Just as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science announced its Oscar Nominees Jan. 24, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2023 Sem-Finalists. Jan. 25, 2023. The JB nominees included those from the usual places such as Denver, CO; LA and San Francisco, CA; and Washington D.C. But there were also people and places from such outposts as Wickman House in Ellison Bay, WI and an old favorite, Brennans of New Orleans, LA. For the complete list visit James Beard semifinalists. Final nominees will be named March 29. Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Look below to see if a restaurant or chef was nominated near where you live. Semifinalists are arranged by category and state.
Outstanding Chef
Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café, Phoenix, AZ
David Nayfeld, Che Fico, San Francisco and Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction and Dana Rodriguez, Super Mega Bien, Denver, CO
Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
Michael Schwartz, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami, FL
Andrew Le, The Pig and the Lady, Honolulu, HI
Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans, LA
Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, MA
Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI
Johnny Leach, The Town Company, Kansas City, MO
Greg Collier, Leah & Louise, Charlotte, NC
David Vargas, Vida Cantina, Portsmouth, NH
Shigeru Fukuyoshi, Sagami, Collingswood, NJ
Eder Montero and Alex Raij, La Vara, and Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, both Brooklyn, NY
Christine Ha and Tony J. Nguyen, Xin Chào, Houston and Junior Borges, Meridian, Dallas, TX
Renee Erickson, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle, WA
Outstanding Restaurant
Proper Meats + Provisions, Flagstaff, AZ
Cassia, Santa Monica, and Mourad, San Francisco, CA
Cora Cora, West Hartford, CT
RIS, Washington, D.C.
Ariete, Miami, FL
The Grey, Savannah, GA
Smyth, Chicago, IL
Brennan’s, New Orleans, LA
PAGU, Cambridge and Red Rose Restaurant, Lowell, MA
Veselka, New York and Via Carota, both New York, NY
Mita’s, Cincinnati, OH
Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
La Condesa, Austin and Lucia, Dallas, TX
Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, Boulder, UT
Copine, Seattle, WA
Wickman House, Ellison Bay, WI
Emerging Chef
Christian Lowe, Shift Kitchen & Bar, Flagstaff, AZ
Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, Cafe Ohlone, Berkeley and Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles, CA
Bo Porytko, Misfit SnackBar, Denver, CO
Elias Taddesse, Mélange, Washington, D.C.
Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago, IL
Akino West, Rosie’s, Miami, FL
Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
Vinh Le, Cicada Coffee Bar, Cambridge, MA
Amado Lopez, Casa Amado Taqueria, Berkley, MI
Kane Adkisson, kanō, Omaha, NE
Telly Justice, HAGS, and Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, both New York, NY
Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA
Bernard Bennett, Ọkàn, Bluffton, SC
Julio Hernandez, Maiz de la Vida, Nashville, TN
Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & Co., Houston and Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Best Quality Daughter, San Antonio, TX
Kevin Smith, Beast & Cleaver, Seattle, WA
Jamie Hoang, Ahan, Madison, WI
Best New Restaurant
Pizza Grace, Birmingham, AL
Birch & Rye, San Francisco, Pijja Palace and Yangban Society both Los Angeles, CA
The Friar’s Fork, Alamosa, CO
Bar Spero, and Causa, Washington, D.C.
Nami Kaze, Honolulu, HI
Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining, and Obélix, both Chicago, IL
La Royal, Cambridge, MA
Wolfpeach, Camden, ME
Sambou’s African Kitchen, Jackson, MS
The Backporch, Roundup, MT
Heff’s Burger Club, Winston-Salem and Neng Jr.’s, Asheville, NC
Al Coro, and Dept of Culture, both New York, NY plus KRU, Brooklyn and Stissing House, Pine Plains, NY
Nolia, Cincinnati, OH
Et Al., Tulsa, OK
Kann, Portland and ōkta, McMinnville, OR
Heavy Metal Sausage Co., Philadelphia, PA
Don Artemio, Fort Worth, Restaurant Beatrice and Tatsu, Dallas, and Tatemó, Houston, TX
Lupi & Iris, Milwaukee, WI
For bakery, bar and other categories visit James Beard Awards
