
House, Nick’s Cove,
and Waterbar
San Francisco
Richard Melman
Lettuce Entertain You
Enterprises
Chicago
Phil Suarez
ABC Kitchen, Co.,
Gigino Trattoria,
Gigino Wagner Park,
Jean Georges, JoJo,
J&G Steakhouse,
Market, The Mark
Restaurant by Jean
Georges, Mercer
Kitchen, Perry St,
Pipa, Prime
Steakhouse, Spice
Market, and wd~50
Various Cities
Outstanding Service Award
Presented By Stella Artois
A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at
least the past 5 years.
Canlis
Seattle
Owners: Brian Canlis
and Mark Canlis
Emeril’s
New Orleans
Chef/Owner: Emeril
Lagasse
La Grenouille
NYC
Owners: Charles
Masson and Gisèle
Masson
Per Se
NYC
Chef/Owner: Thomas
Keller
Topolobampo
Chicago
Chef/Owner: Rick
Bayless
Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award
Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of New York
A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide.
Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.
Sam Calagione
Dogfish Head Craft
Brewery
Milton, DE
Merry Edwards
Merry Edwards
Winery
Sebastopol, CA
Paul Grieco
Hearth
NYC
Rajat Parr
Mina Group
San Francisco
Julian P. Van Winkle, III
Old Rip Van Winkle
Distillery
Louisville, KY
Outstanding Wine Service Award
A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, a knowledgeable
staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 5 years.
A16
San Francisco
Wine Director: Shelley
Lindgren
Blackberry Farm
Walland, TN
Wine Director: Andy
Chabot
Frasca Food and
Wine
Boulder, CO
Wine Director: Bobby
Stuckey
Picasso at Bellagio
Las Vegas
Wine Director: Robert
Smith
The Modern
NYC
Wine Director: Belinda
Chang
Rising Star Chef of the Year Award
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in
years to come.
Aaron London
Ubuntu
Napa, CA
Thomas
McNaughton
flour + water
San Francisco
Gabriel Rucker
Le Pigeon
Portland, OR
Christina Tosi
Momofuku Milk Bar
NYC
Sue Zemanick
Gautreau’s
New Orleans
Best Chefs in America
Presented by Groupon
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Each candidate may be employed
by any kind of dining establishment and must have been a working chef for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent
years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Michael Carlson
Schwa
Chicago
Curtis Duffy
Avenues at the
Peninsula
Chicago
Bruce Sherman
North Pond
Chicago
Paul Virant
Vie
Western Springs, IL
Alex Young
Zingerman’s
Roadhouse
Ann Arbor, MI
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Cathal Armstrong
Restaurant Eve
Alexandria, VA
Johnny Monis
Komi
Washington, D.C.
Peter Pastan
Obelisk
Washington, D.C.
Maricel Presilla
Cucharamama
Hoboken, NJ
Michael Solomonov
Zahav
Philadelphia
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Justin Aprahamian
Sanford
Milwaukee
Isaac Becker
112 Eatery
Minneapolis
Colby Garrelts
Bluestem
Kansas City, MO
Tory Miller
L’Etoile
Madison, WI
Lenny Russo
Heartland
St. Paul, MN
Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Michael Anthony
Gramercy Tavern
April Bloomfield
The Spotted Pig
Wylie Dufresne
wd~50
Gabrielle Hamilton
Prune
Michael White
Marea
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY STATE, RI, VT)
Tim Cushman
o ya
Boston
Krista Kern
Desjarlais
Bresca
Portland, ME
Gerry Hayden
The North Fork
Table & Inn
Southold, NY
Matt Jennings
La Laiterie
Providence
Tony Maws
Craigie On Main
Cambridge, MA
Eric Warnstedt
Hen of the Wood
Waterbury, VT
Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Matt Dillon
Sitka & Spruce
Seattle
Christopher Israel
Grüner
Portland, OR
Andy Ricker
Pok Pok
Portland, OR
Ethan Stowell
Staple & Fancy
Mercantile
Seattle
Cathy Whims
Nostrana
Portland, OR
Best Chef: Pacific (CA, HI)
Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles
Christopher Kostow
The Restaurant at
Meadowood
St. Helena, CA
Daniel Patterson
COI
San Francisco
Richard Reddington
Redd
Yountville, CA
Michael Tusk
Quince
San Francisco
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)
Zach Bell
Café Boulud at the
Brazilian Court
Palm Beach, FL
John Harris
Lilette
New Orleans
Christopher
Hastings
Hot and Hot Fish Club
Birmingham, AL
Tory McPhail
Commander’s Palace
New Orleans
Stephen Stryjewski
Cochon
New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Hugh Acheson
Five and Ten
Athens, GA
Craig Deihl
Cypress
Charleston, SC
John Fleer
Canyon Kitchen at
Lonesome Valley
Cashiers, NC
Linton Hopkins
Restaurant
Eugene
Atlanta
Edward Lee
610 Magnolia
Louisville, KY
Andrea Reusing
Lantern
Chapel Hill, NC
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT)
Bruce Auden
Biga on the Banks
San Antonio
Bryan Caswell
Reef
Houston
Saipin Chutima
Lotus of Siam
Las Vegas
Tyson Cole
Uchi
Austin, TX
Ryan Hardy
Montagna at the Little
Nell
Aspen, CO
2011 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America
Inductees
Jonathan Gold
Writer, LA Weekly
Los Angeles
Lee Jones
Farmer/ Owner,
Chef’s Garden
Huron, OH
Charles Phan
Chef/Owner, The
Slanted Door
San Francisco
Frank Stitt
Chef/Owner,
Highlands Bar and
Grill
Birmingham, AL
Nick Valenti
CEO, Patina
Restaurant Group
NYC
2011 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Awards
Presented by The Coca-Cola Company
Restaurants with timeless appeal, beloved in their regions for quality food that reflects the character of their community.
Establishments must have been in existence at least 10 years and be locally owned.
Chef Vola’s
111 South Albion
Place
Atlantic City, NJ
Owners: Louise
Esposito, Michael
Esposito, Michael
Esposito Jr., Louis
Esposito
Crook’s Corner
610 West Franklin
Street
Chapel Hill, NC
Owner: Gene Hamer
Noriega Restaurant
and Hotel
525 Sumner St.
Bakersfield, CA
Owners: Linda
Elizalde McCoy and
Rochelle Ladd
Le Veau d’Or
129 East 60th Street
NYC
Owner: Robert
Tréboux
Watts Tea Shop
761 N. Jefferson
Street
Milwaukee
President and CEO:
Sam Watts
2011 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
Kevin Zraly
2011 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
FareStart
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