Yesterday The James Beard Foundation announced the final nominees for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards. Did you or any of your colleagues make the cut?
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, Jardiničre, 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 Gisčle 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
Outstanding Restaurant Design
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2008
Design Firm: Aidlin Darling Design
Designers: Joshua Aidlin, Roslyn Cole, and David Darling
Project: Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Design Firm: Bestor Architecture
Designers: Barbara Bestor, John Colter, and Cathy Johnson
Project: Pitfire Pizza, Los Angeles
Design Firm: Natoma Architects Inc.
Designer: Stanley Saitowitz
Project: Toast, Novato, CA
Outstanding Restaurant Graphics
For the best restaurant graphics executed in North America since January 1, 2008
Design Firm: Katie Barcelona
Designer: Katie Barcelona
Project: L’Artusi, NYC
Design Firm: Love and War
Designer: Katie Tully
Project: The National Bar & Dining Rooms, NYC
Design Firm: JNL Graphic Design
Designers: Donald Madia and Jason Pickleman
Project: The Publican, Chicago