The James Beard Foundation revealed its list of nominees who made the cut as 2024 semifinalists, recognizing the best chefs and restaurateurs in the country. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 3 and the winners will be awareded during the annual gala in Chicago on Monday, June 10, 2023. In the meantime, start exploring the career opportunities with this year's nominees and/or discover openings on the teams of past years' winners.

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Ashok Bajaj - Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (Washington, DC)
• Itai Ben Eli and Itamar Levy - Sof Hospitality Group (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 (New York, NY)
• Greg Dulan - Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Hotville Chicken, and DulanVILLE (Inglewood, CA)
• Laile Fairbairn, Locally Grown Restaurants Anchorage, AK - Locally Grown Restaurants (Anchorage, AK)
• Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez, Take Root Hospitality - Take Root Hospitality (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 - LeBlanc + Smith (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, DC)
• Kelly Whitaker - Id Est Hospitality Group (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, DC)
• 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, DC)
• 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, DC)
• 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)

Oustanding 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

• Woodford Food & Beverage (Portland, ME)
• 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, DC)
• 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)
• 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, DC)
• Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan - Joon (Vienna, VA)
• Amy Brandwein - Centrolina (Washington, DC)
• 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, DC)
• 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, DC)
• 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, DC)
• Omar Tate - Honeysuckle Provisions (Philadelphia, PA)
• Kevin Tien - Moon Rabbit (Washington, DC)
• 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 Jon