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Food&Beverage
Semifinalists announced for Beard awards

By Bret thorn

New york — The James Beard
Foundation has named the 397
semifinalists for its annual
awards, which go to restaurants,
chefs, restaurateurs and wine
and spirits professionals across
the country.

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21,000 people submitted nominations this year in the 17 chef and restaurant categories, up from 15,000 last year and 9,000 the year before. Those votes were culled by the awards committee into the list of semifinalists.

The semifinalists will be considered by a number of regional panels of past winners and food writers. That round of voting will end on March 8, and the finalists for the prestigious awards will be announced on March 22 at Dickie Brennan’s Palace Cafe in New Orleans.

Then, after another round of voting, the winners will be announced May 3 at a gala celebration at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

Just over half of this year’s semifinalists were also semifinalists last year, not including the nominees for best new restaurant, which are all new.

About 400 judges participate in the two rounds of voting, according to Ungaro.

Notable newcomers to the list of outstanding restaurateurs are Bruce and Eric Bromberg of Blue Ribbon Restaurants in New York, Michael Dellar of Lark Creek Restaurants in San Francisco, Steve Ells of Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Chicago restaurateur Donald Madia, who is chef Paul Kahan’s business partner.

Fourteen of the 20 chefs on last year’s long list of outstanding chefs are back. The newcomers are themselves restaurant veterans: Gary Danko in San Francisco, Robert Del Grande in Houston, Mark Peel in Los Angeles, Julian Serrano in Las Vegas, Michael Smith in Kansas City, Mo., and Jerry Traunfeld in Seattle.

The list of semifinalists for best new restaurants include Adesso in Oakland, Calif., Ping in Portland Ore., Marea in New York City, Miller Union in Atlanta, Samar in Dallas and Bibou in Philadelphia.