These Are the James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists, 2024

The James Beard Foundation released its list of semifinalists today for this year’s Restaurant and Chef Awards. Comprising 22 categories—with both regional titles like Best Chef: Northeast and national ones like Outstanding Restaurateur—the list indicates which restaurants and chefs are officially in the running to take home one of the food world’s most prestigious awards at a glitzy Chicago ceremony in June.

Chefs who scored a spot on Bon Appétit’s list of the Best New Restaurants of 2023 were well represented on this year’s list of nominees: The Senegalese tasting menu restaurant Dakar NOLA was nominated for the foundation’s Best New Restaurant honor; chef Lord Maynard Llera, owner of the Filipino restaurant Kuya Lord in LA was nominated for Best Chef: California; and Luis Herrera of Brooklyn’s Ensenada was nominated for Best Chef: New York State.

Though the list of nominees is generally met with excitement, the James Beard Foundation has faced a healthy dose of controversy over the past few years. Foundation staff raised concerns in 2020 around a lack of institutional commitment to diversity, both within its pool of awardees and in the demographic makeup of the foundation’s board of trustees. In a whirlwind of chaos and controversy that soon followed, the foundation canceled award ceremonies for the following two years, outwardly committing to reflection in the form of an audit and updated award-granting procedures. While the foundation pointed to the pandemic as the main impetus for canceling the awards, reporting in the New York Times later revealed that not one Black chef was set to win in any of 2020’s categories, spurring internal concerns about the optics of holding a ceremony that year.

Among the audit recommendations, which included setting a benchmark for 50% BIPOC membership of its committee members and judges by 2023, was a new grievance procedure meant to handle allegations of misconduct for chefs. In theory, this update was an obvious and straightforward one: ensure award winners were acting in good faith and fostering healthy workplaces. But vetting chefs and responding to accusations of bad behavior proved to be more complicated than the foundation had likely anticipated. Some chefs claimed in the leadup to 2023’s awards ceremony that they’d been disqualified on the basis of poorly substantiated claims, alleging a lack of due process built into this new ethics procedure. The foundation announced no changed procedures in advance of this year’s ceremony, so it’s unclear whether the vetting and disqualification process has been updated after last year’s controversies.

Still, a Beard award remains a highly sought-after accolade in the restaurant industry, and receiving one can change a chef’s career and a restaurant’s standing in a major way. Finalists will be announced on April 3, and the award ceremony is slated to take place on June 10.

Read the full list of semifinalists below:

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (Rasika, Annabelle, Sababa, and others), Washington, D.C.
• Itai Ben Eli and Itamar Levy, Sof Hospitality Group (Doris Metropolitan, Hamsa, and Bādolina Bakery & Café), Houston, TX
• Kimball Brienza and Stephen Palmer, O-Ku Sushi, Charleston, SC
• Marcos Carbajal, Carnitas Uruapan, Chicago, IL
• Bryan Chuntan and Pei Wei, Zaab Zaab and Zaab Zaab Talay, New York, NY
• Ravi DeRossi, Overthrow Hospitality (Cadence, Etérea, Avant Garden, and others), New York, NY
• Greg Dulan, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Hotville Chicken, and DulanVILLE, Inglewood, CA
• Laile Fairbairn, Locally Grown Restaurants (Snow City Cafe, South Restaurant + Coffeehouse, and Spenard Roadhouse), Anchorage, AK
• Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez, Take Root Hospitality (Vicia, Winslow’s Table, Bistro La Floraison, and others), St. Louis, MO
• Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin, Cocina Chiwas and Tacos Chiwas, Tempe and Phoenix, AZ
• Robert LeBlanc, LeBlanc + Smith (Sylvain, The Chloe, The Will & The Way, and others), New Orleans, LA
• Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare, Detroit, MI
• Nikki Ness Berglund and Ryan Nitschke, Luna Fargo, Sol Ave. Kitchen, Nova Eatery and others, Fargo, ND
• Quynh-Vy and Yenvy Pham, Phở Bắc Súp Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and The Boat, Seattle, WA
• Nicolas Poilevey and Oliver Poilevey, Obelix, Le Bouchon, and Taqueria Chingón, Chicago, IL
• I-Ho Pomeroy, I-Ho’s Korean Grill, Bozeman, MT
• Cara Stadler and Cecile Stadler, BaoBao Dumpling House, Tao Yuan Restaurant, and ZaoZe Cafe & Market, Portland, ME
• Chris Viaud, Greenleaf, Ansanm, and Pavilion, Milford, NH
• Hollis Wells Silverman, Eastern Point Collective (The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, The Wells, and others), Washington, D.C.
• Kelly Whitaker, Id Est Hospitality Group (The Wolf’s Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta, and others), Boulder, CO

Outstanding Chef

• Oscar Amador Edo, Anima by EDO, Las Vegas, NV
• Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit, New York, NY
• Barclay Dodge, Bosq, Aspen, CO
• Jeremy Fox, Birdie G’s, Santa Monica, CA
• Francis Guzmán, Vianda, San Juan, PR
• Atsushi Hayakawa, Hayakawa, Atlanta, GA
• Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles, CA
• Dionicio Jiménez, Cantina La Martina, Philadelphia, PA
• David Kirkland and Ernest Servantes, Burnt Bean Co., Seguin, TX
• Dan Kluger, Loring Place, New York, NY
• Gregory León, Amilinda, Milwaukee, WI
• Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Portland, OR
• Sylvan Mishima Brackett, Rintaro, San Francisco, CA
• Dean Neff, Seabird, Wilmington, NC
• Daniel del Prado, Porzana, Minneapolis, MN
• Michael Rafidi, Albi, Washington, D.C.
• John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth, Chicago, IL
• Renee Touponce, The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
• David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas, TX
• Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle, WA

Outstanding Restaurant

• 2941, Falls Church, VA
• Beckon, Denver, CO
• Bywater, Warren, RI
• The Compound, Santa Fe, NM
• Convenience West, Marfa, TX
• Coracora, West Hartford, CT
• The DeBruce, Livingston Manor, NY
• The Duck Inn, Chicago, IL
• Koi Palace, Daly City, CA
• Langbaan, Portland, OR
• The Market Place, Asheville, NC
• Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
• Nancy’s Hustle, Houston, TX
• Pineapple & Pearls, Washington, D.C.
• The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn, Blowing Rock, NC
• Selden Standard, Detroit, MI
• Superiority Burger, New York, NY
• Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS
• The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle, WA
• Yoshitomo, Omaha, NE

Emerging Chef

• Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar, New York, NY
• Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk, Houston, TX
• Janet Becerra, Pancita, Seattle, WA
• Nikko Cagalanan, Kultura, Charleston, SC
• Roberto Centeno, Espiritu, Mesa, AZ
• Ki Chung, Bar Maze, Honolulu, HI
• Rocky Coronado, Nepantla, Detroit, MI
• Danielle Duran-Zecca and Alessandro Zecca, Amiga Amore, Los Angeles, CA
• Ryan Fernandez, Southern Junction, Buffalo, NY
• Yun Fuentes, Bolo, Philadelphia, PA
• Sky Haneul Kim, Gift Horse, Providence, RI
• Emily Lim, Dabao Singapore, San Francisco, CA
• Zubair Mohajir, The Coach House by Wazwan, Chicago, IL
• Masako Morishita, Perry’s, Washington, D.C.
• Joe Robbins, Bissell Brothers Three Rivers Kitchen, Milo, ME
• Bryce Stevenson, Miijim, La Pointe, WI
• Kenneth Wan, MAKfam, Denver, CO
• Lawrence Weeks, North of Bourbon, Louisville, KY
• Chanah Willis, Last Call Baking, Birmingham, AL
• Jeff Workman, The Campground, Kansas City, MO

Best New Restaurant

• Ajja, Raleigh, NC
• Alkemē, Santa Fe, NM
• The Alna Store, Alna, ME
• Alpino, Detroit, MI
• Atelier, Chicago, IL
• Ava Bakery, Phoenix, AZ
• Bar Bacetto, Waitsburg, WA
• Barbs-B-Q, Lockhart, TX
• Barra Santos, Los Angeles, CA
• Chez Noir, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
• Comfort Kitchen, Dorchester, MA
• Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
• Foul Witch, New York, NY
• Foxface Natural, New York, NY
• Hayward, McMinnville, OR
• Jūn, Houston, TX
• Kaya, Orlando, FL
• Kiln, San Francisco, CA
• Kisser, Nashville, TN
• Lita, Aberdeen Township, NJ
• Mainlander, St. Louis, MO
• My Loup, Philadelphia, PA
• Oro by Nixta, Minneapolis, MN
• Ramen Del Barrio, Austin, TX
• Sado, St. Louis, MO
• Sắp Sửa, Denver, CO
• Scoundrel, Greenville, SC
• Shan, Bozeman, MT
• Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, New York, NY
• Tuxpan Taqueria, Central Falls, RI

Outstanding Bakery

• Bobby Boy Bakeshop, Winston-Salem, NC
• Breadshop, Honolulu, HI
• The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, NM
• La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX
• D’Andrews Bakery & Cafe, Nashville, TN
• Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA
• Isgro Pastries, Philadelphia, PA
• JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR
• Koffeteria, Houston, TX
• Loba Pastry+Coffee, Chicago, IL
• Make My Cake, New York, NY
• Mel the Bakery, Hudson, NY
• Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Café, Fargo, ND
• La Pâtisserie Chouquette, Saint Louis, MO
• Pluma by Bluebird Bakery, Washington, D.C.
• Shatila Bakery, Dearborn, MI
• Table X Bread, Salt Lake City, UT
• Vía Láctea, San Juan, PR
• Zak the Baker, Miami, FL
• ZU Bakery, Portland, ME

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

• Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
• Jesus Brazon and Manuel Brazon, Caracas Bakery, Doral and Miami, FL
• Mariela Camacho, Comadre Panadería, Austin, TX
• Ben Campbell, Ben’s Bread Co., Seattle, WA
• Tania Cienfuegos Harris, Topsoil Kitchen & Market, Travelers Rest, SC
• Kristina Costa, Loquat, San Francisco, CA
• Syovata Edari, CocoVaa Chocolatier, Madison, WI
• Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
• Remy Funfrock, La Pâtisserie, Charleston, SC
• Marc Heu, Marc Heu Pâtisserie Paris, St. Paul, MN
• Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ
• Eunji Lee, Lysée, New York, NY
• Kimmie Mcintosh and Josh Mcintosh, MILKFISH Bakeshop, Las Vegas, NV
• Camari Mick, The Musket Room, New York, NY
• Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop, Parker, CO
• Anna Posey, Elske, Chicago, IL
• Phillip Ashley Rix, Phillip Ashley Chocolates, Memphis, TN
• Nicole Rucker, Fat + Flour, Los Angeles, CA
• Stephanie Velasquez, Ema HTX, Houston, TX
• Kristina Zontini, Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH

Outstanding Hospitality

• AlTayeb Restaurant, Dearborn, MI
• Andreoli Italian Grocer, Scottsdale, AZ
• Arnaud’s, New Orleans, LA
• La Baleine Café, Homer, AK
• Bludorn, Houston, TX
• Charleston, Baltimore, MD
• Cooks & Soldiers, Atlanta, GA
• Crawford and Son, Raleigh, NC
• Fiola, Washington, D.C.
• Gemma, Dallas, TX
• Giusto, Newport, RI
• Han Oak, Portland, OR
• Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA
• Lula Cafe, Chicago, IL
• Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Los Angeles, CA
• Melba’s, New York, NY
• Pasture and Plenty, Madison, WI
• Snake River Grill, Jackson, WY
• Valter’s Osteria, Salt Lake City, UT
• Woodford Food & Beverage, Portland, ME

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

• a.kitchen+bar, Philadelphia, PA
• Affäre, Kansas City, MO
• Bufalina, Austin, TX
• COTE, New York, NY
• Eight Row, Seattle, WA
• Folk, Detroit, MI
• haley.henry wine bar, Boston, MA
• The Hope Farm, Fairhope, AL
• Lula Drake Wine Parlour, Columbia, SC
• Macchialina, Miami Beach, FL
• Middle Brow, Chicago, IL
• The Morris, San Francisco, CA
• OK Omens, Portland, OR
• Rebel Rebel, Somerville, MA
• Spencer, Ann Arbor, MI
• Strong Water Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
• Sunday Vinyl, Denver, CO
• Taconeta, El Paso, TX
• Tail Up Goat, Washington, D.C.
• Waxlight Bar à Vin, Buffalo, NY

Outstanding Bar

• All Night Skate, Brooklyn, NY
• Amalga Distillery, Juneau, AK
• Barr Hill Cocktail Bar, Montpelier, VT
• Bittersweet, Raleigh, NC
• Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
• Clavel Mezcaleria, Baltimore, MD
• Courtland Club, Providence, RI
• Double Chicken Please, New York, NY
• Drastic Measures, Shawnee, KS
• Edmund’s Oast, Charleston, SC
• Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, CA
• Horn & Cantle Saloon, Big Sky, MT
• Jewel of the South, New Orleans, LA
• Little Rituals, Phoenix, AZ
• Meteor, Minneapolis, MN
• Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA
• Las Ramblas, Brownsville, TX
• Scratch Brewing Company, Ava, IL
• Service Bar, Washington, DC
• Webb’s City Cellar, St. Petersburg, FL

Best Chef: California

• Diego Argoti, Poltergeist, Los Angeles, CA
• C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge, Lion Dance Cafe, Oakland, CA
• Geoff Davis, Burdell, Oakland, CA
• Azalina Eusope, Azalina’s, San Francisco, CA
• Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta, Evil Cooks, Los Angeles, CA
• Rogelio Garcia, Auro, Calistoga, CA
• Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan, Copra, San Francisco, CA
• Dima Habibeh, Ammatoli, Long Beach, CA
• Jeong-In Hwang, San Ho Won, San Francisco, CA
• Jihee Kim, Perilla, Los Angeles, CA
• Kristina Liedags Compton, Hilda and Jesse, San Francisco, CA
• Alfonso “Poncho” Martinez, Poncho’s Tlayudas, Los Angeles, CA
• Lord Maynard Llera, Kuya Lord, Los Angeles, CA
• Tara Monsod, Animae, San Diego, CA
• Buu “Billy” Ngo, Kru, Sacramento, CA
• Laura Ozyilmaz and Sayat Ozyilmaz, Dalida, San Francisco, CA
• Michael Procaccini and Stefano Procaccini, La Parolaccia, Long Beach, CA
• Alisa Reynolds, My 2 Cents, Los Angeles, CA
• Finn Stern, Daytrip, Oakland, CA
• Christian Yang, Yang’s Kitchen, Alhambra, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

• Avishar Barua, Joya’s, Worthington, OH
• Erik Bentz and Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Cafe Mochiko, Cincinnati, OH
• Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, OH
• Diana Dávila Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago, IL
• Salvador Fernandez, Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar, Greencastle, IN
• Joe Fontelera, Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant, Chicago, IL
• Joe Frillman, Daisies, Chicago, IL
• Jeffery Harris, Nolia Kitchen, Cincinnati, OH
• Doug Hewitt, Freya, Detroit, MI
• Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor, MI
• Dan Klenotic, Bellflower, Ypsilanti, MI
• BJ Lieberman, Chapman’s Eat Market, Columbus, OH
• James Martin, Bocadillo Market, Chicago, IL
• Thomas Melvin, Vida, Indianapolis, IN
• Jose Salazar, Mita’s, Cincinnati, OH
• Sujan Sarkar, Indienne, Chicago, IL
• Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI
• Jenner Tomaska, Esme, Chicago, IL
• John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit, MI
• Donald Young, Duck Sel, Chicago, IL
• Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
• Carlos Aparicio, El Chingon, Philadelphia, PA
• Angel Barreto, Anju, Washington, D.C.
• Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, Joon, Vienna, VA
• Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
• Tony Conte, Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, Darnestown, MD
• Dane DeMarco, Gass & Main, Haddonfield, NJ
• Nur-E Gulshan Rahman, Korai Kitchen, Jersey City, NJ
• Keem Hughley, Bronze, Washington, D.C.
• Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA
• Matt Kern, One Coastal, Fenwick Island, DE
• Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka, Pittsburgh, PA
• Esther Lee, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.
• Travis Milton, Hickory at Nicewonder Farm and Vineyards, Bristol, VA
• Harley Peet, Bas Rouge, Easton, MD
• Randy Rucker, River Twice, Philadelphia, PA
• Yuan Tang, Rooster & Owl, Washington, D.C.
• Omar Tate, Honeysuckle Provisions, Philadelphia, PA
• Kevin Tien, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
• Bootsaba Tongdee, Pusadee’s Garden, Pittsburgh, PA
• David Zamudio, Alma Cocina Latina, Baltimore, MD

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

• Sanaa Abourezk, Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean, Sioux Falls, SD
• Ann Ahmed, Khâluna, Minneapolis, MN
• Ross Bachhuber and Samuel Ek, Odd Duck, Milwaukee, WI
• Andrea Baumgardner, BernBaum’s, Fargo, ND
• Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer, Chef Shack Bay City, Bay City, WI
• Rob Connoley, Bulrush, St. Louis, MO
• Philip Day, Root Food + Wine, Augusta, MO
• Chris Hoffmann, Clyde’s Fine Diner, Des Moines, IA
• Kenny Howard and Heath Stocks, Anima Cucina, Bismarck, ND
• Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, EsterEv, Milwaukee, WI
• Kyle Knall, Birch, Milwaukee, WI
• Johnny Leach, The Town Company, Kansas City, MO
• Katie Liu-Sung, Chewology, Kansas City, MO
• Romain Monnoyeur, Westport Cafe, Kansas City, MO
• Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, MO
• Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis, MN
• Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room, Omaha, NE
• Rozz Petrozz, Saltwell Farm Kitchen, Overbrook, KS
• Sean Pharr, Mint Mark, Madison, WI
• Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, MN

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

• Joshua Adams, Campione, Livingston, MT
• Theo Adley, Marigold, Lyons, CO
• Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID
• Dan Ansotegui, Ansots, Boise, ID
• Ben Barlow and Heather Logan, Stanley Supper Club, Stanley, ID
• David Chon, Bar Nohm, Salt Lake City, UT
• Diego Coconati, Lucina Eatery & Bar, Denver, CO
• Brandon Cunningham, Social Haus, Greenough, MT
• Aminata “Ami” Dia and Rougui Dia, Le French, Denver, CO
• Charley Graham, Little Star Diner, Bozeman, MT
• Walker Hunter, Brasserie Porte Rouge, Missoula, MT
• Lee Johnson, MontAsia, Fishtail, MT
• Dave Jones, Log Haven, Salt Lake City, UT
• Jason King, King Sushi, Jackson, WY
• Bo Porytko, Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, Denver, CO
• Ali Sabbah, Mazza Cafe, Salt Lake City, UT
• Nick Steen Gullings, Walkers Grill, Billings, MT
• Matt Vawter, Rootstalk, Breckenridge, CO
• Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
• Nick Zocco, Urban Hill, Salt Lake City, UT

Best Chef: New York State

• Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
• Mary Attea, Musket Room, New York, NY
• Ayo Balogun, Dept of Culture, Brooklyn, NY
• Clare de Boer, Stissing House, Pine Plains, NY
• Doris Choi, Good Night, Woodstock, NY
• Calvin Eng, Bonnie’s, Brooklyn, NY
• Aretah Ettarh, Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY
• Charles Gabriel, Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, New York, NY
• Efrén Hernández, Casa Susanna, Leeds, NY
• Luis Herrera, Ensenada, Brooklyn, NY
• JJ Johnson, FieldTrip, New York, NY
• Telly Justice, HAGS, New York, NY
• Atsushi Kono, Kono, New York, NY
• Shaina Loew-Banayan, Cafe Mutton, Hudson, NY
• Christina Mauricio, Harana Market, Accord, NY
• Charlie Mitchell, Cloverhill, Brooklyn, NY
• Scarr Pimentel, Scarr’s Pizza, New York, NY
• Jeremy Salamon, Agi’s Counter, Brooklyn, NY
• Hillary Sterling, Ci Siamo, New York, NY
• Ed Szymanski, Lord’s, New York, NY

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

• Celia Bruns, Artemisia Cafe, Portland, ME
• Peter Carvelli, Foglia, Bristol, RI
• Tracy Chang, Pagu, Cambridge, MA
• Cara Chigazola Tobin, Honey Road, Burlington, VT
• John daSilva, Chickadee, Boston, MA
• Conor Dennehy, Tallula, Cambridge, MA
• Subat Dilmurat, Jahunger, Providence, RI
• Ian Driscoll, Bar Futo, Portland, ME
• Patricia Estorino, Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge, MA
• Lee Frank, Otis Restaurant, Exeter, NH
• Valerie Goldman, The Honey Paw, Portland, ME
• Cecelia Lizotte, Suya Joint, Boston, MA
• Laurence Louie, Rubato, Quincy, MA
• Maria Meza, Dolores, Providence, RI
• Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, MA
• David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT
• Jake Stevens, Leeward, Portland, ME
• Micah Tavelli, Paradiso Hi-Fi, Burlington, VT
• Andy Teixeira, Newport Vineyards, Middletown, RI
• Basil Yu, Yagi Noodles, Newport, RI

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

• Avery Adams, Matia Kitchen, Orcas Island, WA
• Nathan Bentley, Altura Bistro, Anchorage, AK
• Derek Bray, The Table, Tacoma, WA
• Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle, WA
• Grayson Corrales, MariPili Tapas Bar, Seattle, WA
• Michael Dodge, Whisky & Ramen, Anchorage, AK
• Josh Dorcak, Mas, Ashland, OR
• Gregory Gourdet, kann, Portland, OR
• Dan Koommoo, Crafted, Yakima, WA
• Andrew Le, The Pig and the Lady, Honolulu, HI
• Evan Leichtling, Off Alley, Seattle, WA
• Matthew Lightner, okta, McMinnville, OR
• Melissa Miranda, Musang, Seattle, WA
• Nae Ogawa, natuRe Waikiki, Honolulu, HI
• Jason Peel, Nami Kaze, Honolulu, HI
• Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
• Jeff Scheer, Marlow, Pukalani, HI
• Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, AK
• Sheldon Simeon, Tiffany’s, Wailuku, HI
• Peter Vuong, Ha VL, Portland, OR

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

• Pete Amadhanirundr, Puma Yu’s, Athens, GA
• Arnaldo Castillo, Tio Lucho’s, Atlanta, GA
• Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson, Jimmy Pearls, Charlotte, NC
• Erika Council, Bomb Biscuits, Atlanta, GA
• Kitwanda “Kiki” Cyrus and Tyrone Cyrus, Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, Columbia, SC
• Jamie Davis, The Hackney, Washington, NC
• Jacques Larson, The Obstinate Daughter, Sullivan’s Island, SC
• Rod Lassiter and Parnass Savang, Talat Market, Atlanta, GA
• Daris Leatherwood, Supper Club on 2nd, Memphis, TN
• James London, Chubby Fish, Charleston, SC
• Scott MacGregor, Appalachia Kitchen, Snowshoe, WV
• Dallas McGarity, The Fat Lamb, Louisville, KY
• Trevor Moran, Locust, Nashville, TN
• Arnold Myint, International Market, Nashville, TN
• Duane Nutter, Southern National, Atlanta, GA
• Robbie Robinson, City Limits Barbeque, Cayce, SC
• Jason Sellers, Plant, Asheville, NC
• Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV
• Kanlaya “Gun” Supachana, Dalaya Thai Cuisine, Sylva, NC
• Preeti Waas, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium, Raleigh, NC

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

• Melissa Araujo, Alma Cafe, New Orleans, LA
• Kelsey Barnard Clark, KBC, Dothan, AL
• Jennifer Berdin and Mark Berdin, Kadence, Orlando, FL
• Valerie Chang, Maty’s, Miami, FL
• Clay Conley, Buccan, Palm Beach, FL
• Matt Cooper, Conifer, Bentonville, AR
• Tristen Epps, Ocean Social, Miami, FL
• Hunter Evans, Elvie’s, Jackson, MS
• Ruben Guzman, Leña Eh Food Truck, San Juan, PR
• Hardette Harris, Us Up North, Shreveport, LA
• Gabriel Hernandez, Verde Mesa, San Juan, PR
• Amarys Herndon and Jordan Herndon, Palm&Pine, New Orleans, LA
• Rob McDaniel, Helen, Birmingham, AL
• Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL
• Carlos Portela, Orujo, San Juan, PR
• Arwen Rice, Red or White, Mobile, AL
• Rafael Rios, Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico, Bentonville, AR
• Sophina Uong, Mister Mao, New Orleans, LA
• Arvinder Vilkhu, Saffron, New Orleans, LA
• Marlon “Chicken” Williams, Chicken’s Kitchen, Gretna, LA

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

• Rene Andrade, Bacanora, Phoenix, AZ
• Christopher Bethoney, Campo at Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, NM
• Annamaria Brezna O’Brien, Dolina Cafe and Bakery, Santa Fe, NM
• Flavia Briones, Barista Del Barrio, Tucson, AZ
• Pornsupak “Cat” Bunnag, Glai Baan, Phoenix, AZ
• Jeff Chanchaleune, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, Oklahoma City, OK
• Alexandre Figueira, Doctor Kustom, Tulsa, OK
• DJ Flores, Milpa, Las Vegas, NV
• Wendy Garcia, Tumerico, Tucson, AZ
• Josefina Garcilazo, Chope’s, La Mesa, NM
• Sam Greenhalgh, Forêt, Flagstaff, AZ
• Jordan Hawley, il seme, Tulsa, OK
• Brian Howard, Sparrow + Wolf, Las Vegas, NV
• Steve Kestler, Aroma Latin American Cocina, Henderson, NV
• Marc Quinones, Level 5, Albuquerque, NM
• Steve Riley, Mesa Provisions, Albuquerque, NM
• Eduardo Rodriguez, Zacatlan, Santa Fe, NM
• Jacque Siegfried, Natv, Broken Arrow, OK
• Tabb Singleton, Phat Tabb’s BBQ, Idabel, OK
• Claudio Urciuoli, Source, Gilbert, AZ

Best Chef: Texas

• Thomas Bille, Belly of the Beast, Spring, TX
• Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Canje, Austin, TX
• Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó, Houston, TX
• Mark Clayton, Squable, Houston, TX
• Christopher Cullum, Cullum’s Attaboy, San Antonio, TX
• Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & Co., Houston, TX
• Geoff Ellis, Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen, Austin, TX
• Alexandra Gates, Cochineal, Marfa, TX
• Joseph Gomez, Con Todo, Austin, TX
• Andrew Ho, Andrew Samia, and Sean Wen, Curry Boys BBQ, San Antonio, TX
• Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Best Quality Daughter, San Antonio, TX
• Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Birdie’s, Austin, TX
• Emiliano Marentes, Elemi, El Paso, TX
• Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast, Dallas, TX
• Fermín Nuñez, Suerte, Austin, TX
• Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria, Mission, TX
• Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, José, Dallas, TX
• Regino Rojas, Purépecha, Dallas, TX
• Arnulfo Sánchez III, Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q, Grapevine, TX
• Rich Vana, The Heritage Table, Frisco, TX