The long list of nominees for the nation’s “Foodie Oscars” is complete — and unsurprisingly, Tristate-region cuisines are well represented.
Today’s announcement of the semifinalists who will compete for the 2023 James Beard Awards, one of America’s most prestigious awards for chefs and restaurants, includes old neighborhood favorites, new upstarts – and for the first time in the awards’ history – bakeries.
On the list of outstanding restaurants is Veselka, an East Village staple since it opened in 1954. Among the semi-finalists for Best New Restaurant is Dept. of Culture, a Nigerian restaurant in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. And one of the nominees for the newly created Outstanding Bakery Award is She-Wolf, the Greenpoint-based breadmaker whose loaves can regularly be found at the city’s greenmarkets.
The award is presented by the nonprofit James Beard Foundation, which has been celebrating US food culture for over 30 years. The awards returned in 2022 after a two-year absence during which the foundation and awards committee had anticipated workplace allegations against some of their previous nominees and winners, as well as allegations of a lack of diversity among previous winners.
Clare Reichenbach, executive director of the foundation, says lessons have been learned.
“After a year of fundamental changes, we look forward to building on the progress made,” Reichenbach said in a statement, “to celebrate those who are building a brighter future for all of us – through their talent and craft, their service to others and their commitment to a better, more sustainable industry.”
The long list of nominees for the semifinals will be narrowed down to finalists to be announced on March 29th. The winners will be announced on June 5 at an awards ceremony to be held at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.
Reserve now – or pick up your bread.
A complete list of the 2023 Tristate-area James Beard Awards semi-finalists is below.
Outstanding restaurant
Cora Cora, West Hartford, CT
Veselka, New York, NY
Via Carota, New York, NY
Outstanding chef
Shigeru Fukuyoshi, Sagami, Collingswood, NJ
Eder Montero and Alex Raij, La Vara, Brooklyn, NY
Erik Ramirez, Lama Inn, Brooklyn, NY
Best New Restaurant
Al Coro, New York, NY
Department of Culture, New York, NY
KRU, Brooklyn, New York
Stissiing House, Pine Plains, New York
Aspiring Chef
Telly Justice, HAGS, New York, NY
Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, New York, NY
Outstanding bakery
She Wolf Bakery, New York, NY
Outstanding confectioner or baker
Nora Faye Allen, Mel the Bakery, New York, NY
Camari Mick, The Musket Room, New York, NY
Outstanding bar
Dante, New York, NY
Harlem Hops, New York, NY
Outstanding restaurateurs
Sims and Kirsten Harlow Foster, Foster Supply Hospitality (The DeBruce, Arnold House Tavern and Kenoza Hall), NY
Outstanding hospitality
Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, Hudson, NY
Melbas, New York, NY
Excellent program for wine and other drinks
COTE, New York, NY
Waxlight Bar a Vin, Buffalo, NY
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Philip Manganaro, Park Place Cafe & Restaurant, Merchantville, NJ
Melissa McGrath, Sweet Amalia Market & Kitchen, Newfield, NJ
Best Chef: New York State
Gerardo Alcaraz, Aldama, Brooklyn, NY
Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
Mary Attea, The Musket Room, New York, NY
Giovanni Cervantes, Taqueria Ramírez, Brooklyn, NY
Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy, New York, NY
Calvin Eng, Bonnies, Brooklyn, NY
Shenarri Freeman, Cadence, New York, NY
Charles Gabriel, Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, New York, NY
Anthony Gonçalves, Kanopi, White Plains, NY
Sol Han, Little Mad, New York, NY
JJ Johnson, EXCURSION, New York, NY
Sohui Kim, Gage & Tollner, Brooklyn, NY
Shaina Loew-Banayan, Cafe Mutton, Hudson, NY
Paolo Garcia Mendoza, Karenderya, Nyack, NY
Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shukette, New York, NY
Junghyun Park, Atomix, New York, NY
Franco Sampogna, Frevo, New York, NY
Eric See, Ursula, Brooklyn, NY
Hillary Sterling, Ci Siamo, New York, NY
Sohail Zandi, Bushland Food House, Bovina, NY
Best Chef: Northeast
Christian Hunter, Fellowship Table, Washington, CT