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The finalists for the James Beard Awards have been announced ahead of this year’s ceremony in Chicago.
Often described as ‘the Oscars of food’ the James Beard Awards highlight some of the best individuals working across the restaurant industry in America.
The James Beard Awards touch everything from restaurant design to outstanding chefs, sommeliers , pastry chefs and champions of the restaurant sector.
Below is a full list of finalists for the 2017 James Beard Awards, including the Rising Star Chef and Outstanding Restaurant awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino.
2017 James Beard Foundation Restaurant Design Awards
Winners will be announced on May 1, 2017.
75 Seats and Under (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2014)
Firm: AvroKO
Designers: Kristina O’Neal, William Harris, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw
Project: SingleThread, Healdsburg, California
Firm: Guga
Designer: Jeff Guga
Project: Kismet, Los Angeles
Firm: Ken Fulk Inc.
Designers: Tiffany Kramer and Jon de la Cruz
Project: Leo’s Oyster Bar, San Francisco
76 Seats and Over (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2014)
Firm: AvroKO
Designers: Kristina O’Neal, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw, William Harris
Project: Momotaro, Chicago
Firm: Home Studios
Designers: Evan and Oliver Haslegrave
Project: Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant, Los Angeles
Firm: Meyer Davis
Designers: Will Meyer, Gray Davis, Katie McPherson
Project: St. Cecilia, Atlanta
2017 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards
Best New Restaurant (Presented by True Refrigeration®)
A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
In Situ
San Francisco
Le Coucou
NYC
Olmsted
Brooklyn, NY
Pineapple and Pearls
Washington, D.C.
Tartine Manufactory
San Francisco
Outstanding Baker
A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been working as a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.
Ken Forkish
Ken’s Artisan Bakery
Portland, OR
Mark Furstenberg
Bread Furst
Washington, D.C.
Zachary Golper
Bien Cuit
Brooklyn, NY
Belinda Leong and Michel Suas
B. Patisserie
San Francisco
Greg Wade
Publican Quality Bread
Chicago
Outstanding Bar Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in cocktail, spirits, and/or beer service.
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar
New Orleans
Bar Agricole
San Francisco
Clyde Common
Portland, OR
Cure
New Orleans
The Dead Rabbit
NYC
Outstanding Chef (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. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.
Gabrielle Hamilton
Prune
NYC
David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA
Christopher Kostow
The Restaurant at Meadowood
St. Helena, CA
Donald Link
Herbsaint
New Orleans
Michael Solomonov
Zahav
Philadelphia
Outstanding Pastry Chef
A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
Kelly Fields
Willa Jean
New Orleans
Maura Kilpatrick
Oleana
Cambridge, MA
Margarita Manzke
République
Los Angeles
Dolester Miles
Highlands Bar & Grill
Birmingham, AL
Ghaya Oliveira
Daniel
NYC
Outstanding Restaurant (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard bearer of consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere and service. Must have been in operation 10 or more consecutive years.
Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder, CO
Highlands Bar and Grill
Birmingham, AL
Momofuku Noodle Bar
NYC
Quince
San Francisco
The Spotted Pig
NYC
Topolobampo
Chicago
Outstanding Restaurateur
A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. 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.
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz
Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
Chicago
JoAnn Clevenger
Upperline
New Orleans
Ken Oringer
Uni, Toro, Coppa, and others
Boston
Stephen Starr
Starr Restaurants (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others)
Philadelphia
Caroline Styne
The Lucques Group (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others)
Los Angeles
Outstanding Service
A restaurant in operation five or more years that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Pocantico Hills, NY
Galatoire’s Restaurant
New Orleans
Marea
NYC
Terra
St. Helena, CA
Zahav
Philadelphia
Outstanding Wine Program (Presented by Robert Mondavi Winery)
A restaurant in operation five or more years that serves as a standard bearer for excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine.
Benu
San Francisco
Canlis
Seattle
Emeril’s New Orleans
Fig
Charleston, SC
Miller Union
Atlanta
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional
A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.
Sam Calagione
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton, DE
Diane Flynt
Foggy Ridge Cider
Dugspur, VA
Miljenko Grgich
Grgich Hills Estate
Rutherford, CA
Aldo Sohm
Zalto Glass
NYC
Rob Tod
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland, ME
Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.
Camille Cogswell
Zahav
Philadelphia
Zachary Engel
Shaya
New Orleans
Matt Rudofker
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
NYC
Jenner Tomaska
Next
Chicago
Brady Williams
Canlis
Seattle
Best Chefs in America
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and 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)
Abraham Conlon
Fat Rice
Chicago
Sarah Grueneberg
Monteverde
Chicago
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute
Chicago
Lee Wolen
Boka
Chicago
Erling Wu-Bower
Nico Osteria
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
Greg Vernick
Vernick Food & Drink
Philadelphia
Cindy Wolf
Charleston
Baltimore
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Steven Brown
Tilia
Minneapolis
Justin Carlisle
Ardent
Milwaukee
Jorge Guzman
Brewer’s Table at Surly Brewing Co.
Minneapolis
Kevin Nashan
Sidney Street Cafe
St. Louis
Kevin Willmann
Farmhaus
St. Louis
Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Marco Canora
Hearth
Anita Lo
Annisa
Ignacio Mattos
Estela
Missy Robbins
Lilia
Brooklyn, NY
Jody Williams
Buvette Gastrothèque
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT)
Karen Akunowicz
Myers + Chang
Boston
Cassie Piuma
Sarma
Somerville, MA
Susan Regis
Shepard
Cambridge, MA
Benjamin Sukle
Birch
Providence, RI
Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley
Eventide Oyster Co.
Portland, ME
Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton
Ox
Portland, OR
Edouardo Jordan
Salare
Seattle
Katy Millard
Coquine
Portland, OR
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
Nina Compton
Compère Lapin
New Orleans
Jose Enrique
Jose Enrique
San Juan, PR
Slade Rushing
Brennan’s
New Orleans
Rebecca Wilcomb
Herbsaint
New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
John Fleer
Rhubarb
Asheville, NC
Edward Lee
610 Magnolia
Louisville, KY
Steven Satterfield
Miller Union
Atlanta
Ryan Smith
Staplehouse
Atlanta
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman
Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen
Memphis
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)
Bryce Gilmore
Barley Swine
Austin
Steve McHugh
Cured
San Antonio
Hugo Ortega
Hugo’s
Houston
Steve Redzikowski
Acorn
Denver
Martín Rios
Restaurant Martín
Santa Fe
Jianyun Ye
Mala Sichuan Bistro
Houston
Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)
Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles
Dominique Crenn
Atelier Crenn
San Francisco
Jeremy Fox
Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen
Santa Monica, CA
Corey Lee
Benu
San Francisco
Ludo Lefebvre
Trois Mec
Los Angeles
Travis Lett
Gjelina
Venice, CA
The James Beard Foundation is also pleased to announce the 2017 recipients of the Who's Who award:
Suzanne Goin
Multiple James Beard Award–Winning Chef and Restaurateur, A.O.C., Lucques, and Tavern
Los Angeles
Evan Kleiman
Culinarian; Host of KCRW’s Good Food
Los Angeles
Roger Berkowitz
President and CEO, Legal Sea Foods
Boston
Michel Nischan
Multiple James Beard Award–Winning Chef; Founder, President,
and CEO, Wholesome Wave
Bridgeport, CT
Rajat Parr
Domaine de la Cote
Lompoc, California
The following honorees will accept their awards at the James Beard Awards Gala on May 1 at Lyric Opera of Chicago
The 2017 America's Classics Award Winners
Bertha's Kitchen
Charleston, SC
Owners: Julia Grant, Linda Pinckney and Sharon Coakley
Gioia's Deli
St. Louis
Owner: Alex Donley
La Taqueria
San Francisco
Owner: Miguel Jara
Sahadi's
Brooklyn, NY
Owners: Christina Sahadi Whelan, and Ron Sahadi
Schultz's Crab House
Essex, MD
Owners: Karen and Bob McKinney
2017 JBF Humanitarian of the Year
Denise Cerreta
One World Everybody Eats
Salt Lake City
2017 JBF Lifetime Achievement Award
Nora Pouillon
Restaurant Nora
Washington, D.C.
