1 NH Restaurant Has Been Nominated For A 2025 James Beard Award

NEW HAMPSHIRE — The culinary scene in the Granite State is not well-represented in the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees announced Wednesday by the James Beard Foundation.

This year was an important milestone for the James Beard Foundation: It’s the 35th anniversary of the awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors. Awards will be presented in 25 categories this year with an expanded focus on cocktail and beverage service.

Only one New Hampshire eatery was nominated: Super Secret Ice Cream, a bakery in Bethlehem, which was a semifinalist in January.

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.

Lee Frank of Otis Restaurant of Exeter and Nicole Nocella of Stalk in Dover were also semifinalists but did not make it to the finals. In 2024, Chris Viaud of Greenleaf and Ansanm in Milford and Pavilion, Wolfeboro, was a semifinalist for outstanding restaurateur, while Kristina Zontini of Super Secret Ice Cream was nominated for outstanding pastry chef or baker and Frank was in the semis for best chef in the Northeast. Viaud made it to the final nomination in 2024, too.

Winners will be announced on June 16 in a ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.