The James Beard Foundation has announced its nominees for the 26th annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Nominees in nearly 60 categories were announced in the Foundation’s various awards programs, including Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant Design, Book, Broadcast & Journalism, and Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America: a select group of renowned culinary professionals who have made a significant and unique contribution to the American food and beverage industry.
The James Beard Awards Gala will take place at Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 2, 2016. During the event, which is open to the public, awards in the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design categories will be handed out, along with special achievement awards, including Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, and America’s Classics. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and beverage professionals from across the country.
Read on for Los Angeles restaurants and chefs named to the list of James Beard Awards finalists, shown in bold.
To view the full list of this year’s semifinalists, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
Outstanding Chef
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Eligible candidates must have been working as a chef for the past five years.
- Sean Brock, Husk, Nashville
- Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
- Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
- Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
- Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco
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 a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
- Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
- Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
- Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
- Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
- Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC
- Jennifer Yee, Lafayette, NYC
BEST CHEFS: WEST
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.
- Matthew Accarrino, SPQR, San Francisco
- Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
- Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
- Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, CA
- Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
- Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles
Outstanding Restaurant Design Award: 75 Seats and Under
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since Jan. 1, 2013.
Firm: Demian Repucci Design
Designer: Demian Repucci
Project: Bruno, NYC
Designers: Jeff Guga, Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo, and Helen Johannesen
Project: Jon & Vinny’s, Los Angeles
Firm: Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Designers: Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Collaboration with Cooper Robertson
Project: Untitled, NYC
2016 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
For books published in English in 2015. Winners will be announced on April 26, 2016.
Cooking from a Professional Point of View
Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California
Travis Lett
(Chronicle Books)
NOPI: The Cookbook
Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully
(Ten Speed Press)
This Is Camino
Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain
(Ten Speed Press)
2016 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards
For articles published in English in 2015. Winners will be announced on April 26, 2016.
Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication
Garden & Gun
David DiBenedetto and Phillip Rhodes
GQ
Brendan Vaughan
Los Angeles Magazine
Lesley Bargar Suter and Bill Esparza