In the culinary world, the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize or the Oscars comes down to the James Beard Awards. This year, the list of nominees includes a large number of Southern chefs, restaurants, and other food-related entities. What’s so fascinating about this list lies in the evidence of increasing diversity – it’s not all barbecue and fried chicken and French or Italian. A prime example of the mixing and stirring of cultures that’s been going on for hundreds of years. Final winners will be announced on March 18, 2013; stay tuned.
Best New Restaurant:
Borgne, New Orleans
Hog & Hominy, Memphis
Khong River House, Miami Beach, FL
Lockeland Table, Nashville
Mateo Tapas, Durham, NC
The Ordinary, Charleston, SC
Underbelly, Houston
Mintwood Place, Washington, DC
Outstanding Bar Program:
Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
Cure, New Orleans
Holeman & Finch Public House, Atlanta
The Porter Beer Bar, Atlanta
Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
The Broken Shaker, Miami Beach, FL
The Cedars Social, Dallas
Outstanding Chef:
Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC
Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin and Houston
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Restaurant, Dallas
Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Outstanding Pastry Chef:
Hedy Goldsmith, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami
Phoebe Lawless, Scratch, Durham, NC
Tiffany MacIsaac, Birch & Barley, Washington, DC
Aaron Russell, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
Laura Sawicki, La Condesa, Austin
Tandra Watkins, Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel, Little Rock, AR
Outstanding Restaurant:
August, New Orleans
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC
Vidalia, Washington, DC
Outstanding Restaurateur:
Nick Badovinus (Flavor Hook, Off-Site Kitchen, Tried and True, etc.), Dallas
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (The Bombay Club, the Oval Room, Rasika, etc.), Washington, DC
Ford Fry, Rocket Farm Restaurants (The Optimist, JCT Kitchen, No. 246), Atlanta
Levi Goode, Goode Company Restaurants (Goode Company Seafood, Goode Company Taqueria, Goode Company BBQ, etc.), Houston
Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta
Nick Pihakis, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL
Outstanding Service:
Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Biga on the Banks, San Antonio
Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
The French Room at the Adolphus, Dallas
The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton, Louisville
Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista, FL
Outstanding Wine Program:
Angus Barn, Raleigh, NC
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN.
Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX
Charleston Grill at Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, SC
CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington, DC
Five & Ten, Athens, GA
The Grill Room at Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional:
Cellars, Charlotte, NC
Harlan Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY
Sean Lilly Wilson, Fullsteam, Durham, NC
Rising Star Chef of the Year:
Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin
Janina O’Leary, Trace, Austin
Giorgio Rapicavoli, Eating House, Coral Gables, FL
Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston
Best Chef: South:
Peter Arpke, Beach Bistro, Holmes Beach, FL
Greg Baker, The Refinery, Tampa, FL
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS
Kathleen Blake, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL
Clay Conley, Buccan, Palm Beach, 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
James Lewis, Bettola, Birmingham, AL
Rob McDaniel, Spring House, Alexander City, AL
Brandon McGlamery, Luma on Park, Winter Park, FL
Jeff McInnis, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, Miami Beach, FL
Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
Jose Mendin, Pubbelly, Miami Beach, FL
James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL
Hari Pulapaka, Cress, DeLand, FL
Alon Shaya, Domenica, New Orleans
Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s, New Orleans