Houston James Beard Semifinalists Include Ortega, Horiuchi, And Pass & Provisions Duo

The James Beard Foundation released its 2017 Chef and Restaurant Award Semifinalists list earlier today, and Houston received its usual share of love from the Manhattan-based organization.

Mainstays Hugo Ortega (Hugo's), Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan (The Pass), and Manabu Horiuch (Kata Robata) once again made the cut for Best Chef Southwest, and are joined by Anita Jaisinghani (who returns to this category after a four-year absence, this time for Pondicheri) and first-timer Jianyun Ye (Mala Sichuan Bistro).

Tracy Vaught, of H Town Restaurant Group, which operates Hugo's, Caracol, Backstreet Cafe, Prego, and Xochi, received another nomination in the Outstanding Restaurateur category, and Anvil Bar & Refuge returns to vie for the Outstanding Bar Program award.

William Wright, the chef at Heights restaurant Arthur Ave., was nominated as a Rising Star Chef of the Year, which recognizes an individual "age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come."

Houston came up short again in the Outstanding Wine Program and Outstanding Chef, and Outstanding Restaurant categories, but got a nod in the Outstanding Service roster (Hugo's).

Other Texas restaurants and chefs nominated this year include Flora Cafe (Dallas) in the Best New Restaurant category, and Omar Flores (Casa Rubio, Dallas), Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Austin), Teiichi Sakurai (Tee-An Soba House (Dallas), John Tesar (Knife, Dallas), and David Uygar (Lucia, Dallas) in the Best Chef Southwest category.

The finalists will be announced on March 15, and the awards ceremony takes place in Chicago on May 1.

— Image courtesy James Beard Foundation