…from everywhere other than Hawaii. Not one J.B.A. was handed to a Hawaii establishment, program, journalist, author or chef this year. Wow, talk about tough criteria and competition!
According to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, of 30 contenders, semifinalists for the 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant and Chef Awards included five from Hawaii:
2014 James Beard Award Hawaii Semifinalists
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
MW Honolulu, located in the former KGMB-TV building on Kapiolani Blvd.
OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF
Michelle Karr-Ueoka co-owner of MW Honolulu
RISING CHEF of the YEAR
Chris Kajioka of Vintage Cave (Shirokiya, Ala Moana Center) and Andrew Le of The Pig and the Lady (Chinatown, downtown Honolulu and KCC Farmers Market)
BEST CHEF
Ed Kenney, chef-owner of Town in Kaimuki
While “just” being nominated for the James Beard Award is a huge honor as those “Hawaii five” were, here’s the list of this year’s winners, as sourced from CNN’s Eatocracy (which this blog is also featured)….
2014 James Beard Awards: Chefs and restaurants winners*
The film industry has the Oscars, the music industry has the Grammy Awards. If you’re a chef or restaurateur, you want a James Beard Award medal around your neck.
Since 1990, the not-for-profit James Beard Foundation named after “the father of American cuisine,” has been honoring the outstanding names in the food and beverage industry.
There is no cash reward, but a win – or even a nomination – can substantially increase the buzz for business, according to foundation President Susan Ungaro.
Chef and restaurant winners are being announced on Monday, May 5, 2014 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and Journalism, Books and Broadcast were announced Friday, May 2 at Gotham Hall in New York City.
Best New Restaurant
Betony (New York City)
Carbone (New York City)
Coqueta (San Francisco, California)
Estela (New York City)
Winner: Pêche (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Outstanding Bar Program
Bar Agricole (San Francisco, California)
Winner: The Bar at the NoMad Hotel (New York City)
Clyde Common (Portland, Oregon)
Maison Premiere (Brooklyn, New York)
The Violet Hour (Chicago, Illinois)
Outstanding Chef
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern (New York City)
Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Suzanne Goin, Lucques (Los Angeles, California)
David Kinch, Manresa (Los Gatos, California)
Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles, California)
Marc Vetri, Vetri (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Winner: Dominique Ansel, Dominique Ansel Bakery (New York City)
Dana Cree, Blackbird (Chicago, Illinois)
Belinda Leong, b. patisserie (San Francisco, California)
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles, California)
Christina Tosi, Momofuku (New York City)
Outstanding Restaurant
Hearth (New York City)
Highlands Bar and Grill (Birmingham, Alabama)
The Slanted Door (San Francisco, California)
Spiaggia (Chicago, Illinois)
wd~50 (New York City)
Outstanding Restaurateur
Barbara Lynch, Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston, Massachusetts (No. 9 Park, Menton, B&G Oysters, and others)
Donnie Madia, One Off Hospitality Group, Chicago, Illinois (Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, and others)
Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa Valley, California (Mustards Grill and Cindy’s Back Street Kitchen)
Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group, Los Angeles, California (Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and others)
Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, New York City (ABC Kitchen, Jean-Georges, wd~50, and others)
Outstanding Service
Blue Hill (New York City)
Quince (San Francisco, California)
The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, California
Topolobampo, (Chicago, Illinois)
Vetri (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Outstanding Wine Program
A16 (San Francisco, California)
Bar Boulud, NYC
Winner: The Barn at Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tennessee)
FIG (Charleston, South Carolina)
The Little Nell (Aspen, Colorado)
Andy Chabot of Blackberry Farm
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional
Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)
Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal (Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico)
Winner: Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, New York)
Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery (Frankfort, Kentucky)
David Wondrich, spirits educator (Brooklyn, New York)
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Winner (tie): Jimmy Bannos Jr., The Purple Pig (Chicago, Illinois)
Katie Button, Cúrate (Asheville, North Carolina)
Jessica Largey, Manresa (Los Gatos, California)
David Posey, Blackbird (Chicago, Illinois)
Winner (tie): Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn on Lummi Island (Lummi Island, Washington)
Best Chef: Great Lakes
Winner: Dave Beran, Next (Chicago, Illinois)
Curtis Duffy, Grace (Chicago, Illinois)
Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern (Cleveland, Ohio)
Paul Virant, Vie Restaurant (Western Springs, Illinois)
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia (Chicago, Illinois)
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve (Alexandria, Virginia)
Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen (Baltimore, Maryland)
Brad Spence, Amis (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Winner: Vikram Sunderam, Rasika (Washington, D.C.)
Cindy Wolf, Charleston (Baltimore, Maryland)
Best Chef: Midwest
Winner: Justin Aprahamian, Sanford (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Gerard Craft, Niche (Clayton, Missouri)
Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe (St. Louis, Missouri)
Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Best Chef: Northeast
Winner: Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa (Boston, Massachusetts)
Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe (Boston, Massachusetts)
Gerry Hayden, The North Fork Table & Inn (Southold, New York)
Matt Jennings, Farmstead Inc. (Providence, Rhode Island)
Michael Leviton, Lumière (Newton, Massachusetts)
Barry Maiden, Hungry Mother (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Best Chef: Northwest
Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins (Seattle, Washington)
Jason Franey, Canlis (Seattle, Washington)
Winner: Naomi Pomeroy, Beast (Portland, Oregon)
Ethan Stowell, Staple & Fancy (Seattle, Washington)
Cathy Whims, Nostrana (Portland, Oregon)
Best Chef: NYC
April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig
Dan Kluger, ABC Kitchen
Mark Ladner, Del Posto
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
Michael White, Marea
Best Chef: South
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar (Oxford, Mississippi)
Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Winner (tie): Ryan Prewitt, Pêche Seafood Grill (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Alon Shaya, Domenica (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Winner (tie): Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Best Chef: Southeast
Kathy Cary, Lilly’s (Louisville, Kentucky)
Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Downtown Diner (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia (Louisville, Kentucky)
Steven Satterfield, Miller Union (Atlanta, Georgia)
Tandy Wilson, City House (Nashville, Tennessee)
Best Chef: Southwest
Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s (Cave Creek, Arizona)
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine (Austin, Texas)
Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s (Houston, Texas)
Winner: Chris Shepherd, Underbelly (Houston, Texas)
Justin Yu, Oxheart (Houston, Texas)
Best Chef: West
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, State Bird Provisions (San Francisco, California)
Michael Cimarusti, Providence (Los Angeles, California)
Corey Lee, Benu (San Francisco, California)
Winner: Daniel Patterson, Coi (San Francisco, California)
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal (Los Angeles, California)
Source. Eatocracy.CNN.com/2014 Chefs and Winners are…
James Beard Award Past Hawaii Winners
Roy Yamaguchi (Best Chef, Pacific Northwest) – 1993
Alan Wong (Best Chef, Pacific Northwest) – 1996
Helena’s Hawaiian Food (America’s Classics, Kalihi) – 2000
Sam Choy’s Kaloko (America’s Classics, Kailua-Kona) – 2004
Hamura’s Saimin Stand (America’s Classics, Lihue, Kauai) – 2006