The 2018 James Beard Award Finalists: View The Full List
The finalists for the 2018 James Beard Awards were announced March 14 to honor American culinary achievement in categories ranging from Outstanding Baker to Best (regional) Chefs to Rising Star Chef of the Year. The 2018 James Beard Awards Gala will take place May 7 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The foundation will also present the annual James Beard Media Awards, which include categories for radio, television broadcast, podcasts, webcasts, and documentaries. That ceremony will be held April 27 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
The list of restaurant and chef award nominees can be found below, as well as on the James Beard Foundation website.
Best New Restaurant
The Charter Oak, St. Helena CA
Empellón Midtown, NYC
Felix Trattoria, Venice CA
JuneBaby, Seattle
Kismet, Los Angeles
Outstanding Baker
Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels, NYC
Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn NY
Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Café, Cambridge MA
Belinda Leong and Michel Suas: B. Patisserie, San Francisco
Alison Pray: Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME
Greg Wade: Publican Quality Bread, Chicago
Outstanding Bar Program
Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Clyde Common, Portland OR
Cure, New Orleans
Kimball House, Decatur GA
Trick Dog, San Francisco
Outstanding Chef
Ashley Christensen, Poole's Diner, Raleigh NC
Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos CA
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood | St. Helena CA
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans
Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham AL
Diane Yang, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
Outstanding Restaurant
Balthazar, NYC
Canlis, Seattle
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder CO
Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham AL
Quince, San Francisco
Outstanding Restaurateur
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group (Boka; GT Fish & Oyster; Girl & the Goat and others), Chicago
JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline), New Orleans
Ken Oringer (Uni; Little Donkey; Toro; and others), Boston
Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group (Lucques; a.o.c.; Tavern and others), Los Angeles
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork; High Street on Market; High Street on Hudson and others), Philadelphia
Outstanding Service
Boka, Chicago
Saison, San Francisco
Zahav, Philadelphia
Zingerman's Delicatessen, Ann Arbor MI
Zuni Café, San Francisco
Outstanding Wine Program
a.o.c., Los Angeles
Bacchanal, New Orleans
Benu, San Francisco
FIG, Charleston SC
The Little Nell, Aspen CO
Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional
Cathy Corison (Corison Winery, St. Helena CA)
Diane Flynt (Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur VA)
Miljenko Grgich (Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford CA)
Steve Matthiasson (Matthiasson Wines, Napa CA)
Lance Winters (St. George Spirits, Alameda CA)
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Camille Cogswell (Zahav, Philadelphia)
Clare de Boer (King, NYC)
Sarah Rinkavage (Marisol, Chicago)
Miles Thompson (Michael's, Santa Monica CA)
Kevin Tien, Himitsu (Washington D.C.)
Best Chef: Great Lakes
Andrew Brochu (Roister, Chicago)
Abraham Conlon (Fat Rice, Chicago)
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark (Parachute, Chicago)
David Posey and Anna Posey (Elske, Chicago)
Lee Wolen (Boka, Chicago)
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Amy Brandwein (Centrolina, Washington D.C.)
Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint, Washington D.C.)
Rich Landau (Vedge, Philadelphia)
Jeremiah Langhorne (The Dabney, Washington D.C.)
Cindy Wolf (Charleston, Baltimore)
Best Chef: Midwest
Karen Bell (Bavette La Boucherie, Milwaukee)
Steven Brown (Tilia, Minneapolis)
Justin Carlisle (Ardent, Milwaukee)
Gavin Kaysen (Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis)
Ann Kim (Young Joni, Minneapolis)
Best Chef: New York City
Amanda Cohen (Dirt Candy)
Ignacio Mattos (Estela)
Missy Robbins (Lilia)
Alex Stupak (Empellón Midtown)
Jody Williams (Buvette Gastrothèque)
Best Chef: Northeast
Karen Akunowicz (Myers + Chang, Boston)
Tiffani Faison (Tiger Mama, Boston)
Tony Messina (Uni, Boston)
Cassie Piuma (Sarma, Somerville MA)
Benjamin Sukle (Oberlin, Providence)
Best Chef: Northwest
Edouardo Jordan (Salare, Seattle)
Katy Millard (Coquine, Portland OR)
Bonnie Morales (Kachka, Portland OR)
Justin Woodward (Castagna, Portland OR)
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi (Joule, Seattle)
Best Chef: South
Vishwesh Bhatt (Snackbar, Oxford MS)
Nina Compton (Compère Lapin, New Orleans)
Jose Enrique (Jose Enrique, San Juan PR)
Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus (Coquette, New Orleans)
Brad Kilgore (Alter, Miami)
Slade Rushing (Brennan's, New Orleans)
Best Chef: Southeast
Mashama Bailey (The Grey, Savannah GA)
Katie Button (Nightbell, Asheville NC)
Cassidee Dabney (The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland TN)
Rodney Scott (Rodney Scott's BBQ, Charleston SC)
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis)
Best Chef: Southwest
Michael Fojtasek (Olamaie, Austin)
Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Austin)
Steve McHugh (Cured, San Antonio)
Martín Rios (Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe NM)
Alex Seidel (Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver)
Best Chef: West
Michael Cimarusti (Providence, Los Angeles)
Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn, San Francisco)
Jeremy Fox (Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica CA)
Jessica Koslow (Sqirl, Los Angeles)
Travis Lett (Gjelina, Venice CA)
For the record: This article was first published on March 14 at 11:32 am ET and due to an editing error, originally listed the 2018 James Beard Award Foundation semi-finalists which were announced Feb. 15. It has since been corrected to list the 2018 James Beard Award finalists.