Restaurants & Bars
Long Island Chef Named James Beard Award Semifinalist
Eric Gao, the chef at O Mandarin in Hicksville, is in the running to be named the best chef in New York state.
HICKSVILLE, NY — The chef of a new restaurant in Hicksville is in the running for the "Oscars of the food world."
The James Beard Foundation announced Wednesday its slate of semifinalists for the 2022 James Beard Awards for restaurants and chefs. The foundation will announce its finalists in March and celebrate winners with a ceremony in June, according to the organization.
Among the nominees is Eric Gao, the chef at O Mandarin, which has locations in Hicksville and Hartsdale. Gao was nominated in the "Best Chef: New York State" category.
Find out what's happening in Hicksvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The 2022 slate of nominees is likely one of the most diverse in the foundation's three-decade history given new categories meant to address biases, according to Eater. The new categories include an "emerging chef" award and newly configured regional best chef categories aimed at expanding the geographic diversity of winners, according to the outlet.
Find a full list of the semifinalists here.
Find out what's happening in Hicksvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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