Today, the James Beard Foundation announced its Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists for 2019. And this year, the list promises to be more diverse than years prior. Back in October, the James Beard Foundation changed its policies to ensure a more diverse group of decision makers and award winners. For the first time, the makeup of its awards committees would mirror the demographics of the U.S. census. To that end, there are new committee members on the expanded list of 19: food writers Khushbu Shah, Joseph Hernandez, and Adrian Miller. The foundation also asked these committee members to increase the diversity of the awards judges, a group that includes the committee members and industry experts, as well as hundreds of previous James Beard Award winners and regional panelists. Related Here Is the Full List of James Beard Awards 2019 Winners The James Beard Foundation reports that, thanks to these directives, representation of people of color has increased 8 percent on the committee and 14 percent across the judges for the Restaurant & Chef, Book, Broadcast and Journalism Awards. (Both groups saw a 5 percent increase in representation of women.) This has translated to a 7 percent increase in the representation of people of color among semifinalists in the Restaurant & Chef categories, although there’s a 6 percent decrease in the number of women from last year. After the judges and committee members vote, this “long list” will drop down to five finalist nominees per category, to be announced on Wednesday, March 27, from a press conference in Houston. The James Beard Awards Gala, where the previously announced America’s Classics winners are also acknowledged, is scheduled for Monday, May 6, in Chicago. (Meanwhile, media awards winners will be revealed on Friday, April 26.) Below, the full list of semifinalists. Best New Restaurant Adda Indian Canteen, NYC Andiario, West Chester, PA Angler, San Francisco Atomix, NYC Bardea Food & Drink, Wilmington, DE Bavel, Los Angeles Bywater American Bistro, New Orleans Canard, Portland, OR Celeste, Somerville, MA Chickadee, Boston Ellē, Washington, D.C. The Elysian Bar, New Orleans Folk, Nashville Frenchette, NYC Kyoten, Chicago Larder Delicatessen and Bakery, Cleveland Lineage, Wailea, HI Majordomo, Los Angeles Marrow, Detroit Nyum Bai, Oakland, CA Passerotto, Chicago Petra and the Beast, Dallas Popol Vuh, Minneapolis Q House, Denver Sawyer, Seattle Spoken English, Washington, D.C. The Stanley, Charlotte, NC Suerte, Austin The Surf Club Restaurant, Surfside, FL Vianda, San Juan, PR Outstanding Baker Umber Ahmad, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, NYC Kim Boyce, Bakeshop, Portland, OR Andy Clark, Moxie Bread Co., Louisville, CO Evrim Dogu and Evin Dogu, Sub Rosa Bakery, Richmond, VA Tova du Plessis, Essen Bakery, Philadelphia Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, NYC Don Guerra, Barrio Bread, Tucson, AZ Naomi Harris, Madruga Bakery, Coral Gables, FL Stephanie Hart, Brown Sugar Bakery, Chicago Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Café, Cambridge, MA Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit Greg Mindel, Neighbor Bakehouse, San Francisco Taylor Petrehn, 1900 Barker, Lawrence, KS Alison Pray, Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME Nathaniel Reid, Nathaniel Reid Bakery, Kirkwood, MO Avery Ruzicka, Manresa Bread, Los Gatos, CA Kit Schumann and Jesse Schumann, Sea Wolf Bakers, Seattle Debbie Swenerton, Black Bear Bread Co., Grayton Beach, FL Greg Wade, Publican Quality Bread, Chicago Chris Wilkins, Root Baking Co., Atlanta Outstanding Bar Program Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston The Atomic Lounge, Birmingham, AL The Baldwin Bar, Woburn, MA Bar Agricole, San Francisco Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, Milwaukee Clavel Mezcaleria, Baltimore Columbia Room, Washington, D.C. Dead Rabbit, NYC Expatriate, Portland, OR Kimball House, Decatur, GA La Factoría, San Juan, PR Leyenda, Brooklyn, NY Lost Lake, Chicago The Monarch Bar, Kansas City, MO Monk’s Café, Philadelphia No Anchor, Seattle Old Lightning, Marina Del Rey, CA Planter’s House, St. Louis Saint Leo, Oxford, MS Ticonderoga Club, Atlanta Outstanding Chef Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Diner, Raleigh, NC Renee Erickson, Bateau, Seattle Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, Chicago Shiro Kashiba, Sushi Kashiba, Seattle David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans Margot McCormack, Margot Café & Bar, Nashville Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY Chrysa Robertson, Rancho Pinot, Scottsdale, AZ Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR Chris Shepherd, Georgia James, Houston Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C. Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola, Washington, D.C. Marc Vetri, Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia Outstanding Pastry Chef Jeb Breakell, The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver Ashley Capps, Buxton Hall, Asheville, NC Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago Megan Garrelts, Rye, Leawood, KS Zoe Kanan, Simon & the Whale, NYC Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles James Matty, Suraya, Philadelphia Junko Mine, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA Diane Moua, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis Pichet Ong, Brothers and Sisters, Washington, D.C. Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC Michelle Polzine, 20th Century Café, San Francisco Rabii Saber, Four Seasons Resort, Orlando, FL Ricardo “Ricchi” Sanchez, Bullion, Dallas Laura Sawicki, Launderette, Austin Whang Suh, Hen & Heifer, Guilford, CT Cynthia Wong, Life Raft Treats, Charleston, SC Outstanding Restaurant Balthazar, NYC Bolete, Bethlehem, PA Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA El Charro Café, Tucson, AZ FIG, Charleston, SC Fore Street, Portland, ME Jaleo, Washington, D.C. Komi, Washington, D.C. Marché, Eugene, OR Nopa, San Francisco Norman’s, Orlando, FL North Pond, Chicago O Ya, Boston The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation, Houston Park’s BBQ, Los Angeles Quince, San Francisco Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis Sagami, Collingswood, NJ SriPraPhai, NYC Zahav, Philadelphia Outstanding Restaurateur Hugh Acheson, Atlanta (Empire State South, Five & Ten, The National, and others) Paul Bartolotta and Joe Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants, Milwaukee (Ristorante Bartolotta, Harbor House, Lake Park Bistro, and others) JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans Richard DeShantz and Tolga Sevdik, Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh (Poulet Bleu, Fish nor Fowl, Butcher and the Rye, and others) Benjamin Goldberg and Max Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality, Nashville (The Catbird Seat, The Patterson House, Henrietta Red, and others) Ruth Gresser, Pizzeria Paradiso, Washington, D.C. (Pizzeria Paradiso, Birreria Paradiso) Martha Hoover, Patachou Inc., Indianapolis (Café Patachou, Petite Chou, Public Greens, and others) Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others) Ed Kenney, Honolulu (Town, Mud Hen Water, Mahina & Sun’s, and others) Brenda Langton and Timothy Kane, Spoonriver, Minneapolis Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz, San Francisco (Mission Chinese Food, The Perennial, Commonwealth) Akkapong (Earl) Ninsom, Portland, OR (Langbaan, Hat Yai, PaaDee, and others) Ken Oringer, Boston (Little Donkey, Toro, Uni, and others) Steve Palmer, The Indigo Road, Charleston, SC (The Macintosh, Oak Steakhouse, Indaco, ands) Julie Petrakis and James Petrakis, Swine Family Restaurant Group, Orlando, FL (The Ravenous Pig, Cask & Larder, The Polite Pig, and others) Alex Raij and Eder Montero, NYC (La Vara, Txikito, Saint Julivert Fisherie, and others) Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle (Ballard Pizza Co., Bramling Cross, Cortina, and others) Tracy Vaught, H Town Restaurant Group, Houston (Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, and others) Jason Wang, Xi’an Famous Foods, NYC Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson) Outstanding Service Back Bay Grill, Portland, ME Birrieria Zaragoza, Chicago Brigtsen’s, New Orleans Canlis, Seattle Chef Vola’s, Atlantic City, NJ Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO The French Room, Dallas Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, Chicago Hugo’s, Houston Kai Restaurant, Chandler, AZ Kimball House, Decatur, GA Mama J’s, Richmond, VA Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier, Washington, D.C. n/naka, Los Angeles Peking Gourmet Inn, Falls Church, VA Saison, San Francisco Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco Tony’s, Houston Victoria & Albert’s, Orlando, FL Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI Outstanding Wine Program Bacchanal, New Orleans The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis Bar Marco, Pittsburgh Benu, San Francisco The Butcher Shop, Boston Cote, NYC element 47 at the Little Nell, Aspen, CO Great China, Berkeley, CA Davenport, Portland, OR haley.henry, Boston Income Tax, Chicago L’Oursin, Seattle Lucky Palace, Bossier City, LA Miller Union, Atlanta Night + Market, Los Angeles Ops, Brooklyn, NY Pappas Bros. Steakhouse at the Galleria, Houston Spiaggia, Chicago Stems & Skins, North Charleston, SC Tail Up Goat, Washington, D.C. Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer An Bui, Mekong and The Answer Brewpub, Richmond, VA<doc-sep>The semifinalists for the 2019 James Beard Foundation awards were announced this morning and several Seattle chefs and restaurants made the cut. With the semifinalist announcement today, judges and committee members will now vote to pare the list down to five finalist nominees per category; that list will be announced in Houston on March 27. The final winners will be announced on May 6 in Chicago, while the media award winners will be unveiled on April 26. Last October, the foundation changed its policies with a goal of diversifying the decision makers and award winners. The makeup of its awards committees mirror U.S. census demographics for the first time. View the full semifinalist list over here; meanwhile, here are the Seattle and Washington state names who are in the running. Best New Restaurant Sawyer, Seattle Outstanding Baker Kit Schumann and Jesse Schumann, Sea Wolf Bakers, Seattle Outstanding Bar Program No Anchor, Seattle Outstanding Chef Renee Erickson of Bateau, Seattle Shiro Kashiba, Sushi Kashiba, Seattle Outstanding Pastry Chef Junko Mine, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA Outstanding Restaurant Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA Outstanding Restaurateur Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle (Ballard Pizza Co., Bramling Cross, Cortina, and others) Outstanding Service Canlis, Seattle Outstanding Wine Program L’Oursin, Seattle Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer Dave Green, Skagit Valley Malting, Burlington, WA Mike Sauer, Red Willow Vineyard, Wapato, WA Mhairi Voelsgen, broVo Spirits, Woodinville, WA Rising Star Chef of the Year Jay Blackinton, Aelder/Hogstone’s Wood Oven, Orcas Island, WA Shota Nakajima, Adana, Seattle Best Chef: Northwest Logan Cox, Homer, Seattle Eric Donnelly, RockCreek, Seattle Eric Johnson, Stateside, Seattle Taichi Kitamura, Sushi Kappo Tamura, Seattle Colin Patterson, Mana Restaurant, Leavenworth, WA Mutsuko Soma, Kamonegi, Seattle Brady Williams, Canlis, Seattle Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Foundation Awards.<doc-sep>Three Alabama chefs and one cocktail bar have made the James Beard Foundation's preliminary list of semifinalists for its 2019 culinary awards. The Beard Foundation's restaurant and chef semifinalists were announced this morning. The Alabama chefs among the semifinalists for best chef in the South are: David Bancroft of Acre in Auburn, who is a semifinalist for the fourth year in a row. Bill Briand of Fisher's Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina in Orange Beach, also a four-time semifinalist. Timothy Hontzas of Johnny's Restaurant in Homewood, a semifinalist for the third consecutive year. Also, The Atomic Lounge in Birmingham is a semifinalist for the second year in a row for outstanding bar program. In addition, former Birmingham resident Hannah Black of Lil’ Deb’s Oasis in Hudson, N.Y., is a semifinalist for best chef in the Northeast. Black previously worked at Satterfield’s Restaurant in Vestavia Hills. For the first time since 2008, Birmingham’s Highlands Bar and Grill is not one of the semifinalists for the country’s most outstanding restaurant. After being nominated for 10 consecutive years, Highlands finally won the James Beard Award in 2018 and is therefore not eligible to win that category again. The same is true for Highlands pastry chef Dolester Miles, who won the James Beard Award as the country’s outstanding pastry chef last year. Miles had been a semifinalist for five years in a row and a finalist in each of the past three years. Each category includes 20 semifinalists, and the field will be narrowed to five finalists on March 27. The overall winners will be announced at the 29th annual James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony on May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Previous James Beard Award winners from Alabama include: Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, most outstanding restaurant, 2018. Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, most outstanding pastry chef, 2018. Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, best chef South, 2012. The Bright Star, Bessemer, America's Classic winner, 2010. Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, best chef Southeast, 2001. For a complete list of all of this year’s restaurant and chef semifinalists, go here.<doc-sep>
Today starts restaurant awards season with the James Beard Foundation releasing the semifinalist for its annual awards, often called the Oscars of the food world. This release is the “long list,” with the finalists to be announced on March 27 in Houston before the awards ceremony on May 6 in Chicago. Though this longer selection will still be twice culled, it’s a good look at which restaurants and chefs are making waves nationally. Related Here Are the 2019 James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists Below is the who made semifinalist list in NYC. Best New Restaurant Adda Indian Canteen, NYC Atomix, NYC Frenchette, NYC Outstanding Baker Umber Ahmad, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, NYC Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, NYC Outstanding Bar Program Dead Rabbit, NYC Leyenda, Brooklyn, NY Outstanding Chef Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY Outstanding Pastry Chef Zoe Kanan, Simon & the Whale, NYC Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC Outstanding Restaurant Balthazar, NYC Sagami, Collingswood, NJ SriPraPhai, NYC Outstanding Restaurateur Alex Raij and Eder Montero, NYC (La Vara, Txikito, Saint Julivert Fisherie, and others) Jason Wang, Xi’an Famous Foods, NYC Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson) Outstanding Service Chef Vola’s, Atlantic City, NJ Outstanding Wine Program Cote, NYC Ops, Brooklyn, NY Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer Nancy Irelan, Red Tail Ridge Winery, Penn Yan, NY Jordan Salcito, Ramona, NYC Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Joey Baldino, Zeppoli, Collingswood, NJ Randy Forrester, Osteria Radici, Allentown, NJ Dan Richer, Razza Pizza Artigianale, Jersey City, NJ Best Chef: New York City Cosme Aguilar, Casa Enrique Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit Rawia Bishara, Tanoreen, Brooklyn, NY Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy Billy Durney, Hometown Bar-B-Que, Brooklyn, NY Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger Joseph “JJ” Johnson, Henry at Life Hotel Sohui Kim, Insa, Brooklyn, NY Josh Ku and Trigg Brown, Win Son, Brooklyn, NY Angie Mar, Beatrice Inn Kyo Pang, Kopitiam Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, NY Ann Redding and Matt Danzer, Uncle Boons Daniela Soto-Innes, Atla Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske, Wildair Alex Stupak, Empellón Midtown Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito, Don Angie Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, Via Carota Helen You, Dumpling Galaxy, Queens, NY Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Foundation Awards.