All the Bay Area nominees for the food world's equivalent of the Oscars.
It's official: the James Beard Foundation has released its list of semifinalists in the 2015 Restaurant and Chef Awards, via livestream, and the Bay Area is once again well-represented. Lazy Bear and The Progress have both been longlisted for Best New Restaurant, while Manresa's Jessica Largey and La Folie's Jeremy Wayne are both in the running for Rising Star Chef. And of course, we've got talent to spare in the more august Best Chef: West and Best Restaurant categories, with a whopping nine chefs or chef teams and three restaurants (Acquerello, Greens, and Gary Danko) in the running from the Bay Area. (By comparison, L.A. has six and zero, respectively.)
Other newcomers to the running of the Beards include Traci des Jardins for Outstanding Chef, Bill Corbett and Ron Mendoza for Outstanding Pastry Chef, Russell Moore and Jennifer Puccio for Best Chef: West, La Toque for Outstanding Wine Service, Acquerello for Outstanding Restaurant, and Aubergine, Perbacco, and Saison for Outstanding Service. Perbacco and Barbacco's Umberto Gibin has made an entry into the Restaurateur category, as has Michael Mina, with his panoply of SF restaurants.
As usual, we have our share of longlist bridesmaids as well: A16 and Press for wine, Bar Agricole and Trick Dog for cocktails, Belinda Leong and William Werner in the pastry category, Nancy Oakes and Michael Tusk for Outstanding Chef. But some other folks who made the list last year didn't qualify this go-round, including James Syhabout for Best Chef: West, Foreign Cinema for Outstanding Restaurant, and restaurateurs Cindy Pawlcyn and Larry Mindel. And while Aziza's Mourad Lahlou is present and accounted for, pastry chef and longtime Beard player Melissa Chou is oddly missing.
Over the next month, this "long list" will be paired down, with finalists announced Tuesday, March 24. The winners of the Chef and Restaurant awards will be announced at the official Awards Gala & Reception on Monday, May 4, 2015 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago (the first time the ceremony has been held outside of NYC).
Here's the full list:
2014 James Beard Foundation Awards - Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists
Best New Restaurant
Abe Fisher, Philadelphia
Alden & Harlow, Cambridge, MA
The Alley Light, Charlottesville, VA
Bâtard, NYC
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, Las Vegas
Central Provisions, Portland, ME
Cosme, NYC
Edmund's Oast, Charleston, SC
Fiola Mare, Washington, D.C.
The Grey, Savannah, GA
Kachka, Portland, OR
Langbaan, Portland, OR
Lazy Bear, San Francisco
Lusca, Atlanta
Maude, Beverly Hills, CA
Olamaie, Austin
One Eleven at the Capital, Little Rock, AR
Parachute, Chicago
Petit Trois, Los Angeles
The Progress, San Francisco
San Salvaje, Dallas
Semilla, Brooklyn, NY
Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
Townsend, Philadelphia
Outstanding Baker
Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery, Seattle
Leif Bjelland, Le Petit Outre, Missoula, MT
Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston
Andre Chin and Amanda Eap, Artisan Boulanger Patissier, Philadelphia
Judy Contino, Bittersweet Pastry, Chicago
Cheryl and Griffith Day, Back in the Day Bakery, Savannah, GA
Abe Faber and Christy Timon, Clear Flour Bakery, Brookline, MA
Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C.
Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY
Tim Healea, Little T American Baker, Portland, OR
Stephen Horton, Rustica Bakery, Minneapolis
Marie Jackson, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
John Kraus, Patisserie 46, Minneapolis
Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery, NYC
Phoebe Lawless, Scratch Bakery, Durham, NC
Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, Baked, Brooklyn, NY
Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost, Northampton, MA
Dave and Megan Miller, Baker Miller Bakery & Millhouse, Chicago
Lauren Mitterer, WildFlour Pastry, Charleston, SC
Alison Pray, Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME
Michael Runsvold, Acme Bakeshop, Boise, ID
Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC
Edmund and Kathleen Weber, Della Fattoria, Petaluma, CA
William Werner, Craftsman and Wolves, San Francisco
Outstanding Bar Program
Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
Arnaud's French 75 Bar, New Orleans
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
Barmini, Washington, D.C.
Butcher and the Rye, Pittsburgh
Cane & Table, New Orleans
Canon, Seattle
Clyde Common, Portland, OR
The Dead Rabbit, NYC
The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Philadelphia
The Hawthorne, Boston
Kimball House, Decatur, GA
Maison Premiere, Brooklyn, NY
The Other Room, Lincoln, NE
The Patterson House, Nashville
Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, Portland, ME
Tørst, Brooklyn, NY
Trick Dog, San Francisco
The Varnish, Los Angeles
The Violet Hour, Chicago
Outstanding Chef
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern, NYC
Sean Brock, Husk, Charleston, SC
Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde, NYC
Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière, San Francisco
Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC
Claude Le Tohic, Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago
Nancy Oakes, Boulevard, San Francisco
Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas
Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Portland, OR
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola, Washington, D.C.
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco
Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Bill Corbett, Absinthe Group, San Francisco
Dana Cree, Blackbird, Chicago
Caitlin Dysart, 2941, Falls Church, VA
Kelly Fields, Restaurant August/Besh Restaurant Group, New Orleans
Kate Jacoby, Vedge, Philadelphia
Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu
Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, Spuntino, Denver
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Salvatore Martone, L'Atelier Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas
Ron Mendoza, Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel, CA
Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Pamela Moxley, Miller Union, Atlanta
Kristen Murray, Måurice, Portland, OR
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC
Amanda Rockman, Nico Osteria, Chicago
Christina Tosi, Momofuku, NYC
Nick Wesemann, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, MO
Jennifer Yee, Lafayette, NYC
Outstanding Restaurant
Acquerello, San Francisco
Bacchanalia, Atlanta
La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY
Bluestem, Kansas City, MO
Canlis, Seattle
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Fork, Philadelphia
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
Greens, San Francisco
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Hominy Grill, Charleston, SC
Jaleo, Washington, D.C.
Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
Per Se, NYC
Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
Spiaggia, Chicago
The Spotted Pig, NYC
Vidalia, Washington, D.C.
Best Restaurateur
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C. (The Bombay Club, The Oval Room, Rasika, and others)
Tom Baron and Bill Fuller, Big Burrito Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh (Casbah, Eleven, Kaya, and others)
Kim Bartmann, Minneapolis (Barbette, Bryant-Lake Bowl, Red Stag Supperclub, and others)
Elizabeth Blau, Blau and Associates, Las Vegas (Honey Salt, Made. LV, Simon Restaurant and Lounge, and others)
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, GT Fish & Oyster, Momotaro, and others)
Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli, Brooklyn, NY (Frankie's 457, Prime Meats, Cafe Pedlar, and others)
JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans
Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix (The Arrogant Butcher, Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy, and others)
Ford Fry, Atlanta (The Optimist, King + Duke, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, and others)
Umberto Gibin, San Francisco (Perbacco and Barbacco)
Benjamin Goldberg and Max Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality, Nashville (The Catbird Seat, Pinewood Social, Merchants, Patterson House, and others)
Garrett Harker, Boston (Island Creek Oyster Bar, Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, the Hawthorne, and others)
Michael Leviton, Lumière, Newton, MA
Donnie Madia, One Off Hospitality Group, Chicago (Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, and others)
Michael Mina, Mina Restaurants, San Francisco
Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa, CA (Mustards Grill and Cindy's Back Street Kitchen)
Nick Pihakis, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL
Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (The Dandelion, Talula's Garden, Serpico, and others)
Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle (Staple & Fancy, How to Cook a Wolf, Anchovies & Olives, and others)
Andrew Tarlow, Brooklyn, NY (Diner, Marlow & Sons, Reynard, and others)
Outstanding Service
Presented by Goose Island Beer Company
Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel, CA
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
Brigtsen's, New Orleans
Charleston Grill, Charleston, SC
L'Espalier, Boston
Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas
Komi, Washington, D.C.
Lucques, Los Angeles
Marcel's, Washington, D.C.
Marea, NYC
North Pond, Chicago
One Flew South, Atlanta
Perbacco, San Francisco
Providence, Los Angeles
Quince, San Francisco
Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis
Restaurant August, New Orleans
Saison, San Francisco
Strip T's, Watertown, MA
Topolobampo, Chicago
Outstanding Wine Program
A16, San Francisco
Addison at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego
Annie Gunn's, Chesterfield, MO
A.O.C., Los Angeles
Bern's Steak House, Tampa, FL
Casanova, Carmel, CA
Charleston, Baltimore
FIG, Charleston, SC
Hugo's, Houston
Jory Restaurant at the Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg, OR
McCrady's, Charleston, SC
Miller Union, Atlanta
Momofuku Ko, NYC
Press, St. Helena, CA
Sepia, Chicago
Spago, Beverly Hills, CA
La Toque, Napa, CA
Troquet, Boston
Wild Ginger, Seattle
Yono's Restaurant, Albany, NY
Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional
Derek Brown, Mockingbird Hill, Washington, D.C.
Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM
Mike Floyd, Nick Floyd, and Simon Floyd, Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN
Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, VA
Jon Gasparini and Greg Lindgren, Rye on the Road, San Francisco
Steven Grubbs, Empire State South, Atlanta
Charles Joly, Crafthouse, Chicago
Jim Koch, The Boston Beer Company, Boston
Manfred Krankl, Sine Qua Non, Oak View, CA
Ted Lemon, Littorai Wines, Sebastopol, CA
Steve Matthiasson, Matthiasson Wines, Napa, CA
Rajat Parr, Mina Group, San Francisco
Tom Peters, Monk's Café, Philadelphia
Eric Seed, Haus Alpenz, Edina, MN
Aldo Sohm, Zalto Glass, NYC
James Tidwell, Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX
Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME
Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY
Steve Wildy, Vetri Family, Philadelphia
Rising Star of the Year
Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Tanya Baker, Boarding House, Chicago
Jay Blackinton, Hogstone Wood Oven, Orcas Island, WA
Alex Bois, High Street on Market, Philadelphia
Jamilka Borges, Bar Marco, Pittsburgh
Erik Bruner-Yang, Toki Underground, Washington, D.C.
Mark Buley and Sam Hellman-Mass, Odd Duck, Austin
Mathieu Chartron, Restaurant Guy Savoy, Las Vegas
Nic Gonwa, Eatery A, Des Moines, IA
Max Hull and Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston
Joseph "JJ" Johnson, The Cecil, NYC
Ari Kolender, Leon's Oyster Shop, Charleston, SC
Elise Kornack, Take Root, Brooklyn, NY
Jessica Largey, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Garrett Lipar, Torino, Ferndale, MI
Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Ripple, Washington, D.C.
Jonah Miller, Huertas, NYC
Jon Nodler, A.kitchen, Philadelphia
Grae Nonas, Olamaie, Austin
Zach Pollack, Alimento, Los Angeles
Beau Schooler, The Rookery Café, Juneau, AK
Cara Stadler, Tao Yuan, Brunswick, ME
Ari Taymor, Alma, Los Angeles
Christopher Teixeira, Homestead on the Roof, Chicago
Landon Thompson, Cooks and Soldiers, Atlanta
Jeremy Wayne, La Folie, San Francisco
Best Chef: West
Matthew Accarrino, SPQR, San Francisco
William Bradley, Addison at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, State Bird Provisions, San Francisco
Josef Centeno, Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
Justin Cogley, Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel, CA
Chad Colby, Chi Spacca, Los Angeles
Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Mitsuo Endo, Aburiya Raku, Las Vegas
Tyler Florence, Wayfare Tavern, San Francisco
Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, CA
Ed Kenney, Town, Honolulu
Mourad Lahlou, Aziza, San Francisco
Andrew Le, The Pig & the Lady, Honolulu
Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
Ludo Lefebvre, Trois Mec, Los Angeles
Russell Moore, Camino, Oakland, CA
Jennifer Puccio, Marlowe, San Francisco
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles
Joshua Skenes, Saison, San Francisco
Best Chef: Great Lakes
Myles Anton, Trattoria Stella, Traverse City, MI
Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago
Marc Djozlija, Wright & Company, Detroit
Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago
Paul Fehribach, Big Jones, Chicago
Phillip Foss, EL Ideas, Chicago
Micah Frank, Black Market, Indianapolis
Greg Hardesty, Recess, Indianapolis
Eric Heath, Cleveland-Heath, Edwardsville, IL
Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard, Detroit
Brian Huston, Boltwood, Evanston, IL
Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH
Thomas Lents, Sixteen, Chicago
Ryan McCaskey, Acadia, Chicago
Daniel Orr, FARMbloomington, Bloomington, IN
Jonathon Sawyer, Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland
David Tallent, Restaurant Tallent, Bloomington, IN
Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs, IL
Erling Wu-Bower, Nico Osteria, Chicago
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Scott Anderson, Elements, Princeton, NJ
Joey Baldino, Zeppoli, Collingswood, NJ
Pierre Calmels, Bibou, Philadelphia
Hari Cameron, A(MUSE.), Rehoboth Beach, DE
Peter Chang, Peter Chang China Café, Glen Allen, VA
Anthony Chittum, Iron Gate, Washington, D.C.
Lee Chizmar, Bolete, Bethlehem, PA
Joe Cicala, Le Virtù, Philadelphia
Nicholas Elmi, Laurel, Philadelphia
Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore
Lee Gregory, The Roosevelt, Richmond, VA
Tarver King, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Lovettsville, VA
Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia
Cedric Maupillier, Mintwood Place, Washington, D.C.
Konstantinos Pitsillides, Kanella, Philadelphia
Dale Reitzer, Acacia, Richmond, VA
Justin Severino, Cure, Pittsburgh
Angelo Vangelopoulos, The Ivy Inn, Charlottesville, VA
Greg Vernick, Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia
Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore
Best Chef: Midwest
Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis
Mike Brown, Bob Gerken, and James Winberg, Travail Kitchen and Amusements, Robbinsdale, MN
Justin Carlisle, Ardent, Milwaukee
Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume, Omaha, NE
Jim Christiansen, Heyday, Minneapolis
Gerard Craft, Niche, Clayton, MO
Doug Flicker, Piccolo, Minneapolis
Dan Fox, Heritage Tavern, Madison, WI
Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis
Howard Hanna, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, Kansas City, MO
Jonathan Hunter, Forequarter, Madison, WI
Russell Klein, Meritage, St. Paul, MN
Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis
Ben Poremba, Elaia, St. Louis
Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, MN
Patrick Ryan, Port Fonda, Kansas City, MO
Andy Schumacher, Cobble Hill, Cedar Rapids, IA
David Swanson, Braise, Milwaukee
Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis
Sean Wilson, Proof, Des Moines, IA
Best Chef: Northeast
Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston
Tyler Anderson, Millwright's, Simsbury, CT
Alex Crabb, Asta, Boston
Eric Gabrynowicz, Restaurant North, Armonk, NY
Wesley Genovart, SoLo Farm & Table, South Londonderry, VT
Brian Hill, Francine Bistro, Camden, ME
Matt Louis, Moxy, Portsmouth, NH
Barry Maiden, Hungry Mother, Cambridge, MA
Tim Maslow, Ribelle, Brookline, MA
Masa Miyake, Miyake, Portland, ME
Ravin Nakjaroen, Long Grain, Camden, ME
Michael Pagliarini, Giulia, Cambridge, MA
Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA
Guy Reuge, Mirabelle, Stony Brook, NY
Art Rogers, Lento, Rochester, NY
Champe Speidel, Persimmon, Bristol, RI
Bill Taibe, Le Farm, Westport, CT
Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley, Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, ME
Joel Viehland, Community Table, Washington, CT
Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT
Best Chef: Northwest
Andrew Brown, Jack Sprat, Girdwood, AK
Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, Ox, Portland, OR
Eric Donnelly, RockCreek, Seattle
Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle
Kevin Gibson, Davenport, Portland, OR
Gregory Gourdet, Departure, Portland, OR
Jeremy Hansen, Santé, Spokane, WA
Sunny Jin, Jory Restaurant at the Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg, OR
Joe Kim, 5 Fusion and Sushi Bar, Bend, OR
Nathan Lockwood, Altura, Seattle
Garrett Melkonian, Mamnoon, Seattle
Trent Pierce, Roe, Portland, OR
Sarah Pliner, Aviary, Portland, OR
Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
Dustin Ronspies, Art of the Table, Seattle
Jason Stratton, Spinasse, Seattle
Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Lummi Island, WA
Nathan Whitley, The Modern Hotel & Bar, Boise, ID
Justin Woodward, Castagna, Portland, OR
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle
Best Chef: NYC
Nick Anderer, Marta
Jonathan Benno, Lincoln Ristorante
Marco Canora, Hearth
Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, Carbone
Paul Carmichael, Má Pêche
John Fraser, Narcissa
Markus Glocker, Bâtard
Anna Klinger, Al di Là Trattoria
Mark Ladner, Del Posto
Anita Lo, Annisa
Ignacio Mattos, Estela
Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca
Seamus Mullen, Tertulia
Joe Ng, RedFarm
Alex Raij and Eder Montero, Txikito
César Ramirez, Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
Masato Shimizu, 15 East
Alex Stupak, Empellón Cocina
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
Jody Williams, Buvette
Best Chef: South
Greg Baker, The Refinery, Tampa, FL
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS
Kathleen Blake, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL
Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR
Justin Girouard, The French Press, Lafayette, LA
Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake
Buena Vista, FL
Matthew McClure, The Hive, Bentonville, AR
Rob McDaniel, SpringHouse, Alexander City, AL
José Mendín, Pubbelly, Miami Beach, FL
Chris Newsome, Ollie Irene, Birmingham, AL
James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL
Steve Phelps, Indigenous, Sarasota, FL
Hari Pulapaka, Cress, DeLand, FL
Giorgio Rapicavoli, Eating House, Miami
Slade Rushing, Brennan's, New Orleans
Alon Shaya, Domenica, New Orleans
Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
Isaac Toups, Toups' Meatery, New Orleans
Brian Whittington, Restaurant Orsay, Jacksonville, FL
Best Chef: Southeast
Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA
Jeremiah Bacon, The Macintosh, Charleston, SC
Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Kathy Cary, Lilly's, Louisville, KY
John Fleer, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC
Kevin Gillespie, Gunshow, Atlanta
Todd Ginsberg, The General Muir, Atlanta
Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, WV
Vivian Howard, Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC
Scott Howell, Nana's, Durham, NC
Meherwan Irani, Chai Pani, Asheville, NC
Josh Keeler, Two Boroughs Larder, Charleston, SC
Matthew Kelly, Mateo, Durham, NC
Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY
Daniel Lindley, Alleia, Chattanooga, TN
Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta
Jason Stanhope, FIG, Charleston, SC
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis
Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC
Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville
Best Chef: Southwest
Charleen Badman, FnB, Scottsdale, AZ
Kevin Binkley, Binkley's, Cave Creek, AZ
Bowman Brown, Forage, Salt Lake City
David Bull, Congress, Austin
Andrew Cooper, Terra at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
Omar Flores, Casa Rubia, Dallas
Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue, Austin
Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner, The Pass, Houston
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin
Jennifer James, Jennifer James 101, Albuquerque, NM
Matt McCallister, FT33, Dallas
Hugo Ortega, Hugo's, Houston
Jonathan Perno, La Merienda at Los Poblanos, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
Steven Redzikowski, Oak, Boulder, CO
Martín Rios, Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe, NM
Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver
Alex Seidel, Fruition, Denver
John Tesar, Knife, Dallas
David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas
Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston