2 Mystic Chefs Are James Beard Awards Nominees

MYSTIC, CT — The culinary scene in Connecticut is well-represented in the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees announced Wednesday by the James Beard Foundation.

Connecticut nominees are:

• Reneé Touponce of The Port of Call in Mystic in the Outstanding Chef category
• David Standridge of The Shipwright's Daughter in the Best Chef in the Northeast category

The James Beard Awards, first presented in 1991, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries and are often regarded as the “Oscars of culinary arts.” They recognize a range of experiences, from fine-dining restaurants to casual gems, in 22 categories.
Winners will be announced June 10 in a ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees are recognized across 22 categories.

Touponce was a finalist for the award last year and was named Chef of the Year at the Connecticut Restaurant Association's 2022 CRazies Awards.

Touponce's "inventive, locally-sourced, sustainable cuisine, pays homage to the rich, coastal heritage of New England, investigating the ingredients of her region of Mystic and surrounding communities..." according to her bio.

Standridge is executive chef at The Shipwright's Daughter, a "sea to table restaurant focusing on sustainable local seafood," according to his bio. He was also nominated as Chef of the Year at the Connecticut Restaurant Association's 2022 CRazies Awards.