NEW YORK, NY (March 16, 2017) – The James Beard Foundation is proud to announce the nominees for the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. The nominees were announced today during a breakfast at a.o.c. in Los Angeles, California, hosted by Susan Ungaro, James Beard Foundation president; Mitchell Davis, executive vice-president; Emily Luchetti, chair of the James Beard Foundation’s Board of Trustees; Anne Quatrano, chair of the 2017 Awards committee; and Suzanne Goin, James Beard Award-winner and chef/owner of a.o.c.
“Our Foundation is thrilled to bring our nominees announcement to the dynamic food city of Los Angeles, home to over 25 chef and restaurant award winners,” said James Beard Foundation president Susan Ungaro. “We wish the nominees in all categories the best of luck at this year’s Awards ceremonies, and congratulate the winners in several categories announce for the first time today, including Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America and the 2017 Design Icon honoree.”
Winners of the 2017 James Beard Awards for the following nominees will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 1, 2017. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and beverage professionals from across the country.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and furthers the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program. All JBF Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.
The 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards are proudly hosted by Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association and presented in association with the Chicago Department of Aviation, HMSHost, Illinois Office of Tourism, and Mariano's as well as the following partners: Premier Sponsors: All-Clad Metalcrafters, American Airlines, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, True Refrigeration®; Supporting Sponsors: Breville®, Hyatt, Lavazza, Robert Mondavi Winery, Skuna Bay Salmon, Valrhona; Gala Reception Sponsors: Ecolab, Kendall College, Windstar Cruises; with additional support from: Chefwear, VerTerra Dinnerware.
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
