CT's Semifinalists for 'Oscars of Food Industry' Didn't Make Finalist List

Three chefs in Connecticut who were named semifinalists for the James Beard Awards did not make the finalist cut announced on Tuesday.

The James Beard Awards are frequently called the most prominent awards in the restaurant professions, at least in the United States.

No other Connecticut chefs were semifinalists, although Michel Nischan, president and co-founder of Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit organization that helps people get food grown nearer to them, was previously named the “James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year” for 2015.

This year’s 20 semifinalists for “Best Chef Northeast” included three from Connecticut: Tyler Anderson of Millwright’s in Simsbury, Bill Taibe of The Whelk and Kawa Ni in Westport, and Joel Viehland of Community Table in Washington, CT.

Three of the five chefs named finalists for that award are from the Boston area, the other two work in Portland, ME. (The Northeast region for the James Beard awards includes New England and New York state outside of New York City.)

Anderson, chief chef and owner of Millwright’s restaurant in Simsbury, has dreamed of getting a James Beard Foundation Chef of the Year Award since he was a teenager. This year was the second time he made the semifinalist list.

“It’s our Oscars,” he said in a recent interview. “It’s an award by your peers.”

Photo (contributed): Tyler Anderson, chief chef and owner of Millwright’s restaurant in Simsbury.