James Beard Award Sees 20 NYC Chefs Battling To Be Named Best

NEW YORK – A battle of the chefs is being waged by 20 New York City cooks who are in the running to be crowned the city's best by the James Beard Award.

The impressive number of food creators were listed as semifinalists for the awards – sometimes referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world. The list was announced Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Along with the best chefs, New York City has contenders in prize categories including best new restaurants, outstanding bars and amazing bakers.

Here are the semifinalists from NYC by category:

Best Chef: New York City

• Cosme Aguilar, Casa Enrique
• Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit
• Rawia Bishara, Tanoreen, Brooklyn, NY
• Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy
• Billy Durney, Hometown Bar-B-Que, Brooklyn, NY
• Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko
• Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger
• Joseph “JJ” Johnson, Henry at Life Hotel
• Sohui Kim, Insa, Brooklyn, NY
• Josh Ku and Trigg Brown, Win Son, Brooklyn, NY
• Angie Mar, Beatrice Inn
• Kyo Pang, Kopitiam
• Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, NY
• Ann Redding and Matt Danzer, Uncle Boons
• Daniela Soto-Innes, Atla
• Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske, Wildair
• Alex Stupak, Empellón Midtown
• Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito, Don Angie
• Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, Via Carota
• Helen You, Dumpling Galaxy, Queens, NY

Best New Restaurant

• Adda Indian Canteen, NYC
• Atomix, NYC
• Frenchette, NYC

Outstanding Baker

• Umber Ahmad, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, NYC
• Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, NYC

Outstanding Bar Program

• Dead Rabbit, NYC
• Leyenda, Brooklyn, NY

Outstanding Chef

Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY

Outstanding Pastry Chef

• Zoe Kanan, Simon & the Whale, NYC
• Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant

• Balthazar, NYC
• SriPraPhai, NYC

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Alex Raij and Eder Montero, NYC (La Vara, Txikito, Saint Julivert Fisherie, and others)
• Jason Wang, Xi'an Famous Foods, NYC

Outstanding Wine Program

• Cote, NYC
• Ops, Brooklyn

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer

• Jordan Salcito, Ramona, NYC

The final winners will be announced during a press conference in Houston on Wednesday, March 27. It will be hosted by James Beard Award–winning chef Hugo Ortega at his namesake Mexican restaurant, Hugo’s.

The James Beard Foundation solicits entries for the awards in mid-October of each year. They are reviewed by the Restaurant and Chef Committee to determine eligibility and regional representation, and are then voted on by more than 600 judges from across the country to determine the final nominees.

The same group of judges, which is comprised of leading regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, culinary educators, and past James Beard Award winners, then votes on the nominees to select the winners.

Click here for the complete list of semifinalists.