JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION TO ANNOUNCE 2016 AWARD NOMINEES
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
New York, NY (February 10, 2016)
– The James Beard Foundation and the Presidio
Trust of San Francisco announced today that it will reveal the 2016
James Beard Foundation Award nominees at a live press conference in San
Francisco, California, on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at the Presidio
Officers’ Club. Nominees in more than 50 categories
in the Foundation’s awards programs – Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant
Design, Book, Broadcast, and Journalism – will be announced. The event
will take place at 9:00 A.M. PST / 12:00 P.M. EST.
“San
Francisco is home to over 40 James Beard Award–winning chefs and
restaurants. We’re delighted to be taking our 2016 JBF Award nominations
on the road to one of America’s great food cities,” said Susan
Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation.
“The
Presidio Trust is honored to host the announcement of finalists for
these prestigious awards, in partnership with the Golden
Gate Restaurant Association, San Francisco Travel, and the City of San
Francisco,” said Paula Collins, Presidio Trust board chair. “We look
forward to welcoming the James Beard Foundation and its honored guests
to the Presidio Officers’ Club—San Francisco’s
most historic building—to announce the nominees and enjoy the cuisine
of two-time James Beard award–winning chef, Traci Des Jardins.”
On
Monday, March 14, a Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner will be
hosted by chef David Barzelay at San Francisco’s Lazy Bear restaurant.
Lazy Bear, which opened in 2014, has emerged as one of San Francisco’s
top restaurants, earning a place on
Bon Appétit magazine’s “50 Best New Restaurants” list, one Michelin star, and three and a half stars from
San Francisco Chronicle critic Michael Bauer. A limited number of
tickets to this dining event, which will feature a unique, private
tasting menu and wine pairings, will go on sale on the Lazy Bear website
in mid-February.
Semifinalists for the Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards are selected from thousands of online entries, a process
that’s overseen by a committee of industry professionals. After the first round of voting by judges, committee members,
and previous winners, the semifinalists, which will be announced on Wednesday, February 17,
are then narrowed down to a final list of nominees, which will be
announced in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 15, along with nominees in
the Restaurant Design, Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards. The
nominees will also be announced live via the Foundation’s Twitter feed at
twitter.com/beardfoundation.
On
Tuesday, April 26, 2016, the James Beard Foundation Book, Broadcast
& Journalism Awards Dinner, an exclusive event honoring the
nation’s top cookbook authors, culinary broadcast producers and hosts,
and food journalists, will take place at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in
New York City.
The
James Beard Awards Gala will take place at Lyric Opera of Chicago on
Monday, May 2, 2016. During the event, which is open to the
public, awards for the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design
categories will be handed out, along with special achievement awards
including Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Who’s Who of
Food and Beverage in America, and America’s Classics.
A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and
beverage professionals from across the country.
Established
in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for
excellence and achievement in their fields and further
the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s
diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire.
Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry
professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the
policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective
Awards program. All JBF Award winners receive a certificate and a
medallion engraved with the James Beard Awards insignia. There are no
cash prizes.
The
2016 James Beard Awards nomination announcement and press conference is
presented in partnership with local partners: The Presidio
Trust, Fedele Bauccio & Bon Appétit Management Company, Traci Des
Jardins, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, San Francisco Travel,
Magnum PR, and the City of San Francisco.
The
2016 James Beard Awards are presented in association with HMSHost,
Lexus, and Mariano’s; and the following partners: Premier Sponsors:
All-Clad Metalcrafters, American Airlines, Lenox Tableware and Gifts,
True Refrigeration®; Supporting Sponsors: Acqua Panna® Natural Spring
Water, Breville, Goose Island Beer Company, Lavazza, S.Pellegrino®
Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Skuna Bay Salmon,
Valrhona; Gala Reception Sponsors: Braveheart Black Angus Beef® from
PERFORMANCE Foodservice, Ecolab, Groupon, Royal Caribbean International,
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts; with additional support from:
Chefwear, VerTerra Dinnerware, and Wisconsin Cheese.
The James Beard Foundation also gratefully acknowledges the generous
support of the Chicago Department of Aviation, Choose Chicago, and the
Illinois Restaurant Association.
About The James Beard Foundation
Founded
in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures, and honors
America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate
and inspire. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic
knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American
cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs
and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value
of wholesome, healthful, and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the
same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include
educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary
students, publications, chef advocacy training,
and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the
historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a
“performance space” for visiting chefs.
For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org. Get food news, recipes, and more at the James Beard Foundation’s blog. Follow
the James Beard Foundation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About The Presidio & Presidio Trust
The
Presidio Trust is a unique federal agency created to save the Presidio,
once a legendary U.S. Army post, and transform it into
a new kind of national park at San Francisco’s Golden Gate. Today,
after two decades of restoration of natural habitats and historic
buildings, the Presidio is home to the spectacular vistas, nature, and
programs that you would expect in a great national
park, plus much more. Hundreds of restored former military buildings
are now animated by more than 3,000 residents and 200
companies—including high tech start-ups, innovative non-profits and
others that offer a surprising mix of experiences. Visitors can
enjoy world-class museums, a spa, a rock-climbing gym, a bowling alley,
and a trampoline park, and more. As part of its ongoing park-making
work, the Presidio Trust provides many services and amenities for
visitors, including the Presidio Officers’ Club,
a public golf course, the Inn at the Presidio, 24-miles of hiking
trails, and hundreds of free cultural and family events each year.
Additionally, the Presidio has partnered with celebrated Bay Area Chef
Traci Des Jardins to create three notable restaurants:
The Commissary, Arguello and TRANSIT. In 2015 The Presidio was
recognized as a top destination by National Geographic Traveler’s
magazine Best of the Worldlist. To learn more, visit
www.presidio.gov.