James Beard Awards Finalists 2024 announced

The James Beard Foundation has announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees as well as the honorees of the Leadership Awards, Humanitarian of the Year Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C.

Today marks the announcement of the nominees for America's most prestigious restaurant awards, the winners of which will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Among the awards categories is the Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, with establishments of incredible ingenuity and creativity showcasing the best of an industry that, despite recent challenges, is thriving across the 50 States, including The Compound, in Santa Fe; Convenience West, in Marfa, Texas; Langbaan, in Portland; Mixtli, San Antonio; and Vestige in Ocean Springs.

The category of Emerging Chef, presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is always one of the most keenly watched, with the culinary talent of tomorrow coming in sharp focus. This year is no different with some eye-catching nominees in Fariyal Abdullahi, of Hav & Mar, New York; Janet Becerra, of Pancita, Seattle; Nikko Cagalanan, Kultura, Charleston; and Ryan Fernandez, of Southern Junction, Buffalo. The Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is the writer, editor, novelist, and television personality Ruth Reichl. The James Beard Media Award nominees will be announced on April 30.

You can check out the entire list of nominees ahead of the June 10 awards below:

Restaurant and Chef Awards

Outstanding Restaurateur

Mamba Hamissi and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare, Detroit, MI

Quynh-Vy and Yenvy Pham, Phở Bắc Súp Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and The Boat, Seattle, WA

Chris Viaud, Greenleaf, Ansanm, and Pavilion, Milford and Wolfeboro, NH

Hollis Wells Silverman, Eastern Point Collective (The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, The Wells, and others), Washington, D.C.

Erika Whitaker and Kelly Whitaker, ID EST (The Wolf's Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta, and others), Boulder, CO

Outstanding Chef presented by Hilton

Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Portland, OR

Dean Neff, Seabird, Wilmington, NC

Michael Rafidi, Albi, Washington, D.C.

Renee Touponce, The Port of Call, Mystic, CT

David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas, TX

Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna^® Natural Spring Water

The Compound, Santa Fe, NM

Convenience West, Marfa, TX

Langbaan, Portland, OR

Mixtli, San Antonio, TX

Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS

Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar, New York, NY

Janet Becerra, Pancita, Seattle, WA

Nikko Cagalanan, Kultura, Charleston, SC

Ryan Fernandez, Southern Junction, Buffalo, NY

Masako Morishita, Perry's, Washington, D.C.

Best New Restaurant

Bar Bacetto, Waitsburg, WA

Barbs-B-Q, Lockhart, TX

Chez Noir, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Comfort Kitchen, Dorchester, MA

Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA

Hayward, McMinnville, OR

Kaya, Orlando, FL

Kisser, Nashville, TN

Oro by Nixta, Minneapolis, MN

Shan, Bozeman, MT

Outstanding Bakery

The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, NM

Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA

JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR

Mel the Bakery, Hudson, NY

ZU Bakery, Portland, ME

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.

Jesus Brazon and Manuel Brazon, Caracas Bakery, Doral and Miami, FL

Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME

Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ

Anna Posey, Elske, Chicago, IL

Outstanding Hospitality presented by American Airlines

Crawford and Son, Raleigh, NC

Gemma, Dallas, TX

Lula Cafe, Chicago, IL

Melba’s, New York, NY

Woodford Food & Beverage, Portland, ME

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

Lula Drake Wine Parlour, Columbia, SC

The Morris, San Francisco, CA

Strong Water Anaheim, Anaheim, CA

Tail Up Goat, Washington, D.C.

Waxlight Bar à Vin, Buffalo, NY

Outstanding Bar

Barr Hill Cocktail Bar, Montpelier, VT

Clavel Mezcaleria, Baltimore, MD

Jewel of the South, New Orleans, LA

Las Ramblas, Brownsville, TX

Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA

Best Chefs presented by Capital One (by region)

Best Chef: California

Geoff Davis, Burdell, Oakland, CA

Rogelio Garcia, Auro, Calistoga, CA

Lord Maynard Llera, Kuya Lord, Los Angeles, CA

Tara Monsod, Animae, San Diego, CA

Buu 'Billy' Ngo, Kru, Sacramento, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, OHJose Salazar, Mita's, Cincinnati, OH

Sujan Sarkar, Indienne, Chicago, IL

Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI

Jenner Tomaska, Esmé, Chicago, IL

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Tony Conte, Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, Darnestown, MD

Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA

Matt Kern, One Coastal, Fenwick Island, DE

Harley Peet, Bas Rouge, Easton, MD

Kevin Tien, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Ann Ahmed, Khâluna, Minneapolis, MN

Rob Connoley, Bulrush, St. Louis, MO

Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, EsterEv, Milwaukee, WI

Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis, MN

Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room, Omaha, NE

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

Brandon Cunningham, Social Haus, Greenough, MT

Ali Sabbah, Mazza Cafe, Salt Lake City, UT

Matt Vawter, Rootstalk, Breckenridge, CO

Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO

Nick Zocco, Urban Hill, Salt Lake City, UT

Best Chef: New York State

Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY

Atsushi Kono, Kono, New York, NY

Chris Mauricio, Harana Market, Accord, NY

Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, Brooklyn, NY

Jeremy Salamon, Agi's Counter, Brooklyn, NY

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

Conor Dennehy, Talulla, Cambridge, MA

Maria Meza, Dolores, Providence, RI

David Standridge, The Shipwright's Daughter, Mystic, CT

Jake Stevens, Leeward, Portland, ME

Cara Tobin, Honey Road, Burlington, VT

Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

Avery Adams, Matia Kitchen, Orcas Island, WA

Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle, WA

Josh Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland, OR

Gregory Gourdet, kann, Portland, OR

Melissa Miranda, Musang, Seattle, WA

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Jamie Davis, The Hackney, Washington, NC

Rod Lassiter and Parnass Savang, Talat Market, Atlanta, GA

James London, Chubby Fish, Charleston, SC

Robbie Robinson, City Limits Barbeque, West Columbia, SC

Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

Valerie Chang, Maty's, Miami, FL

Hunter Evans, Elvie's, Jackson, MS

Gabriel Hernandez, Verde Mesa, San Juan, PR

Carlos Portela, Orujo, San Juan, PR

Arvinder Vilkhu, Saffron, New Orleans, LA

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

Rene Andrade, Bacanora, Phoenix, AZ

Jeff Chanchaleune, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, Oklahoma City, OK

Steve Kestler, Aroma Latin American Cocina, Henderson, NV

Steve Riley, Mesa Provisions, Albuquerque, NM

Eduardo Rodriguez, Zacatlán, Santa Fe, NM

Best Chef: Texas

Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó, Houston, TX

Christopher Cullum, Cullum's Attaboy, San Antonio, TX

Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Birdie's, Austin, TX

Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast, Dallas, TX

Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria, Mission, TX

Achievement Awards

Leadership Awards

Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, Founder/Owner, Down North Pizza and Down North Foundation

Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director, North American Marine Alliance (NAMA)

Helga Garcia-Garza, Executive Director, Agri-Cultura Network

Mai Nguyen, Farmer, Farmer Mai

Emerging Leadership

Christa Barfield, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FarmerJawn

Humanitarian of the Year Award

The 2024 Humanitarian of the Year Award honoree is The LEE Initiative, an organization that promotes diversity, equity, and empowerment for employees within the restaurant industry.