31 NYC Restaurants, Chefs Named 2024 James Beard Semifinalists

NEW YORK CITY — In a city overflowing with good food, 31 celebrated New York City chefs and restaurants have risen to the top of the food chain.

The James Beard Foundation on Wednesday announced its semifinalists for 2024 awards — and, as usual, New York City landed a huge number of restaurants and chefs in the running.

Some standout cooks and hot spots could win big in categories recognizing outstanding chefs, standout new restaurants, great baked goods, best newcomer chefs and outstanding restaurateur.

Repeat award-winners landed on the James Beard Foundation's shortlist, including Upper West Side Afro-Caribbean eatery Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, which was also named among the country's top 50 restaurants in 2023.

Superiority Burger is also in the running for James Beard's outstanding restaurant category — just another nod in the cap for the East Village eatery that also landed on Michelin Guide's 2023 ranking of best value eats.

The James Beard Foundation awards, sometimes known as the “Oscars of food,” are among the nation’s most prestigious culinary honors — and New York City consistently lands chefs and restaurants in the ranks.

Just last year, Atomix chef Junghyun Park took the James Beard award for best chef. Seven New York City restaurants and chefs were finalists for James Beard nods in 2023, including Amanda Cohen of Dirty Candy and Nasim Alikhani of Brooklyn's Sofreh.

Check out the full list of nominated NYC eateries:

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Bryan Chuntan and Pei Wei, Zaab Zaab & Zaab Zaab Talay, Queens & Brooklyn.
• Ravi DeRossi, Overthrow Hospitality: Cadence (East Village), Etéra (East Village), Avant Garden (East Village)

Outstanding Chef

• Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit, Midtown.
• Dan Kluger, Loring Place, Greenwich Village.

Outstanding Restaurant

• Superiority Burger, East Village.

Emerging Chef

• Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar, Chelsea.

Best New Restaurant

• Foul Witch, East Village.
• Foxface Natural, East Village.
• Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, Upper West Side.

Outstanding Bakery

• Make My Cake, Harlem.

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

• Eunji Lee, Lysée, Flatiron.
• Camari Mich, The Musket Room, Lower Manhattan.

Outstanding Hospitality

• Melba's, Harlem.

Outstanding Wine & Other Beverages

• COTE, Flatiron.

Outstanding Bar

• All Night Skate, Brooklyn, NY
• Double Chicken Please, Bowery.

Best Chef, New York State

• Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
• Mary Attea, Musket Room, New York, NY
• Ayo Balogun, Dept of Culture, Brooklyn, NY
• Calvin Eng, Bonnie's, Brooklyn, NY
• Aretah Ettarh, Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY
• Charles Gabriel, Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, New York, NY
• Luis Herrera, Ensenada, Brooklyn, NY
• JJ Johnson, FieldTrip, New York, NY
• Telly Justice, HAGS, New York, NY
• Atsushi Kono, Kono, New York, NY
• Charlie Mitchell, Cloverhill, Brooklyn, NY
• Scarr Pimentel, Scarr’s Pizza, New York, NY
• Jeremy Salamon, Agi's Counter, Brooklyn, NY
• Hillary Sterling, Ci Siamo, New York, NY
• Ed Szymanski, Lord's, New York, NY

The James Beard Foundation recognizes eateries and chefs who create exceptional food, food media content, and better food systems, the organization said. They also demonstrate a commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

"We are thrilled for the return of the James Beard Awards—recognizing the outstandingly talented leaders making their mark on American food,” Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, said in a news release.

See also: These Are The Best Restaurants In America, According To Tourists

The restaurant and chef awards celebrate excellence from a wide variety of eateries and experiences, from fine-dining establishments to casual gems, and emerging talents to established luminaries.

The awards were established in 1990 and first awarded in 1991 — and this year marks the third since the organization made sweeping changes following a 2021 audit to address longstanding bias.

This article was edited at 2:35 p.m. to reflect the correct number and names of New York City semifinalists.