NEW YORK, NY (March 16, 2017) – The James Beard Foundation is proud to announce the nominees for the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. The nominees were announced today during a breakfast at a.o.c. in Los Angeles, California, hosted by Susan Ungaro, James Beard Foundation president; Mitchell Davis, executive vice-president; Emily Luchetti, chair of the James Beard Foundation’s Board of Trustees; Anne Quatrano, chair of the 2017 Awards committee; and Suzanne Goin, James Beard Award-winner and chef/owner of a.o.c.

“Our Foundation is thrilled to bring our nominees announcement to the dynamic food city of Los Angeles, home to over 25 chef and restaurant award winners,” said James Beard Foundation president Susan Ungaro. “We wish the nominees in all categories the best of luck at this year’s Awards ceremonies, and congratulate the winners in several categories announce for the first time today, including Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America and the 2017 Design Icon honoree.”

Winners of the 2017 James Beard Awards for the following nominees will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 1, 2017. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and beverage professionals from across the country.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and furthers the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program. All JBF Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.

The 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards are proudly hosted by Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association and presented in association with the Chicago Department of Aviation, HMSHost, Illinois Office of Tourism, and Mariano's as well as the following partners: Premier Sponsors: All-Clad Metalcrafters, American Airlines, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, True Refrigeration®; Supporting Sponsors: Breville®, Hyatt, Lavazza, Robert Mondavi Winery, Skuna Bay Salmon, Valrhona; Gala Reception Sponsors: Ecolab, Kendall College, Windstar Cruises; with additional support from: Chefwear, VerTerra Dinnerware.

2017 James Beard Foundation Restaurant Design Awards

Winners will be announced on May 1, 2017.

75 Seats and Under (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2014) Firm: AvroKO Designers: Kristina O’Neal, William Harris, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw Project: SingleThread, Healdsburg, California

Firm: Guga Designer: Jeff Guga Project: Kismet, Los Angeles

Firm: Ken Fulk Inc. Designers: Tiffany Kramer and Jon de la Cruz Project: Leo’s Oyster Bar, San Francisco

76 Seats and Over (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2014) Firm: AvroKO Designers: Kristina O’Neal, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw, William Harris Project: Momotaro, Chicago

Firm: Home Studios Designers: Evan and Oliver Haslegrave Project: Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant, Los Angeles

Firm: Meyer Davis Designers: Will Meyer, Gray Davis, Katie McPherson Project: St. Cecilia, Atlanta

2017 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant (Presented by True Refrigeration®) A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

In Situ San Francisco

Le Coucou NYC

Olmsted Brooklyn, NY

Pineapple and Pearls Washington, D.C.

Tartine Manufactory San Francisco

Outstanding Baker A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been working as a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.

Ken Forkish Ken’s Artisan Bakery Portland, OR

Mark Furstenberg Bread Furst Washington, D.C.

Zachary Golper Bien Cuit Brooklyn, NY

Belinda Leong and Michel Suas B. Patisserie San Francisco

Greg Wade Publican Quality Bread Chicago

Outstanding Bar Program A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in cocktail, spirits, and/or beer service.

Arnaud’s French 75 Bar New Orleans

Bar Agricole San Francisco

Clyde Common Portland, OR

Cure New Orleans

The Dead Rabbit NYC

Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters) A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Gabrielle Hamilton Prune NYC

David Kinch Manresa Los Gatos, CA

Christopher Kostow The Restaurant at Meadowood St. Helena, CA

Donald Link Herbsaint New Orleans

Michael Solomonov Zahav Philadelphia

Outstanding Pastry Chef A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Kelly Fields Willa Jean New Orleans

Maura Kilpatrick Oleana Cambridge, MA

Margarita Manzke République Los Angeles

Dolester Miles Highlands Bar & Grill Birmingham, AL

Ghaya Oliveira Daniel NYC

Outstanding Restaurant (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water) A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard bearer of consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere and service. Must have been in operation 10 or more consecutive years.

Frasca Food and Wine Boulder, CO

Highlands Bar and Grill Birmingham, AL

Momofuku Noodle Bar NYC

Quince San Francisco

The Spotted Pig NYC

Topolobampo Chicago

Outstanding Restaurateur A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others) Chicago

JoAnn Clevenger Upperline New Orleans

Ken Oringer Uni, Toro, Coppa, and others Boston

Stephen Starr Starr Restaurants (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others) Philadelphia

Caroline Styne The Lucques Group (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others) Los Angeles

Outstanding Service A restaurant in operation five or more years that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns Pocantico Hills, NY

Galatoire’s Restaurant New Orleans

Marea NYC

Terra St. Helena, CA

Zahav Philadelphia

Outstanding Wine Program (Presented by Robert Mondavi Winery) A restaurant in operation five or more years that serves as a standard bearer for excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine.

Benu San Francisco

Canlis Seattle

Emeril’s New Orleans

Fig Charleston, SC

Miller Union Atlanta

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.

Sam Calagione Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton, DE

Diane Flynt Foggy Ridge Cider Dugspur, VA

Miljenko Grgich Grgich Hills Estate Rutherford, CA

Aldo Sohm Zalto Glass NYC

Rob Tod Allagash Brewing Company Portland, ME

Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water) A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Camille Cogswell Zahav Philadelphia

Zachary Engel Shaya New Orleans

Matt Rudofker Momofuku Ssäm Bar NYC

Jenner Tomaska Next Chicago

Brady Williams Canlis Seattle

Best Chefs in America Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH) Abraham Conlon Fat Rice Chicago

Sarah Grueneberg Monteverde Chicago

Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark Parachute Chicago

Lee Wolen Boka Chicago

Erling Wu-Bower Nico Osteria Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA) Amy Brandwein Centrolina Washington, D.C.

Tom Cunanan Bad Saint Washington, D.C.

Rich Landau Vedge Philadelphia

Greg Vernick Vernick Food & Drink Philadelphia

Cindy Wolf Charleston Baltimore

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI) Steven Brown Tilia Minneapolis

Justin Carlisle Ardent Milwaukee

Jorge Guzman Brewer’s Table at Surly Brewing Co. Minneapolis

Kevin Nashan Sidney Street Cafe St. Louis

Kevin Willmann Farmhaus St. Louis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs) Marco Canora Hearth

Anita Lo Annisa

Ignacio Mattos Estela

Missy Robbins Lilia Brooklyn, NY

Jody Williams Buvette Gastrothèque

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT) Karen Akunowicz Myers + Chang Boston

Cassie Piuma Sarma Somerville, MA

Susan Regis Shepard Cambridge, MA

Benjamin Sukle Birch Providence, RI

Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley Eventide Oyster Co. Portland, ME

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY) Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton Ox Portland, OR

Edouardo Jordan Salare Seattle

Katy Millard Coquine Portland, OR

Justin Woodward Castagna Portland, OR

Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi Joule Seattle

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS) Vishwesh Bhatt Snackbar Oxford, MS

Nina Compton Compère Lapin New Orleans

Jose Enrique Jose Enrique San Juan, PR

Slade Rushing Brennan’s New Orleans

Rebecca Wilcomb Herbsaint New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV) John Fleer Rhubarb Asheville, NC

Edward Lee 610 Magnolia Louisville, KY

Steven Satterfield Miller Union Atlanta

Ryan Smith Staplehouse Atlanta

Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen Memphis

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT) Bryce Gilmore Barley Swine Austin

Steve McHugh Cured San Antonio

Hugo Ortega Hugo’s Houston

Steve Redzikowski Acorn Denver

Martín Rios Restaurant Martín Santa Fe

Jianyun Ye Mala Sichuan Bistro Houston

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV) Michael Cimarusti Providence Los Angeles

Dominique Crenn Atelier Crenn San Francisco

Jeremy Fox Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen Santa Monica, CA

Corey Lee Benu San Francisco

Ludo Lefebvre Trois Mec Los Angeles

Travis Lett Gjelina Venice, CA