The James Beard Awards semifinalists were announced this morning and, in what has become a frustrating truism each year, Los Angeles was not nearly as well represented as it should have been. Still, a few restaurants and chefs received some well deserved nods, including Maude and Petit Trois for Best New Restaurant, and Margarita Manzke for Outstanding Pastry Chef. There were some surprises—Ari Taymor was considered a Rising Star Chef of the Year, despite having achieved national recognition in 2013—as well as the all-too-predictable appearances by Lucques, Providence and A.O.C. I love The Varnish as much as the next person, but LA's cocktail scene has been growing in leaps and bounds, and there are certainly some other bars that could have been recognized—with Julian Cox being involved in almost every other bar project this year, I'm surprised one of his programs didn't garnish a nomination.
I'm most excited about Zach Pollack making this list, because the cooking that he is doing at Alimento is exciting, innovative and consistent, and he certainly deserves more kudos for it. And if you've had the omelette at Petit Trois, you may understand why a small French bistro in a Hollywood strip mall is up for best new restaurant.
Here is the list of Los Angeles restaurants, bars and chefs that made the cut:
Best New Restaurant:
Maude
Petit Trois (Trois Mec, Lefebvre's other restaurant, was a semifinalist in this category last year)
Outstanding Bar Program:
The Varnish (was a semifinalist in the same category last year)
Outstanding Chef:
Suzanne Goin, Lucques (Goin was a finalist in this category last year, and so was Nancy Silverton, who won the award)
Outstanding Pastry Chef:
Margarita Manzke, Rèpublique
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza (was a finalist in this same category last year)
Oustanding Service:
Lucques (was a semifinalist in this same category last year)
Providence (was a semifinalist in this same category last year)
Outstanding Wine Program:
A.O.C.
Spago
Rising Star Chef of the Year:
Zach Pollack, Alimento
Ari Taymor, Alma
Best Chef: West:
Josef Centeno, Orsa & Winston (was a finalist in this same category last year for Bäco Mercat)
Michael Cimarusti, Providence (was a finalist in this same category last year)
Chad Colby, Chi Spacca (Chi Spacca was a semifinalist for best new restaurant last year)
Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon
Ludo Lefebvre, Trois Mec (was a finalist in this same category last year)
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal (was a finalist in this same category last year)
What do you think of the semifinalists? Who do you think deserved their nomination, and who do you think was snubbed? Let us know in the comments below.