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Right after the conclusion best new restaurant season near and far, the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit “whose mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability,” announced its Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists on Wednesday, January 24. Most categories included twenty operations. NYC appeared 1-2 times in each category where it’s eligible, and, of course, several times more in its geographical Best Chef division.
In the Outstanding Restaurateur category, Zaab Zaab’s Bryan Chuntan and Pei Wei and Overthrow Hospitality’s Ravi DeRossi were named among 20 recognized operations. Chuntan and Wei’s Zaab Zaab was one of Time Out New York’s best new restaurants of 2022 and DeRossi’s Cadence was among the site’s top 2021 additions.
Aquavit’s Emma Bengtsson and Loring Place’s Dan Kluger took two of twenty slots in the Outstanding Chef category. Superiority Burger was the only NYC entry in the Outstanding Restaurant segment, although The DeBruce in the Catskills was also selected. Likewise, Hav & Mar’s Fariyal Abdullahi was the only local chef named on the Emerging Chef shortlist, though Buffalo, NY’s Ryan Fernandez of Southern Junction was also among honorees. Local picks for the Foundation’s own Best New Restaurants included three spots out of 30: Foul Witch, Foxface Natural and Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi. Make My Cake was the city’s sole Outstanding Bakery inclusion, but Hudson, NY’s Mel the Bakery also appeared. Lysée’s Eunji Lee and The Musket Room’s Camari Mick are both semifinalists for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
Melba was the only NYC spot listed for Outstanding Hospitality. Cote made Gotham’s only appearance in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program section, though Buffalo appeared again with its own Waxlight Bar à Vin.
The Outstanding Bar category, which can include any business “whose primary offering is beverage,” including coffee bars, listed All Night Skate and Double Chicken Please, which both skew boozy.
Best Chef contenders are separated by state or region, and two-thirds of New York’s were in the city. That entire list, as well as semifinalists in all categories from beyond New York City and State, are on the James Beard Foundation’s website.
Nominees in each of these categories will be announced on Wednesday, April 3. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on Monday, June 10.