Celebrating the South: Semifinalists for James Beard Awards Announced

Hollywood might have The Oscars, but chefs, bakers, restauranteurs, and food lovers have the James Beard Awards. The 2015 semifinalists have been announced, and we are more proud than ever of the South and our friends that are preserving the heritage of Southern food night after night in their restaurants. The winners will be announced on Monday, May 4.

Here are the Southern semifinalists:

Best New Restaurant
The Alley Light, Charlottesville, VA
Edmund’s Oast, Charleston, SC
The Grey, Savannah, GA
Lusca, Atlanta
Olamaie, Austin
One Eleven at the Capital, Little Rock, AR
San Salvaje, Dallas

Outstanding Baker
Cheryl and Griffith Day, Back in the Day Bakery, Savannah, GA
Phoebe Lawless, Scratch Bakery, Durham, NC
Lauren Mitterer, WildFlour Pastry, Charleston, SC
Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC

Outstanding Bar Program
Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans
Cane & Table, New Orleans
Kimball House, Decatur, GA
The Patterson House, Nashville

Outstanding Chef
Sean Brock, Husk, Charleston, SC
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas

Outstanding Pastry Chef
Caitlin Dysart, 2941, Falls Church, VA
Kelly Fields, Restaurant August/Besh Restaurant Group, New Orleans
Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Pamela Moxley, Miller Union, Atlanta

Outstanding Restaurant
Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Hominy Grill, Charleston, SC

Outstanding Restaurateur
JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans
Ford Fry, Atlanta (The Optimist, King + Duke, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, and others)
Benjamin Goldberg and Max Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality, Nashville (The Catbird
Seat, Pinewood Social, Merchants, Patterson House, and others)
Nick Pihakis, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL

Outstanding Service
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
Charleston Grill, Charleston, SC
One Flew South, Atlanta
Restaurant August, New Orleans

Outstanding Wine Program
Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, FL
FIG, Charleston, SC
Hugo’s, Houston
McCrady’s, Charleston, SC
Miller Union, Atlanta

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional
Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, VA
Steven Grubbs, Empire State South, Atlanta
James Tidwell, Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX
Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Rising Star of the Year
Mark Buley and Sam Hellman-Mass, Odd Duck, Austin
Ari Kolender, Leon’s Oyster Shop, Charleston, SC
Grae Nonas, Olamaie, Austin
Landon Thompson, Cooks and Soldiers, Atlanta

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Peter Chang, Peter Chang China Café, Glen Allen, VA
Lee Gregory, The Roosevelt, Richmond, VA
Tarver King, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Lovettsville, VA
Dale Reitzer, Acacia, Richmond, VA
Angelo Vangelopoulos, The Ivy Inn, Charlottesville, VA

Best Chef: South
Greg Baker, The Refinery, Tampa, FL
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS
Kathleen Blake, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL
Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
Justin Girouard, The French Press, Lafayette, LA
Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake
Buena Vista, FL
Matthew McClure, The Hive, Bentonville, AR
Rob McDaniel, SpringHouse, Alexander City, AL
José Mendín, Pubbelly, Miami Beach, FL
Chris Newsome, Ollie Irene, Birmingham, AL
James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL
Steve Phelps, Indigenous, Sarasota, FL
Hari Pulapaka, Cress, DeLand, FL
Giorgio Rapicavoli, Eating House, Miami
Slade Rushing, Brennan’s, New Orleans
Alon Shaya, Domenica, New Orleans
Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans
Brian Whittington, Restaurant Orsay, Jacksonville, FL

Best Chef: Southeast
Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA
Jeremiah Bacon, The Macintosh, Charleston, SC
Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Kathy Cary, Lilly’s, Louisville, KY
John Fleer, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC
Kevin Gillespie, Gunshow, Atlanta
Todd Ginsberg, The General Muir, Atlanta
Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, WV
Vivian Howard, Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC
Scott Howell, Nana’s, Durham, NC
Meherwan Irani, Chai Pani, Asheville, NC
Josh Keeler, Two Boroughs Larder, Charleston, SC
Matthew Kelly, Mateo, Durham, NC
Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY
Daniel Lindley, Alleia, Chattanooga, TN
Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta
Jason Stanhope, FIG, Charleston, SC
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis
Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC
Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville

Best Chef: Southwest
David Bull, Congress, Austin
Omar Flores, Casa Rubia, Dallas
Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue, Austin
Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner, The Pass, Houston
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin
Matt McCallister, FT33, Dallas
Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s, Houston
John Tesar, Knife, Dallas
David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas
Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston

View the complete list of James Beard Awards semifinalists.

Comment below and tell us who you’re pulling for.