2012 James Beard Award Semifinalists
We want to congratulate all of the James Beard Foundation semifinalists in the 2012 Restaurant and Chef Awards categories, including Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Bar Program, Outstanding Chef and Rising Star.
Specifically, we'd like to shout out the chefs and restaurant pros we've featured over the past year on Food Republic. Here are some of those stories so you can familiarize yourself with the contenders:
Our crack pie dealer Christina Tosi told us about winning the job at Momofuku Ssam. And her Halloween candy bag.
Mozza's Nancy Silverton had a correction to make in her award-winning cookbook.
A visit with the chefs at Nashville's white-hot Catbird Seat.
Sampling the Pimientos de Padrón at New York's Tertulia.
Marc Vetri details a bloody kitchen injury.
Mile End owner Noah Bernamoff is one matzo baller.
PDT owner Jim Meehan told us how to pack booze for the beach.
Sean Brock, chef at Husk in Charleston, SC, shared his recipe for PBR vinegar.
Eleven Madison Park chef Daniel Humm is a marathon man, in for the long haul. Plus, a video about his last supper.
Best New Restaurant
AQ, San Francisco
The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis
Bistronomic, Chicago
The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
The Dorrance, Providence, RI
The Farm and Fisherman, Philadelphia
Fiola, Washington, D.C.
Harvest, Louisville, KY
Isa, NYC
Little Serow, Washington, D.C.
The Macintosh, Charleston, SC
MB Post, Manhattan Beach, CA
Next, Chicago
Ollie Irene, Mountain Brook, AL
Park Tavern, San Francisco
Petite Jacqueline, Portland, ME
Picca, Los Angeles
Pistou, Burlington, VT
Pondicheri, Houston
Restaurant 1833, Monterey, CA
Salt, St. Louis
ShinBay, Scottsdale, AZ
Tashan, Philadelphia
Tertulia, NYC
Trade, Boston
Tremont, NYC
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, Miami Beach, FL
Outstanding Bar Program
Arnaud's French 75 Bar, New Orleans
The Aviary, Chicago
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Beretta, San Francisco
Clyde Common, Portland, OR
The Columbia Room, Washington, D.C.
Cook & Brown Public House, Providence, RI
Cure, New Orleans
Drink, Boston
The Esquire Tavern, San Antonio, TX
The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Philadelphia
High West Distillery & Saloon, Park City, UT
Holeman & Finch Public House, Atlanta
La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
The Old Fashioned, Madison, WI
PDT, NYC
Pegu Club, NYC
The Porter Beer Bar, Atlanta
PX, Alexandria, VA
Rivera, Los Angeles
Standard Tap, Philadelphia
The Violet Hour, Chicago
Outstanding Chef
Sean Brock, McCrady's, Charleston, SC
David Chang, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, NYC
Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, NYC
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago
Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago
Vitaly Paley, Paley's Place, Portland, OR
Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas
Frank Ruta, Palena, Washington, D.C.
Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston
Melissa Chou, Aziza, San Francisco
Patrick Fahy, Café des Architectes, Chicago
Ken Forkish, Ken's Artisan Bakery, Portland, OR
Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis
Hedy Goldsmith, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami
Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Cafe, Cambridge, MA
Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, Olivea, Denver
Lisa Lu, Jardinière, San Francisco
Tiffany MacIsaac, Birch & Barley, Washington, D.C.
Cheryl Maffai and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Ghaya Oliveira, Boulud Sud, NYC
Jessie Prawlucki, Fond / Belle Cakery, Philadelphia
Aaron Russell, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
Mindy Segal, Mindy's HotChocolate, Chicago
Philip Speer, Uchi, Austin, TX
Bob Truitt, Ai Fiori, NYC
Outstanding Restaurant
Balthazar, NYC
Blue Hill, NYC
Boulevard, San Francisco
Canlis, Seattle
Charleston, Baltimore
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Foreign Cinema, San Francisco
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
The Kitchen Restaurant, Sacramento, CA
Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC
Marcel's, Washington, D.C.
Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Patina, Los Angeles
Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas
Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis
Terra, St. Helena, CA
Tru, Chicago
Vetri, Philadelphia
Outstanding Restaurateur
Nick Badovinus, Flavor Hook, Dallas
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C.
Tom Baron and Bill Fuller, big Burrito Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh
Roger Berkowitz, Legal Sea Foods, Boston
Frank Bonanno, Bonanno Concepts, Denver
Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, NYC
Richard D'Amico and Larry D'Amico, D'Amico & Partners, Minneapolis
Jason Dady, Jason Dady Restaurants, San Antonio, TX
Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle
Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Scottsdale, AZ
Richard Gonzmart, Columbia Restaurant, Tampa, FL
Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta
Donnie Madia, One Off Hospitality, Chicago
Nick Pihakis, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL
Piero Selvaggio, Valentino Restaurant Group, Santa Monica, CA
Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia
Caroline Styne, Lucques/A.O.C./Tavern, Los Angeles
Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, NYC
Outstanding Service
Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court Hotel, Palm Beach, FL
Clancy's, New Orleans
The Compound, Santa Fe, NM
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Fountain Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, Philadelphia
The French Room at the Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
L'Espalier, Boston
La Grenouille, NYC
Manny's Steakhouse, Minneapolis
Michael Mina, San Francisco
Nopa, San Francisco
The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton, Louisville, KY
Picholine, NYC
Providence, Los Angeles
Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
Spiaggia, Chicago
Topolobampo, Chicago
Outstanding Wine Program
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX
Canlis, Seattle
Charleston, Baltimore
CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.
CUT at Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, CA
Emeril's New Orleans
Five and Ten, Athens, GA
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
Hatfield's, Los Angeles
No. 9 Park, Boston
Patina, Los Angeles
Perbacco, San Francisco
Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas
Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
Sepia, Chicago
Tria, Philadelphia
Troquet, Boston
Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional
Ron Cooper, Del Maguey, Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM
Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA
Greg Engert, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Alexandria, VA
Alex Golitzin, Quilceda Creek Vintners, Snohomish, WA
Paul Grieco, Terroir, NYC
Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Lance Hanson, Peak Spirits, Hotchkiss, CO
David Hirsch, Hirsch Vineyards, Cazadero, CA
Manfred Krankl, Sine Qua Non, Ventura, CA
Jim Koch, The Boston Beer Company, Boston
Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, OR
Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery, NYC
Jorge Ordoñez, Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA
Virginia Philip, Virginia Philip Wine Shop & Academy, West Palm Beach, FL
Neal Rosenthal, Mad Rose Group, Pine Plains, NY
Jörg Rupf, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA
Abe Schoener, The Scholium Project, Napa, CA
Eric Solomon, Eric Solomon Selections – European Cellars, Charlotte, NC
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Noah Bernamoff, Mile End, NYC
Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco
Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume, Omaha, NE
Joe Cicala, Le Virtù, Philadelphia
Preston Clark, El Paseo, Mill Valley, CA
Chad Colby, Mozza2Go, Los Angeles
Joshua Drew, Farmshop, Santa Monica, CA
Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin, TX
Grant Gordon, Tony's, Houston
Emma Hearst, Sorella, NYC
Matthew Kirkley, L2O, Chicago
Casey Lane, The Tasting Kitchen, Venice, CA
Aaron London, Ubuntu, Napa, CA
Sara Lukasiewicz, Red Devon, Bangall, NY
Thomas McNaughton, flour + water, San Francisco
JD Morton, Domaine Hudson, Wilmington, DE
David Posey, Blackbird, Chicago
Jesse Schenker, Recette, NYC
Lee Styer, Fond, Philadelphia
Benjamin Sukle, The Dorrance, Providence, RI
Max Sussman, Roberta's, NYC
Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC
Jarrod Verbiak, DB Bistro Moderne at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami
Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis
Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn, Lummi Island, WA
Micah Wexler, Mezze, Los Angeles
Kris Yenbamroong, Talésai, West Hollywood, CA
Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's, New Orleans