The James Beard Foundation announced its 2020 Semifinalists, Feb. 26. The final nominees will be announced March 25 with the award recipients named at a gala May 4, 2020..
But even named as a semi-finalist brings honor to the person and establishment.
The categories range from Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Baker, Outstanding Bar Program, Outstanding Hospitality, Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Pastry Chef to Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Restauranteur, Outstanding Wine Program, Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Producer and Rising Chef of the Year.
In addition, the JB Foundation has a Best Chef award for these regions: California; Great Lakes ( IL IN, MI OH); Mid-Atlantic (D.C. DE, MD, NJ, PA, V A); Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI); Mountain (CO, ID, MT,UT, WY); New York State; Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT); Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA); South (Al, AR, Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS); Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV); Southwest (AZ, NM,NV, OK) and Texas.
Plus, the Foundation gives awards to Media and for Restaurant Design.
The final nominee announcement will be March 25 at 9 a.m. ET. The awards gala is at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, May 4. For tickets and more information visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
For the complete list of semi-finalists see JamesBeard/2020 semifinalists. (Featured photo here is of the multi-award winning Boka Restaurant in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, just named as an Outstanding Restaurant nominee.)
