3 Milwaukee Chefs Are Finalists For The 2022 James Beard Award

MILWAUKEE, WI — Three Milwaukee chefs made it to the final round in the James Beard Foundation's 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards, the foundation announced on Wednesday.

Here are the three of the best Milwaukee chefs in the Midwest and their restaurants, according to the foundation.

• Dane Baldwin, The Diplomat
• Karen Bell, Bavette La Boucherie
• Gregory León, Amilinda

Baldwin had worked in the food service since he was 15, according to Tastemade. His first restaurant was Gil's Cafe, where he started as a prep cook and eventually ran the kitchen.

Bell has 15 years of professional cooking experience and took culinary influences from places like Chicago, San Francisco, Paris, Madrid, and Caracas, according to Tastemade.

León owns and operates Amilinda in Milwaukee's downtown, the restaurant website said. He's spent 18 years cooking in San Francisco and had a few stints in Madrid, but now he cooks in Milwaukee every night.

Previously, nine Milwaukee restaurants and chefs were on the semifinalist list. Now the number has been cut down to three.

Some names had to be removed from the semifinalist list due to closures and one name was added because it was omitted "due to clerical error," the foundation said. Changes to criteria were based on what competitors were most diverse, across race, gender, geography, styles of service and styles of cuisine.

Awards go to restaurants, chefs and bars that display excellent food, atmosphere, hospitality and contributions to their community, the foundation said. Winners will be announced on June 13, 2022.

This is the first chef and restaurateur competition the James Beard Foundation has held since 2020.

Solly's Grille, a butter burger joint in Glendale, won the 2022 America's Classics award from the foundation in February 2022.

See Also: Solly's Grille Receives 'America's Classics' James Beard Award