Porter Beer Bar Semifinalist for James Beard Foundation Award

The James Beard Foundation­ — a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of America’s culinary culture­– has announced the semifinalists for its 2013 Restaurant and Chef Awards, and a couple East Atlanta area restaurants and chefs were noted for their greatness.

Little Five Points' The Porter Beer Bar made the cut as a semifinalist for the country's most Outstanding Bar Program.

Todd Richards of The Shed at Glenwood in Grant Park was noted as one of the best chefs in the Southeast.

Other Atlanta-area restaurants and chefs JBF semifinalists include:

• Holeman & Finch Public House, Outstanding Bar Program
• Bacchanalia, Outstanding Service
• Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia, Outstanding Chef
• Aaron Russell of Buckhead’s Restaurant Eugene, Outstanding Pastry Chef
• Miller Union's Steven Satterfield, Best Chef in Southeast
• Billy Allin of Decatur’s Cakes & Ale, Best Chef in Southeast

Westside’s Cardamom Hill was the only Atlanta restaurant to be recognized as one of the country’s best new restaurants.

Chef Ford Fry of Westside’s The Optimist and JCT. Kitchen and Decatur’s No. 246 was named an outstanding restauranteur, along with Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol, with a location on Cheshire Bridge Road and one on Howell Mill Road.

The 2013 James Beard Foundation Award nominees will be announced on March 18, and the JBF Awards will be presented in New York City in May 3 and 6.