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.